Spa

For decades, the prevailing belief in pet care has been that cats are solitary, territorial animals who are happiest when left alone in their familiar environment. While routine and predictability do matter to cats, modern behavioral science paints a more nuanced picture.

Walk into most pet care facilities across the country and the design tells a familiar story: Rows of spacious dog runs line the walls, play yards echo with joyful barks and scent diffusers hum quietly in the background—designed, of course, to calm canines. Somewhere, though,…