As a pet parent, you’ve probably spent hours and days trying to get your pet kitty to snuggle up in your lap at naptime. Yet, no matter what you do, furry little Bubba coolly rejects you in favour of that old cardboard box you received your online order in last week.
The box, really?
Upset, you head online to see what other kitty mamas (and papas) are doing to get cat cuddles but alas, they too are in a similar fix.
Yes, cats love their cardboard boxes. Any cat parent would bear witness to this fact. Cats (and kittens) would give up the cosiest of blankets and cushions in favour of a plain, old box. The only thing that might draw them out is their favorite toy or perhaps, snack time. All temporary bribes really till Bubba kitty sneaks back in the box.
According to VetBabble, here are 7 reasons why your cat likes a good box!
But why? If that question has been bothering you too, read on to know what’s really with the cat in the box.
1) They feel safe
Cats are creatures that love to be in the know. They would hate you suddenly springing upon them. Sitting in a box offers your cat a vantage point of sorts; anyone approaching them would always be within the cat’s sight. So, the box really is a fortress. They feel secure. Cats are known to go into hiding rather than face a problem head-on. They would rather observe at a distance until they deem it safe to step back out.
Now, you’re probably wondering why your kitty needs a fortress? After all, your home is a safe place, right?
That’s true. But, you need to give your cat time to warm up and trust you. Let them have their box as a part of the trust-building process.
2) It’s just plain old comfort
Cats love to feel warm and that old cardboard box provides the purrfect insulation for your furry baby. The warmth of a cardboard box seems just about right for cats and draws them in for that afternoon siesta.
But there are loads of other cosy places too!
Perhaps, we could combine the warmth of the cardboard box along with the safety it offers to understand how this double bonanza might make it the perfect place for some kitty shut-eye.
So, how warm do cats need to be? Well, the ideal temperature for a cat’s body is around 100°F. However, most homes are slightly colder than this. So, your cat feels the urge to jump into a cardboard box for that added heat. They might also head for a cushion on your couch.
3) Cats love to claw
So, honestly, it’s better they claw at that old cardboard box.
As much as you love Bubba, it would break your heart to see claw marks all over that brand-new couch. So, just let him have his box to scratch and play with. Cats honestly love to play with their cardboard box and rip into it by scratching and biting. Researchers aren’t too sure why but they do feel this has something to do with the texture of the cardboard box.
Why not just get a box or two extra to keep handy for when your kitty makes their way through the first one?
4)Stress buster!
Yes, cats too get stressed out. And a stressed feline is fearful and furious.
Certain studies on shelter cats have noted that cardboard boxes really work towards helping reduce stress levels in cats. This might be attributed to the sense of security and comfort that these boxes offer. In a way, they do help the cat adjust to their surroundings without being too vulnerable. Some studies have even shown that boxes can help regulate hormone levels in cats.
So, if you are planning to adopt a cat anytime soon, it might help to keep a few boxes handy at home.
Also, do drop off a few boxes at the local shelter so all the kitties can tuck in safely while they await their forever homes.
5) Curiosity and the cat
If you walk into a room and see a box lying around, you would probably head over to inspect its contents, right?
Your cat is pretty much doing the same thing.
It’s a bright sunny day and Bubba saunters into the living room as his nose picks up some new smells. They seem to be coming from that strange box in the corner of the room (yes, we all know the cardboard box odour) and so, he heads over for an inspection.
Hmmm…feels nice and warm.
Bubba greets the box like an old friend and moves in. So, it could be that the cat was simply curious and went over to inspect something that seemed new. The warmth and texture of the cardboard box beckoned and the rest, as they say, is history. It’s the cat in the box. But not on your lap. Sigh! We know the feeling.
Do remember that as hoomans can just assume! We cannot think on the same wavelength as our feline friends and so we will never truly know why cats love their boxes so much. It could be any one of the reasons mentioned above, or none of them either! There’s so much more research being done to understand why our feline friends behave the way they do. Until we can read a cat’s mind, we have to make our best guesses based on observation.
In the meantime, what we do know is that, besides boxes, cats love loads of other things as well. That’s where we come in – we’ve got everything under the sun that your cat could possibly need! From cat beds and furniture to cat toys and clothing – find it all on CatCurio! We provide shipping to 66 countries and allow you to track your order right till it reaches your doorstep.
We hope this made for a fun read, good luck and have a PAWesome day!