Cats love boxes – here’s why

Every cat owner knows the scenario: you buy a new bed for your furry darling – but instead of in the cozy basket, the cat prefers to lie down in the box from which the new object comes. With great pleasure and perseverance, the cardboard is inspected, played with or even slept on.

But why do cats like boxes? Even if researchers aren’t entirely sure of the origins of this preference, it’s likely a relic of our domestic tiger’s wild past.

Because: Cats are certainly profiled hunters, but they are also prey themselves. In the wild they have natural predators from which they sometimes have to hide – for example in caves. Cardboard boxes, some scientists suspect, are the perfect counterpart to wildlife shelters. Cats feel comfortable and safe in it.

But a cave – or a chest – is not only suitable for hiding, but also for stalking. When cats hunt, they do so in silence. The unsuspecting victim suspects nothing until it is too late. To do this, the velvet paws sneak up on their prey, make themselves small and hide.

Scientists believe that another theory about the relationship between cat and cardboard is the insulating properties of cardboard. Cats usually like warm temperatures, even our heated apartments are not necessarily cozy enough for them. A cardboard box insulates well on all sides – and provides a warm, cuddly shelter for the house cat.

The fact that cats feel safe and secure in boxes can also be used to their advantage, for example when getting used to a new home. A 2014 study shows that cats adapt faster to a new environment and are less stressed if they have a box to retreat to.

In addition, the animals with the box were more interested in interacting with humans than the animals without. This was tested on two groups of cats that were new to an animal shelter – one group was given boxes, the other was not.

So don’t worry the next time your cat shows more interest in the box than in the new scratching post. Ultimately, the most important thing is that our house tigers feel completely comfortable with us. (nss)