Indoor cats require comprehensive enrichment to compensate for the restricted environmental complexity of home environments and meet their predatory and territorial needs.
Indoor cat welfare depends on owners actively creating the environmental complexity that outdoor environments provide naturally. Cats without hunting outlets, vertical territory, and sensory stimulation develop chronic boredom manifesting as overgrooming, aggression, or lethargy. The investment required — cat trees, food puzzles, regular interactive play sessions — is modest relative to the welfare benefit of a mentally engaged cat.