Effects of density and cage size on stress in domestic cats in shelters and catteries

Kessler and Turner investigated how stocking density and cage size affect stress in shelter and cattery cats, again using the Cat-Stress-Score. They found that very high densities raised stress, but that beyond a threshold additional space mattered less than the ability to maintain individual distance and retreat. Crowding that forced close proximity among unfamiliar cats was particularly stressful. The work informed shelter housing standards by showing that providing adequate per-cat space, the option to withdraw, and avoidance of forced crowding reduces stress more reliably than simply enlarging enclosures. It remains a key empirical basis for density and space recommendations in feline group housing.