Octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish display remarkable intelligence and problem-solving that supports taking their welfare seriously in research and food contexts.
Cephalopod cognitive complexity — demonstrated through tool use, play, and problem-solving — argues strongly for welfare consideration in research and food production. Their large distributed nervous system suggests capacity for pain and distress. Octopus farming, currently under development commercially, would raise significant welfare concerns given their need for complex environments.