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Cat owners know the feeling: no sooner has the box been unpacked than the cat is already inside, making itself comfortable. Cats absolutely adore cardboard boxes. But why is that? Dutch scientists have investigated this puzzling behaviour.
The internet is full of pictures of cats sitting in boxes. Cardboard boxes seem to have a magical pull on cats – and many cat owners are left disappointed when their feline turns its nose up at the lovely new cosy bed and prefers to curl up in the packaging instead.
Cardboard Boxes Reduce Stress in Cats
A team led by Claudia Vinke, professor at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, looked into this phenomenon. For their experiment, the researchers visited an animal shelter and selected 19 cats that had only recently arrived there. Ten of them were given a box in their enclosure. The other nine cats had to manage without one.
After just a few days, it became clear that the cats with a box were noticeably more relaxed. They adapted better to the new environment and developed trust in people more quickly. Their stress levels dropped much faster than those of the comparison group without boxes.
The boxes gave the cats a sense of safety and security. They could hide in the boxes whenever they wanted. This helped them relax and reduce stress. As a result, the animals’ immune systems also improved.
There’s room in even the tiniest space: the smaller the box, the more your cat seems to love it.
Cardboard Creates a Comfortable Temperature
However, the experiment with the Dutch shelter cats does not explain why cardboard boxes in particular are so popular with house cats. After all, a plastic box would also make a good place to retreat to.
One crucial factor is the special property of cardboard: it provides very good insulation and therefore protects against the cold.
Studies have shown that the ideal room temperature for cats, which originally evolved as desert animals, is between 30 and 36 degrees Celsius. That is why cats also enjoy lying on radiators or sunny windowsills.
A cardboard box also keeps them nice and warm, especially when it is standing on a cold floor. And it does not matter if the box is actually far too small for the cat. Quite the opposite: the smaller it is, the cosier it feels, because body heat quickly creates a warm little den. Perfect for snuggling up in.
A Cardboard Box – the Ideal Gift for Cats
For your cat’s sake, you should not throw away a used cardboard box straight away. Let your feline have the box for a while at least. After all, it makes an ideal gift.
Your cat can sleep in it or observe its surroundings from a safe vantage point. The cardboard box protects it from potential enemies on all four sides – and also provides plenty of cover when stalking prey.
With a little skill, you can even turn a cardboard box into a cardboard cat house with windows. Ideal for hiding, sleeping and playing. Corrugated cardboard boxes offer an added benefit too: they are great for sharpening claws.
Important: To be on the safe side, check beforehand whether there are any staples left in the box that could injure your cat. If your feline likes chewing plastic film, you should also remove any sticky tape.
If you do not like the look of an ordinary cardboard box, you can find attractive cardboard cat houses in the zooplus online shop.
This article was translated using Artificial Intelligence from the original German zooplus Magazine. While the original content was authored by industry experts and reviewed by our editorial team, this automated translation has not been human-edited and is provided for informational purposes.
zooplus Editorial Team
The zooplus editorial team consists of a dedicated team of experts with many years of experience in the field of animal husbandry: Luisa with her White Swiss Shepherd Elyos, Laura, Julio, and Florian. Together with a large network of animal experts, we work to make the zooplus magazine a trusted source of information for all animal owners and lovers. Our goal is to provide exciting animal knowledge and relevant information on the proper care of pets.
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