Why Do Cats Like Being in Boxes? Are There Make Them Feel Safety?

People love cats! That’s why millions of people get them as pets, right? Well, if you’re reading this, chances are you’ve also seen a cat inside a box. It turns out there’s actually a scientific explanation for this behavior.

It’s a mystery why cats like being in boxes—but there is a reason why. While the exact reasons vary from cat to cat, experts believe that it may be because the boxes provide safety and comfort.

Here is the fascinating science behind why cats enjoy being in boxes. What is it about boxes that they find so alluring?

Why Do Cats Like Boxes?

Understanding a cat’s thinking still confuses even the most seasoned of cat owners. There are so many unresolved puzzles as to why cats do the things they do, but this one the attraction to a box isn’t too mystifying. It truly makes sense!

1. Boxes Provide Safety and Security for Cats

Cats are naturally drawn to boxes for a variety of reasons, chief among them being the sense of security they provide. Typical cat responses to stress or anxiety are to hide or seek a safe place. It comes naturally.

Nobody or nothing can sneak up on her from behind or the side while she’s locked up tight like this. She can see everything that is coming at her from where she stands. Boxes are a cat’s go-to method for dealing with stress and anxiety.

A concealing box can ease a cat’s anxiety while it is adjusting to a new surroundings. Holiday Barn Pet Resorts’ Cat Condos offer lots of hiding places for our feline visitors, as each level of the apartment is designed to provide a sense of safety and security.

The condominiums have been built to resemble a series of interconnected cubes. It is common for cats to hop from one cubicle to the next in a three-sided, enclosed, private area.

The University of Utrecht conducted a research in a Dutch animal shelter in which 19 fresh arrivals of cats were sorted into two groups and the results were analyzed.

While the two groups were acclimating, one was given a concealing box. They found that the cats that received concealing boxes were much less stressed than those who didn’t receive the boxes, based on their stress signs.

They were able to adjust more rapidly to their new surroundings. Having a safe place to retreat to gave these scared shelter cats a sense of security. They’re such a mess.

Why does a cat choose to sleep in a box?

2. They’re Fun to Play With

The most straightforward explanation for a cat’s attraction to a box is that it’s just FUN! Her favorite pastimes include rolling about, jumping in and out, and pouncing on toys or her owner’s feet.

The finest thing you can gift your cat is a cardboard box, and she’ll gladly play with it for a long time. Just like a cat-themed Disneyland wrapped in brown paper!

3. Instincts are Kicking In

When it comes to pouncing, a box is a great place for your cat to hide and pounce. Cats hunt prey in the wild and have a reputation for being vicious.

Predators conceal and stalk their prey, waiting for the exact moment to spring into action and attack them. It’s nice to pretend that our domestic cats are still hunting even if they don’t have to.

4. Scratching and Chewing

In addition to scratching your couch, drapes, and carpet, cats are also infamous paw sharpeners. For scratching, boxes are ideal. There is nothing better for a cat than sinking his or her claws into a piece of cardboard.

When a cat scratches, the smell pads on its paws produce a fragrance trail. In order to keep track of their area, the creatures will leave a fragrance to identify their own small hideouts.

Chewers are another characteristic of certain cats. To satisfy their drive to kill and dismember their prey, it is said that they like eating and breaking up boxes and other containers. Ewww.

5. Cats Like the Warmth of Boxes

This was quite intriguing to me. The ideal temperature range for a cat is between 86 and 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Most people’s houses are set at a temperature between 72 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit.

Just 14 to 21 degrees lower than a cat’s thermoneutral point. What a shocker! They’re just freezing! What a surprise! There is nothing like a corrugated box as an insulator.

6. Boxes are Cozy to Sleep In

Spending money on an expensive cat bed is a waste of time and money. You’ve created a palace for your furry princess with just a blanket and a box! Boxes offer a comfortable and luxurious sleeping environment for cats. They’ll rest easier at night, too, knowing that they’re well concealed.

Even if they don’t like boxes, cats may be seen curled up in any form of container their owners’ purses, a luggage bag and even the laundry basket.

Once upon a time, I shared a photograph of a cat curled up in a tight, glass vase on Facebook. It was a little frightening, but she was so intrigued by it that she would even consider crawling into a little vase!

I erased the photo after receiving a few complaints from folks who were frightened by it. But I couldn’t help but chuckle.

7. The Box Is New and Mysterious

Your cat’s curiosity may be piqued by the novelty of a box. 5 Cats are natural explorers, so bringing in a new toy, shopping bag, or box might elicit an exuberant response. When they visit a new place, they want to know if it is big enough for them to fit in.

Why cats enjoy paper and why cats like bags might be explained by this new component. When a fresh piece of crinkled paper or bag is discovered, it presents a new possibility for discovery.

8. Boxes Make Great Hunting Hideouts

Cats may use boxes to hide from their prey and then ambush them when they aren’t looking. 1 If you live with more than one cat, you’ve probably seen one of them hide in a box and wait for the other to stroll by.

Boxes are perfect for snooping about on unsuspecting felines and your own ankles.

Why Do Cats Like Cardboard Boxes?

One of the things that makes cats so endearing is that they are a little out of the ordinary. For hours they curl up and look at the walls while keeping an eye on you. Where do they like to hang out the most?

A container of some sort. For the most part, boxes serve as safe havens where animals may hide from the elements and potential predators.

As well as cardboard cartons. In addition to hiding beneath beds, in the back of closets, and even in sinks, cats also like scurrying around in confined areas.

Shelter

When you think of your cat, you think of a cuddly ball of fur. However, they see themselves as a ferocious huge cat stalking the savanna, and as such, they require a safe haven.

Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University says cats like to cram themselves into tight areas because it makes them feel comfortable and secure.

Their lives are considerably safer here than if they were out in the broad open. It is analogous to the warmth kittens receive from their mothers in a box.

If your pet has a designated napping area, a blanket or towel should be placed in the area to provide optimal comfort.

Stress Relief

Organizations such as Best Friends Animal Society have urged people to build up a cardboard box (with at least one entry hole on at least one side) as a safe haven for newly adopted cats as they adjust to their new surroundings.

It is easier to adapt to a new situation if you feel safe and secure in a familiar location.

There is now scientific evidence to support this observation. Boxes do really relieve stress, according to research published in Applied Animal Behaviour Science.

How to Safely Prepare a Box for Your Cat

Keeping in mind your cat’s love of boxes, here are some safety measures you should take when you have empty boxes in your home.

If you’re going to leave any boxes around for your cat, be sure to remove the staples first. A staple can cause a painful and unsightly wound.

Strings, twine, and rubber bands should be removed. Objects like this can become entangled or trapped in your cat’s intestines, or even loop around their internal organs, blocking their flow of food and water. It’s a serious hazard to your health.

To prevent your cat from choking or cutting his skin by inserting his head through a cut-out for handles on a box, you should remove the cut-out completely.

This is especially important for boxes where the cut-out section of the box remains. In fact, removing any handle or strap is preferable.

4) Adhesives are a favorite food of many cats. If tape is left on a box, it can pose a concern to them and create an intestinal obstruction if they consume it.

In order to prevent your cat from suffocating, make sure the box is not coated with plastic or contains any plastic of any type.

Why Does My Cat Like A Cardboard Box More Than Their Carrier?

A cat carrier or kennel would seem to fit this criteria, as cats prefer compact, enclosed environments where they may feel comfortable and secure, as we’ve already established.

To make matters worse, did your cat flee to a hidden hiding place the last time you even tried removing the carrier from the closet? How come cats dislike kennels and carriers so much.

In a nutshell, the explanation is that cats are intelligent and can remember things. It’s possible that a trip to the vet or a move they didn’t particularly enjoy was associated with the previous time their cat carrier was used.

Here’s some advice on acclimating your feline companion to its carrier.

New cat owners should load up on cardboard boxes and scatter them about the home (anyone up for a game of hide and seek? as a means of improving oneself.

Before you throw away your cardboard boxes, think about if your pet might like playing in them!

Conclusion

Why Do Cats Like Being in Boxes? Cats love boxes because it provides them with security and comfort. Their fur protects them from the elements.

The box provides an environment that is calm, cool, and quiet. This is similar to the feeling of safety provided by your cat. They feel safe and protected when in their cat box.

source https://catshint.com/why-do-cats-like-being-in-boxes/