7 Reasons Why Do Cats Like To Get Into Boxes?

Thanks to the Internet, videos of cats doing activities that are quite incomprehensible to us have become very popular. Some of the ones that make us laugh the most because of the absurdity of the fact is that of cats getting into cardboard boxes, and it seems that these cats with this type of object is a real obsession.

But before the general public realized it through YouTube videos, those who have had a cat as a pet had already been able to see for themselves the cat’s fixation on cardboard boxes of whatever size.

Cats and cardboard boxes

So much is the intrigue generated by this action of the felines that even scientific studies have been done to try to figure out why cats like to climb into cardboard boxes. Today we can already say that we have a scientific response to this behavior. East study was carried out by experts from the University of Utrecht, in which 19 of these felines participated. While some were given boxes, the others did not have them and, for 14 days, different parameters were observed that made a series of conclusions clear.

Here we explain why cats like cardboard boxes.

Cats use boxes as a hiding place, but what benefits do they get from getting inside them? The study carried out in the Netherlands, in which different cats from a shelter were used, showed that those who had boxes in which to hide significantly lowered stress levels.

Bearing this in mind, from now on you will no longer be able to scold your cat when he gets into any shoe box, since that is really healthy for him. In fact, it is recommended to have boxes at home so that the cat can get into them, something of special importance during the first weeks or when it has gone through some traumatic situation such as visits to the veterinarian.

We already know that with this action cats are able to lower their stress levels, however, this is why getting into boxes offers the cat a series of possibilities that cause it. Below we explain the reasons why cats go into boxes:

They are perfect for hiding

The cat is an elusive animal by nature and domestic cats, even if they do not live in freedom, still maintain that need to stay hidden to stay safe from possible predators. Inside the boxes cats feel protected, safe, so if we take into account that these animals spend much of the day sleeping, the boxes become the perfect location to take a nap without having to worry about possible dangers .

They serve to observe everything

We all know the predilection of cats for heights. These animals are very curious and love to be in a good position from which they can observe everything that happens without being the center of attention. In this way, the boxes become a kind of watchtower from which they can dominate the entire room with their eyes, feeling invisible.

Place for hunting

Although they are domesticated, cats continue to keep a series of natural instincts alive. Hunting is one of these instincts that, although they do not carry out literally, they continue to practice, for example, jumping on our feet or chasing shadows. By hiding in a cardboard box, the cat finds the perfect shelter to hide and observe the chosen prey so that, from there, it can jump on top of its prey.

They are irresistible

We have already commented that one of the most defining elements of the cat is its insatiable curiosity. For kittens, a box represents a whole world to explore, closed in on itself, for the cat it is irresistible to approach and stick his head inside to discover what wonders it hides inside.

The perfect material

You will have been able to observe that not all boxes are to the liking of cats, these felines have a predilection specifically for cardboard boxes. This is why cardboard is a perfect material both to be able to scratch and bite it as well as to be able to leave its olfactory marks. Not being completely rigid, the cat can stretch its body, adapt to the box and sharpen its nails by scratching them against the cardboard.

They are warm

Another of the predilections that cats have is to go in search of the minimum ray of sunlight that can enter through the window. This is because sunlight offers them a heat that the cat is unable to resist. This is another reason why cats get into cardboard boxes. This material perfectly maintains heat, so a cat curled up in a cardboard box will find the necessary warmth to be able to sleep peacefully.

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