How many times have you bought your kitty a fancy toy or cat tree and she ignored it, choosing instead to play happily with the cardboard box it arrived in?
A topic that has baffled cat owners for centuries. No matter how cozy a bed or fancy a fort you provide your feline friend, they will always love a cardboard box more. So, why do cats love cardboard boxes so much? It turns out, there are quite a few reasons boxes may just be the perfect cat toy:
Hiding:
Cats love to hide in small spaces, like your dresser drawers or behind furniture. A cardboard box gives them the same sense of security! It gives your cat an opportunity to survey her domain without being seen. Your cat may feel protected and safe within the confines of her box. It all has to do with their instinctual desire to find a place where they feel safe and hidden from potential predators. In the wild, cats like to curl up in small spaces where they can feel hidden and secluded while they rest.
Curiosity:
Cats are notoriously curious (as the old saying goes). Cardboard boxes provide lots of opportunities for exploring and play! They can attack the box, hide inside it, scratch at it, chew on it, climb on it, ambush other cats that walk past it… the list goes on and on and results in hours of fun for a curious kitty!
Scratching:
Cats love the texture of cardboard, as evidenced by all the cat scratchers on the market that are made from it. The corrugated edge of the cardboard is perfect for sinking in claws, scratching, and stretching!
Chewing:
Not all cats will chew on cardboard, but many of them really enjoy it as a means of seeking comfort. (Of my 4 cats, I’ve got one that will chew a cardboard box into oblivion!)
Comfort:
You might not think so, but your cat probably thinks being snug, warm, and surrounded on all sides by cardboard is really comfortable! Cardboard boxes provide the perfect combination of seclusion, warmth, and comfort for your cat. Give her a blanket with that box and you might just have to pry her out of it.
It’s a funny thing about kitties and cardboard boxes. Besides being flexible enough to work themselves into tiny spaces, cats take great pleasure from boxes for many reasons.
Watch this hilarious cat, Maru, having fun with his tiny cardboard box:
Does your cat love cardboard boxes?
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