Demystified: 5 Reasons Why Cats Adore Boxes

Do you own a cat? Do they love boxes? Whether you’ve just moved home or you have a cardboard box lying around, there’s one thing that you may have already noticed. Your cat has taken up residence in the box. From napping, playing, or scratching the box, it’s fascinating how cats really adore a cardboard box. But why, you ask? The following are the top 5 reasons why cats adore boxes.

Why Your Furry Feline Loves Boxes

Adorable kitten in cardboard boxSneaky And Safe – It’s very common for cats to curl up in small enclosed spaces. Forthem this makes them feel safe. It’s suggested that the walls of the box make them feel protected against any other cats or predators from sneaking up and attacking them from behind. They may also feel safer in a box because they can sit and watch their environment while feeling as if their invisible. Many cats like to hide and wait for their prey to come along before pouncing out to catch it. The darkness of a box is also suggested to take pressure off their eyes during daylight hours. Many cats tend to hunt for food or play more during the night. Some cats may prefer darker areas if their eyes are more sensitive.

Curiosity – Another reason why a cat may love a cardboard box is because they have a strong curious side. Cats are naturally inquisitive and with this new addition in their living area, they will inspect it. This generally comes down to territory. Cats have their own territory and they will routinely patrol areas that may be interesting or new to them to enlarge their territory. This is why they may prowl around your items while sniffing. Sniffing, rubbing or prowling around the box means that they are assessing and approving their new territory.

Cute cat sitting in cardboard boxA New Thing To Scratch – As you probably already know your cat loves to scratch anything it can. This is no different to when a box is introduced. Boxes provide an excellent scratching opportunity to mark their territory and sharpen their claws. Between their claws there are glands which emit a scent that is left behind when they scratch something. This signals to other cats to stay away. Tough boxes are especially favourable as they allow for extra stretching and scratching.

New Toy To Play With – Another reason why your cat adores boxes is because it’s a brand new place to explore and play. Cats love to play; a box allows them to play in a brand new way. If you haven’t seen already, a cat will swat the flaps, jump in and out of the box, race around the box, and swat the box to move it depending on its size. Boxes are intriguing to cats and are irresistible when it comes to play. It’s also an inexpensive cat toy that will be fun for hours.

A New Place To Sleep – Cats are notorious for sleeping in very strange and unusual places. A box provides them with yet another interesting sleeping area. Whether the box is large or small, you’ll find your cat is probably lounging in it. To cat’s boxes are comfortable. Cats love to sleep in small enclosed places and a box provides that for them. If you want to get creative, you could paint a couple of cardboard boxes and place pillows in them for your cats to sleep.

Conclusion

When it comes to cats, cardboard boxes offer something that many of us wouldn’t understand. As you can see there are many reasons why cats adore boxes. So have you got a cat? Are you thinking about getting a box for your feline friend?

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31 thoughts on “Demystified: 5 Reasons Why Cats Adore Boxes

    • Marc-André says:

      Hi there! 🙂

      Most photos are taken by myself. This particular one is a guest post from one of our guest authors and the photos in this particular one came from shutterstock.

      Anything you see in: https://katzenworld.co.uk/category/our-cats/ has been taken by one of our Bloggers and their own cats and is therefore their own photography. All of our own photos are also watermarked with katzenworld.co.uk so you can spot them easily. 😀

      Let me know if you’d like to submit any guest stories of your own. 🙂

      Thanks,

      Marc

      • Poet Rummager says:

        I do enjoy your photographs!
        We have three cats and 2 rabbits who get along very well. Actually, our rabbits seem to be the head of the animal mafia in our household. 😀 Thank you, Marc! I’ll keep in mind about submitting a guest story 🙂

        Cheers,
        Rose

  1. Nadia says:

    So funny! As I’m reading this my big Russian Blue is sleeping in a fort made up of a large cardboard box flap and packing paper draped over like a tent. Our little stray has shredded the paper and is sitting on the shreds. They don’t normally sleep together, but there’s a sheet of paper between them, so they both think they’re hiding. We just ordered the tunnel system you showed in your post a few days ago to replace our cardboard box fort, but I’m worried they’re going to miss the box.

  2. elizabetcetera says:

    Put a cheap ol’ nothing special box out and your cat thinks it’s the greatest thing … cats … so simple yet impossible to completely figure out their feline brains!

    Cats are the best, aren’t they?! ?

  3. mysimpledelights says:

    Love this article. Seeing as Squirrel took up residence in the box our vacuum cleaner came in, I placed an oversized t-shirt around the box to make it his own cubbie hole to sleep in during the day. ?

  4. thefensk says:

    I call them cat traps. Put down a box, pretty soon a cat will jump into it. Hopefully you have a cat to make that happen. I personally think they like to play “fort” … and a box is a ready made fort for a cat.

  5. Laura (PA Pict) says:

    Thank you for this article. It was really interesting. One of my cats has to have a cardboard box at all times. He climbs inside it and bites it to pieces. A cat-sized Amazon box lasts him a couple of weeks and then gets replaced by another box.

  6. criticschoicesite says:

    Hello,
    I was nominated in a blog challenge and I had to nominee other three bloggers. One of them is you because I find your articles really good and inspiring ! 🙂
    Keep up with the good work !

  7. lawjic says:

    This is great and so very TRUE. Save all the boxes and bring them in. Then toss them at the end of the week. I can almost guarantee your cat will be in and out of ALL boxes. I had a cat that loved bags; my new cat hates bags, but loves boxes and she may not fit, but as others state: SHE makes herself fit. Boxes are the cheapest toy you will ever find. Great Post, Marc. Great photography, always!

  8. lawjic says:

    I stand with “The Shameful Narcissist”! Why do you call yourself a narcissist; you are not one, as I see it. You are a wonderful cat lover! <3

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