Position Statement educates feline caregivers and veterinary practices on how to meet the needs of multi-cat households
Branchburg, NJ, August 28, 2025 – The Feline Veterinary Medical Association (FelineVMA), the trusted leader in feline health and wellbeing for the veterinary community and cat caregivers, has released a Position Statement about how to meet the physical and emotional needs of indoor cats.
Originally published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, “Meeting the Physical and Emotional Needs of Indoor Cats” outlines a comprehensive framework to support the wellbeing of cats living exclusively indoors. While indoor living reduces exposure to many physical dangers, the statement emphasizes that safety alone is not enough — emotional and behavioral needs must be prioritized equally.
Meeting the essential environmental needs of each cat will reduce their distress and the likelihood of behavioral disorders and stress-related medical issues. Central to a cat’s needs are five essential pillars:
- Provide a safe place
- Provide multiple and separated key environmental resources
- Provide opportunity for play and predatory behavior
- Provide positive, consistent, and predictable human-cat social interaction
- Provide an environment that respects the cat’s sense of smell and other senses
Figure 1: The five pillars of a healthy feline environment. (Courtesy of Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2022; used with permission).
The Position Statement serves as a resource for veterinarians to guide client conversations, behavior consultations, and environmental enrichment plans. For cat caregivers, it offers an accessible way to evaluate whether their indoor cat’s needs are truly being met.
“Indoor-only cats are often assumed to be the safest, but it is more challenging to meet their needs, impacting their physical and emotional health and resulting in more caregiver concerns about behavior,” said Ilona Rodan, DVM, DABVP (Feline), AdvCertFB, Chair of the FelineVMA Feline Welfare Committee. “This Position Statement helps caregivers and veterinary practices recognize the essential daily needs of cats who are often physically and emotionally underserved.”
Download the full FelineVMA“ Meeting the Physical and Emotional Needs of Indoor Cats” Position Statement.
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About the Feline Veterinary Medical Association
The Feline Veterinary Medical Association (FelineVMA) supports its members in improving the health and wellbeing of cats through high standards of practice, continuing education, and evidence-based medicine. Comprised of all veterinary professionals who work with cats, the FelineVMA has a rich history and a proven track record of increasing the standard of care for cats. This is achieved through the development of practice guidelines, feline-specific education and resources, and caregiver support. Home to the Cat Friendly Practice® and Cat Friendly Certificate Programs, the FelineVMA encourages veterinary professionals to re-evaluate practice strategies in an effort to advance the quality of feline medicine.