The Feline Veterinary Medical Association (FelineVMA) has released a key update on the well-being of cats that live exclusively indoors, emphasizing that ensuring their physical safety is not enough to provide them with a truly healthy life. 🏡✨
The organization warns that without proper stimulation, many cats can develop stress, anxiety, and behavioral problems—even in seemingly safe indoor environments. It also highlights that many caregivers are unaware of their cats’ emotional and environmental needs, which contributes to a higher incidence of stress-related disorders.
😺The new guidelines are built on five essential pillars and include practical recommendations to support their day-to-day implementation. These include the importance of providing safe spaces—such as high shelves or boxes where cats can retreat; properly organizing household resources such as water, food, litter boxes, and scratching posts to prevent competition, especially in multi-cat homes; stimulating active play and predatory behavior through interactive toys and structured hunting routines; encouraging positive human interactions, such as petting on the cat’s terms or brief play sessions; and maintaining a healthy olfactory environment by avoiding strong scents that may cause discomfort or stress
👩⚕️FelineVMA notes that many medical and behavioral problems stem from environments that are not properly adapted to feline needs. For this reason, veterinarians play a key role in guiding families through home assessments and incorporating these recommendations into their wellness and behavioral consultations.
🌟This update, which replaces the 2019 policy, reflects the growing recognition of how significantly the environment influences the physical and emotional health of indoor cats. With these renewed guidelines, caregivers and professionals now have a clear, practical, and accessible framework to support a more comprehensive level of well-being for cats living exclusively indoors.
Source: https://www.avma.org/news/indoor-cats-wellbeing-requires-more-physical-safety
