Companion Animals

Companion Animal Welfare and Cat Welfare Through Science 2026

Feline welfare science in 2026 is producing actionable insights that are improving cat care standards in veterinary practices and homes globally.

Key Facts

Feline cognitive bias studies confirm cats experience positive and negative emotional states
Feline play science reveals individual variation in play preferences affecting enrichment design
Oxytocin research confirms positive emotional bonding in cat-human interactions
Pain biomarker research is enabling non-invasive welfare assessment tools
Citizen science cat welfare studies are generating large-scale evidence on welfare determinants

Welfare Considerations

Feline welfare science is transforming what we know about cat inner lives and translating into improved care standards. Engaging with this science improves welfare for all cats.

What You Can Do

Stay informed about advances in feline welfare science
Apply welfare science insights in your cat care routines
Support feline welfare research through donations to veterinary research charities