Research overview: predatory play, object play and welfare in captive cats

Play, especially object play that mimics hunting, is both an indicator and a contributor to good welfare in cats, and its absence can signal stress or poor environments. This overview surveys research on feline play: its predatory structure, how it changes with age and arousal, its links to the hunting motivational system, and evidence that opportunities for predatory-style play reduce stress, frustration and problem behaviour in domestic and captive wild cats. It examines toy design, the role of movement and novelty in eliciting play, habituation, and play as a tool in shelters and zoos to improve welfare and adoptability. It also considers play in the five-pillar framework. The synthesis frames satisfying the predatory play motivation as a recurring, cross-context welfare requirement for felids.