Indoor cats without adequate environmental enrichment develop stress-related conditions including over-grooming, urinary disease and compulsive disorders, all of which are preventable.
Indoor cats without enrichment experience a kind of environmental poverty - their complex hunter's mind and body has nothing meaningful to do. This causes chronic low-level stress that manifests as over-grooming, feline idiopathic cystitis, or compulsive behaviours. Enriching the indoor environment with puzzle feeders, climbing structures, hiding places, and hunting opportunities transforms welfare.