Zoo Biology 12:321-331 (1993) RESEARCH ARTICLES Behavioral and Adrenocortical Responses to Environmental Changes ^fTLeopard Cats {Felis bengalensis)

Indicators of environmental adequacy relevant to the well-being of small felids are developed by examining, in 4 captive leopard cats, interrelationships between behavioral and adrenocortical responses to changes in housing conditions. Singly housed cats were moved from their barren home cage (Cage 1, baseline) sequen-tially to 2 new, barren housing situations (Cages 2 and 3; =10 weeks/cage). Urinary cortisol concentrations, Stereotypie pacing, and hiding frequencies were transiently increased for 1 week after translocation to Cage 2. After translocation to Cage 3, cortisol concentrations and hiding also were increased for the first week. However, conditions in Cage 3 were determined to be aversive to the cats, as evidenced by cortisol concentrations that remained chronically elevated for the entire 10-week period. Exploratory behavior was suppressed during this period. When Cage 3 was enriched with a complex of branches and hiding places, urinary cortisol concentrations and Stereotypie pacing decreased, and exploration in-creased. Concealment locations that camouflage were more often used for lying down when urinary cortisol was elevated. These results suggest that reduced exploratory behavior is an indicator of chronic exposure to aversive environmental conditions. Stereotypie pacing may not necessarily increase when adrenocortical activity increases. The results also suggest that enrichment facilitates coping with aversive stimulation by providing behavioral options to confmed felids. To pro-mote the welfare of small felids, appropriate camouflaged hiding places should be provided and enrichment programs developed to stimulate exploratory be-havior. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Key words: stress, Stereotypie pacing, environmental enrichment, exploratory behav-ior, urinary cortisol, felida