Research overview: cognitive enrichment and problem-solving devices for captive felids

Cognitive enrichment challenges animals to solve problems for rewards, engaging mental faculties and providing a sense of control. This overview surveys the emerging use of cognitive enrichment for captive cats: puzzle feeders, manipulable devices, training tasks and novel problem-solving challenges, and evidence on whether they increase engagement, reduce stereotypy and improve welfare. It discusses the relative neglect of cognitive compared with feeding and structural enrichment in felids, the importance of appropriate difficulty to avoid frustration, the welfare value of agency and learning, and how cognitive enrichment overlaps with training. It also considers individual and species differences in problem-solving. The synthesis frames cognitive enrichment as a promising but under-developed avenue for stimulating captive cats beyond physical and sensory approaches.