I haven’t yet met a cat who wasn’t immediately attracted to boxes. What is truly amazing about this phenomenon is that no matter what shape or size they happen to be, after a few sniffs and a paw or two reaching inside a container, the rest of their body tries to find a way to wiggle inside it. This proves, (at least to me) that felines are magnetically drawn to boxes.
Of course we all remember Maru, that adorable kitty who continues to be one of the most famous internet stars. I am sure that we all got a case of the giggles while we watched him not only try everything possible to squeeze his body into the tiniest boxes; but when he also created his “sliding along the floor inside it” game.
I have often wondered what causes cats to go bonkers over boxes. So when I ran across a fascinating article written by veterinarian Dr. Karen Becker, I discovered some amazing facts that quenched my thirst for such vital information. I could hardly wait to share this information with our readers.
But dear readers, there actually are scientific reasons that the relationship between cats and boxes goes much deeper than the relationship between Romeo and Juliet.
Apparently a team of researchers from the faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands were interested in studying the stress that shelters cats experience. Since it was already a well-known fact that living in shelters is very stressful for cats, they decided that it was most appropriate to study stress in cats living in shelters.
What they learned was that if cats, (especially kittens) had access to boxes in which they could hide, their stress was reduced.
The group of cats the researchers studied consisted of 19 newly arrived cats at a Dutch animal shelter. However, only 10 cats were provided with boxes in which they could hide. The other nine cats were not provided with hiding boxes.
On the third day that the cats were house in the shelter, the researchers discovered something quite interesting between these two groups of cats. Apparently the group of cats with boxes in which they could hide appeared to adjust faster to the shelter environment than the group that didn’t have boxes. The group of cats with boxes was substantially less stressed than the other group, and demonstrated an increased desire to interact with humans.
According to the lead author of the study, researcher Claudia Vinke, an ethologist at Utrecht University, this feline behavior is not surprising since all felines respond to stress by hiding and withdrawing. Vinke said, “Hiding is a behavioral strategy of the species to cope with environmental changes and stressors.” Ethology is the study of animal behavior with an emphasis on the behavioral patterns that occur in natural environments.
Cats in the wild will climb trees or seek safety in caves or dens when they feel threatened. So isn’t it plausible that cats in captivity without that choice might seek safety by hiding in boxes as an alternative?
Another reason cats may be attracted to boxes and other small spaces is to preserve their body heat. Those of us who live with kitties have noticed that our cats enjoy other small spaces in which they may occasionally prefer to hang out. Our two kitties love to sneak into a dresser drawer to curl up for a nap. They also love crawling into paper shopping bags. Dr. Becker points out that some cats love hanging out in the bathroom sink.
Becker has a simple interpretation of this feline behavior. “Cats like it hot.” They prefer an environment between 86 and 97 degrees. She explains that:
“In this temperature range, your kitty doesn’t need to expend metabolic energy trying to either warm up or cool down.”
But since air conditioning is essential for folks residing in areas where the temperatures get brutally hot, cats living under these conditions will seek out spots in which they can stay warm.
Simon’s cat demonstrates the magnetic attraction that boxes hold for kitties. Enjoy a few belly-laughs while watching this oldie but goodie Simon’s cat video.
Do your cats go bonkers over boxes? Tell us about it in a comment.
In my house the smaller the box the better. Have you ever seen a 15 pound cat try to squeeze into a shoe. Quite a sight but the manage to do it. I also believe with small boxes not only is it good for body heat, it also gives the sense that they can’t be reached from the space around them.
Cats also like boxes because they offer security and protection from ambush attack.
The security of a box allows cats to survey their environment from a safe viewpoint. Perhaps that may have helped the cats in the shelter familiarise themselves with their new surroundings until they felt confident enough to venture out from their secure den?
Agreed, Michele. It’s a lot about safety and security.
In my rescue group, when a mum and kits are taken in to foster, their very first home inside will be a big box on its side and a towel draped half way over the opening. Both mums and kits adjust much better to their new environment because it feels safe; yet, they have the freedom to venture out when they’re ready.
I’m always on the lookout for good boxes and keep 4 or 5 in my 3rd bedroom at all times.
Boxes are the saviours of cat lovers everywhere 😉
Until I was able to find high-sides litter trays, I used to stand them inside cardboard boxes to prevent litter being kicked all over the floor.
You can even recycle old boxes by making them into a scratching block.
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Love it! I still have some litter boxes that I put inside cardboard boxes while I’m washing out the high sided ones for just the reason you stated.
1. I hope those mean people gave the other 9 cats boxes after they finished their stupid experiment. *EVERYONE likes and needs shelter, especially in a strange, hostile environment!*
2. Actually, not all cats like it hot. My cats prefer the same kind of weather I do — in the 60’s and 70’s, maybe in the 80s, but not hotter than that.
Nice article, Jo! Samirah has her kitty condo made out of seven heavy duty computer boxes. The condo has become her safe space, second only to her spot underneath my bed. She finds refuge there when she’s frightened or just feeling unsure of her surroundings. Sometimes she dives behind the condo when I come back from a grocery run or the laundry room, as if she’s unsure it’s me. She’ll peep out from behind the condo and the look on her face is clearly, “Oh, it’s you!” She’ll meow at me and then come out.
I padded the bottoms with several of those cheap thin fleece blankets. It amazes how Samirah will rearrange them to suit her. I’ve seen her push the blanket in the bottom level up against the doorway, as if she wants more privacy. She’ll push at the blankets with her paws, bunch them up into a pillow underneath her head. She does this whichever direction suits her. Her favorite spot for tv watching is on the second level, facing the tv, with her head propped up comfortably on the blanket as she lounges on her side.
Here is another situation where my cat is outside the norm. I’ve put out boxes at various times, as a new potential toy. But she shows little interest in any of them, even if I put a small toy inside. I have often wondered about this.