Many cat owners have observed that their furry pets have a soft spot for cardboard boxes. Even if your own pet doesn't behave this way, you've surely seen some funny** that show this weird and hilarious cat behavior. Let's delve into this interesting phenomenon and find out why cats love cardboard boxes so much.
Scientists explain the cat's fondness for enclosed spaces, believing that in small spaces, the animal feels safe and no one will step on its paws or tail.
Studies have shown that cats will more easily adapt to new places if they are given the opportunity to explore their new environment. Therefore, if you are planning to move, it is best to prepare a "home" for the cat in advance, at least an empty cardboard box, and place it away from the center of the room so that the whole room can be clearly seen.
Interestingly, this principle of hiding applies to all felines. Many people joke that they have seen lynx lying on feed carts or lions trying to settle in a bucket at the zoo. In fact, these animals are just looking for hidden places.
Most cat owners have been bothered by these dangerous nocturnal predators at least once. These attacks have an interesting feature: cats will attack silently and lightningly, from ambushes**. And the cardboard box is the perfect place to wait for the prey.
The instinctive desire to climb into a dark, cramped space with only one entrance is not limited to domestic cats. Tigers, panthers, lions and leopards can't resist the magic of cardboard boxes. This was shown by experiments on big cats conducted at zoos. One of the reasons why felines love cardboard boxes is simple curiosity and the desire to get rid of everyday boredom. In addition, big cats such as tigers are also territorial: they keep a close eye on the borders of the world to which they belong. Perhaps that's why cardboard boxes with clearly defined borders give these furry control freaks a leg up: it's not difficult to defend such a territory.
Cardboard boxes are ideal for biting, grinding claws, and playing with. As a result, cats will quickly tear it to shreds. It's a pleasure for their senses. Therefore, all cats are consistent in their love for cardboard - don't rush to throw away the packaging and make your pet happy!
The craving for cardboard boxes may be related to warmth. In fact, for cats, the comfortable temperature of the surroundings is between 30 and 38 degrees Celsius. Only in this temperature range will the animal not feel hot or cold.
In a normal apartment, they may feel cool, so pets tend to lie down on a running laptop or by a radiator, ready to bask in the sun for hours in front of the window. This also explains why they prefer cardboard boxes: enclosed spaces heat up faster due to the animal's body temperature - so cats create a suitable microclimate for themselves. Therefore, they like to sleep in cardboard boxes.
This is one of the reasons why cats jump in the carton and come out. Everything that cannot be seen immediately arouses the great interest of these animals. Even if there is nothing in the cardboard box, the cat will not be disappointed, but it is likely that it is just taking a nap away from sight in the hands of its owner and curious children.
We ourselves inspired the cat's love for cardboard boxes. Almost every cat owner, when they see the kitten's interest in cardboard boxes, starts building a hut for their pets.
For playful cats, climbing into a cardboard box and crawling out can mean getting the owner's attention and inviting the owner to play with it.
There is a simple explanation: in nature, ordinary cats do not live in groups, they act alone.
The search for compromise and deep relationships is new to them. There's no better place to soothe anger than a dark, warm cardboard box. It's easy to maintain social distancing in a place like this, and the cats are satisfied.
Despite being curious and active, cats are shy animals and don't like excessive attention from people. Cardboard boxes become places where they can hide from unpleasant sounds or overly enthusiastic human attention.
Cats can sit in a cardboard box for hours. Some cats even manage to settle on an empty box, or even on shoes. For some cats, the carton is also a place to store "secrets". Don't be surprised to find candy wrappers, coin bands, dishwashing sponges and rags in the shoebox – these are all cats' favorite gadgets.
This behavior of a cat may seem strange to the owner, but if the owner loves his pet, it is essential to understand the reasons for its desire to be alone. While suffering from "adorable violence", our furry pets seek salvation under the bed and in the cardboard box.
Cats love bags for slightly different reasons. Oh, this wonderful rustling sound reminds cats of the sound of hide and seek. The rustling sound and movement are the main attractions of the bag for cats.
In the wild, or at least in their own yards, cats always have plenty of places to hone their natural predator skills. In the enclosed space of the apartment, the animal must adapt to the conditions created by the owner. There are many prohibitions among these conditions: do not disturb the laundry, do not climb into the closet, do not walk on the bookshelf, do not jump on the table, do not hang on the curtains. But cats need an active lifestyle, they need to jump, climb, explore space, and of course, hunt.
In the absence of a real game, the rustling bag became a substitute. You can climb in it (even better if there was something tempting like a sausage before), you can bite it, push it around, play and fight, and the hanging bag can also be used as a hammock. The temperature in the bag is slightly higher than the ambient temperature, which is also pleasant for cats.
In addition, these bags also generate static electricity that can stick to the cat's fur, which also adds to their attractiveness. In short, for cats, they are interactive toys that are ready to play.
Ultimately, we can conclude that cats love cardboard boxes for a variety of reasons. There are not only instinctive and psychological reasons, but even biological reasons that make cats big fans of cardboard boxes. Cats can hide in cardboard boxes to sleep, play, use it as an ambush place, and so on. Hopefully, when you understand these reasons, you will be more understanding and positive about this strange cat behavior. After all, the most important reason is that it will make your cat happy.