Dear Pebbles: Why Do Cats Like Boxes So Much?
Pebbles the agony-uncle-cat of The Divine Feline has the answers.
Dear Pebbles,
My cat, Jello, has a penchant for boxes and other containers – washing baskets, shopping bags and suitcases. As soon as one appears, Jello can be found sitting in it. Why is that?
Puzzled
Dear Puzzled,
Never forget that as pampered and preened as we now are, cats are animals that you invited indoors from the wild for our ability to rid your houses of vermin - and because we are so irresistibly cute! Unlike our canine counterparts and other species such as sheep and cattle, you didn’t change us one iota. Although our food now comes from cans (opened by you) and we poop in specially designated trays (cleaned by you), we are still wild at heart.
In our natural territory we are both hunters and hunted. Therefore, we like enclosed spaces in order to feel safe and warm when we sleep, and also to spring out of on an unsuspecting rat or bird. Unlike foxes, wolves and wombats, we have velvety paws with pointed nails that are not suited to digging deep burrows. Therefore, we seek hiding places, nests and hunting lodges that are ready made. And we need a variety of them so that our predators and prey don’t wise up to where we might be hiding. That’s why when a new ‘burrow’ suddenly appears in the form of a box or washing basket, we like to give it a little test run: ‘Hmmm? Is this comfortable enough? Is it big enough? How is my peripheral vision from here? Will my wide-screen TV fit?’ It’s a bit like when you walk into a hotel room for the first time: you survey the view; bounce on the mattress a few times and decide which bed you’ll sleep in; open the fridge to check out the snacks; and – if you are like the author of The Divine Feline: a chic cat lady’s guide to woman’s best friend – whip out an antibacterial wipe and clean the remote control.
Because boxes make us felines feel safe and secure, providing them is an excellent way to calm a cat that is stressed, or that is new to your home, or finds itself being bullied by another pet. Put the boxes in hidden away spaces such as behind sofas or under chairs and they will have extra appeal.
A large box also makes a great play pen for small kittens and vision-impaired cats to chase toys without the danger of bumping into furniture or falling down stairs.
While familiar boxes are always a comfort, our lives are spiced up by new ones. Just one more excuse for you to indulge in internet shopping!
With love,
Pebbles 🐾
To read more of Pebble’s advice regarding feline behaviour, check out The Divine Feline: A Chic Cat Lady’s Guide to Woman’s Best Friend
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