Research overview: welfare and housing of cats in laboratory settings

Cats used in research have specific welfare needs and have been the subject of foundational stress and housing studies. This overview surveys laboratory feline welfare: the classic finding that unpredictable husbandry and inconsistent handling raise cortisol and suppress normal behaviour while routine and gentle handling reduce stress, recommendations for enriched, complex housing with hiding and elevation, social housing of compatible cats, and the role of human socialisation. It discusses regulatory standards, the three Rs, and how laboratory housing research has informed shelter and clinic practice more broadly. It also considers the welfare implications of common procedures and the value of training to reduce restraint. The synthesis frames laboratory cat welfare as both an ethical obligation and a source of widely applicable husbandry knowledge.