Companion Animals

Companion Animal Welfare and Cat Welfare Research 2026

Feline welfare research has advanced significantly in 2026, with new insights on positive welfare, play, and stress reducing improving care standards.

Key Facts

Domestic cats show individual personality variation that affects welfare needs and responses
Feline play behaviour is a validated positive welfare indicator that changes with age and health
Oxytocin responses in cats during human interaction vary with individual relationship quality
Stress biomarkers in cat urine enable non-invasive welfare assessment in research settings
Citizen science cat welfare research is engaging tens of thousands of cat owners globally

Welfare Considerations

Feline welfare research is revealing the individuality and complexity of cat inner lives. Applying this science in veterinary practice and owner guidance improves welfare for all cats.

What You Can Do

Engage with advances in feline welfare science through reputable sources
Participate in citizen science cat welfare studies
Apply welfare science insights in your cat care routines