Cat in a box

 The internet is full of videos of cats climbing into cardboard boxes, suitcases, sinks, plastic shopping baskets, and even flower vases. Why do they do it?In the photo: a cat in a cardboard box 

Why do cats love boxes?

Cats love boxes, and there’s a reason for that. It is an established fact that cats climb into tight spaces because it gives them a sense of safety and security. Instead of the noise and possible dangers of open areas, they choose to curl up in a small space with well-defined boundaries. Little kittens get used to huddle next to their mother, feeling the warmth of her soft side or stomach – this is a kind of swaddling. And close contact with the box, scientists say, promotes the release of endorphins in the cat, which give pleasure and reduce stress.

Remember also that cats “make nests” – they equip small separate “rooms” where the mother cat gives birth and feeds kittens.

In general, small enclosed spaces fit well into the picture of the life of cats. Although sometimes the desire of a cat to hide in the most inaccessible corner can cause difficulties for the owners – for example, if you need to catch a purr in order to deliver it to a veterinary clinic. But sometimes cats choose such small boxes that cannot provide them with any security. And sometimes the box has no walls at all, or it can just be a “picture of the box” – for example, a square painted on the floor. At the same time, the cat still gravitates towards such “houses”. Probably, although such a virtual box does not provide the benefits that a normal shelter could provide, it still personifies a real box. 

In the photo: a cat in a square painted on the floor

Boxed cat houses

All cat owners can use this information for the benefit of their pets – for example, give cats permanent use of cardboard boxes and even create beautiful cat houses out of boxes. Even better, provide cats with shelter boxes placed on elevated surfaces. So safety for a cat is provided not only by height, but also by the ability to hide from prying eyes. If there is no real box, at least draw a square on the floor – this can also benefit the cat, although it is not a full replacement for a real house from the box. no matter if the cat has a shoebox, a square on the floor, or a plastic shopping basket, any of these options provide a sense of security that open space cannot provide.In the photo: a kitten in a box