Companion Animal Welfare and Feline Welfare Research Priorities

Identifying and prioritising feline welfare research needs ensures limited resources address the most significant welfare challenges.

Key Facts

Chronic pain recognition and treatment is identified as the highest priority feline welfare research need
FIC management and prevention is a high-priority welfare research area given its prevalence and severity
Cognitive dysfunction syndrome treatment options are a research priority for the aging cat population
Social welfare and enrichment for indoor cats is a growing research priority
Cat welfare measurement and indicator validation requires further research to enable systematic welfare assessment

Welfare Considerations

Welfare research priorities reflect the most significant welfare problems facing cats. Supporting research on these priorities delivers the evidence needed to improve cat lives.

What You Can Do

Support feline welfare research funding through donations to veterinary research charities
Engage with emerging feline welfare research through reputable science communication
Advocate for feline welfare research funding in public research council consultations