New Delhi, Nov. 26 -- Most cat parents genuinely believe that an indoor life for their cat is the safest choice, and in many ways it is. It protects them from traffic, infections, dog attacks, and the chaos of the outdoors. But this safety can create a different kind of problem.

Cats are built to stalk, chase, pounce and problem-solve yet most indoor lifestyles quietly strip these behaviours away. The consequences of this under-stimulation show up in weight gain, irritability, broken sleep patterns, excessive grooming, and dullness.

The first problem is boredom. Indoor cats typically spend their day cycling between naps and waiting for something interesting. In a wild or semi-outdoor environment, a cat performs dozens of micro-hunting b...