Research overview: boredom and chronic stress in indoor cats

Barren or unpredictable indoor environments can leave cats understimulated and chronically stressed, with effects on behaviour and health. This overview surveys research on indicators of boredom and stress in housed cats, including inactivity, over-grooming, redirected aggression, and stress-linked conditions such as feline idiopathic cystitis. It examines how lack of control, insufficient enrichment, conflict in multi-cat homes and unpredictable routines contribute to poor welfare, and how environmental modification, predictable interaction and outlets for predatory behaviour mitigate these problems. The survey connects boredom and stress to the broader framework of feline environmental needs, emphasizing that meeting behavioural requirements is not a luxury but a determinant of physical health, and that recognizing subtle signs of chronic stress is key to safeguarding indoor cats.