Cats love to chew on many things, but cardboard seems to be their favorite. Cardboard boxes are not only comfortable to sit in, they are also pleasant to chew on. Sometimes they chew wires, leather, carpets, and much, much more, but there is nothing nicer than cardboard. Many cat owners make their bed in a box, and then complain that it ends up being chewed. I did some research and found out why cats love this activity so much.
There can be many reasons, but the main ones include teething, predatory behavior, attempts to mark territory, and even nutritional deficiencies and compulsive disorder.
Cats love to chew on many things, such as cardboard boxes, book covers, slippers, wooden spoons, etc. When a kitten is teething or has sore gums, he will usually chew on something to relieve the discomfort. Among other things, cardboard is pleasant to the touch and can be torn into pieces.
On the other hand, many owners make houses for cats in boxes, and this makes chewing them even more convenient. Felines also love a warm and cozy environment, and often climb into boxes without invitation. Wild cats often chew bones, so it’s understandable where domestic cats have such a passion. Plus it can be a way to clean your teeth.
Why do cats climb into boxes?
It is difficult to understand a cat's psyche, moods and desires. It is difficult to study them, as well as to understand the results of experiments conducted on them. However, research has revealed the following - murks strive for secluded places, looking for comfort and safety.
Research is good, but as know-it-all cat owners, we are no less curious and also want to know why cats like to sit in boxes and bags, considering all the possible options. Let's start with the simplest versions.
Ambush game
When a cat hides, we perceive it as just another prank. The little predator doesn’t think so; he is now catching his prey. You can’t escape instinctual needs, and our cat’s distant ancestors got their food from ambush. Why is the box not a shelter for a surprise attack? So the pet lurks, preparing to pounce. If you want to check, walk past the shelter and with a high degree of probability a lightning attack will be made on your leg.
Ear for music
I think many people have noticed that cats love rustling objects. You know why cats and cats like boxes - right, because of their wonderful rustling sound.
You can often notice that a pet, having taken a fancy to a bag or cardboard shelter, begins to dig and bite corners there. By the way, cats love to chew on boxes for the same reason. And if you do this inside, the sound is also amplified due to the echo.
Hide and seek from society
The cat is not a strategist in the field of resolving conflict situations. It is easier for her to avoid meeting a possible enemy. That's why cats climb into boxes not to solve problems, but to hide from them. But even in a great mood, Murka also does not shy away from cardboard fun.
Personal space
If you are wondering why cats love boxes, then it will not hurt to know that for a pet, having personal space is just as important a factor as for a person. Having taken a fancy to a cardboard shelter or even a package, the pussy “settles in” in its place, a personal room, saturated only with its aromas. So, if you notice that your pet’s interest in the box is more than idle, arrange a home for him. A warm pillow along with a favorite toy will take your cat to the skies.
The smell of cardboard is a habit
Cats are often housed in boxes after lambing. In this case, the smell of cardboard is one of the first, and therefore familiar, aromas that the kitten remembers. In addition, the smell of childhood reminds a purring mother. In addition, the boxes are made of paper, which, in turn, is made of wood - a natural material that reminds your pet of wild roots. This is especially true for cats that are never outside.
Feeling of security
It may sound ridiculous, but cats' love of solitude and boxes is often based on this factor. Conduct an experiment, place several boxes of different sizes in front of your pet, and he will definitely climb into the one that is ideal for him in size. But even if there is nothing suitable for the dimensions of the mustache, he will make every effort to fit there at least partially.
It is believed that cats completely relax in boxes. Instincts tell the pet that a dense environment is protection, similar to natural shelters, such as a hollow in a tree.
Why do cats like to sit in boxes and people like to look at it? But this is a whole lot of fun not only for the fluffy one, but for all family members. The performance can be made even more colorful if you use your imagination. Cut several different holes in the box or build a cat house out of cardboard and see how enthusiastically your pet will begin to master the new structure.
How to play using boxes
An attentive owner can take care of his pet. It's easy to make a simple toy that will still bring a lot of joy to your cat.
You can make holes in the box and put toys inside
- Take several boxes of different sizes and cut holes in them of such a diameter that the cat can freely crawl into them.
- Connect the boxes together horizontally and vertically using double-sided tape, leaving the passages clear so that the animal can get from box to box, from floor to floor.
- Give the cat the opportunity to roam around the boxes.
Advice! Two boxes placed on top of each other and connected by moves can fill your pet’s life with an interesting game: hiding and jumping out, “scaring” the owner.
A more complex option consists of plywood boxes, which are installed on supports covered with jute ropes. Such apartment buildings can be purchased at pet stores or built independently.
The box is a fun activity for cats
Cat hiding places in nature
For a person, a box is a capacious container and nothing more. For a cat, a box is a real refuge.
The box is a shelter for cats
All modern cats, both purebred and stray, have a wild forest cat in their ancestors. This is a fairly large fluffy animal, a dexterous hunter that attacks not only birds and rodents, but even roe deer, competing with lynx.
The wild forest cat is found in European and Caucasian deciduous forests. A wild cat has excellent hearing and vision, but its sense of smell is a little weaker, and it is impossible to be on guard 24 hours a day. Of course, she does not build houses for herself and does not dig holes, but she willingly takes refuge from bad weather and enemies under fallen trees, in hollows, abandoned fox and badger holes. Even a dense interweaving of branches, a rocky depression, a densely overgrown island in a floodplain, or a small hole will do. A wild cat is unlikely to sleep on an open lawn - it will climb higher on a tree or hide.
Cats feel calmer in a box
A wild cat waits out bad weather in its den; it may not go out hunting for up to three days. Female wild forest cats arrange a secluded place, preparing it for future kittens: they drag dry leaves, bird feathers and grass there. In such a cozy den, the kittens will be safe and the cat will be calm.
What's interesting about them?
Often, cat owners are faced with the fact that their pets remain indifferent to expensive beds and play sets. It is difficult for the average person to understand how one can exchange a good thing for a simple and sometimes even boring item. However, cats have their own opinion on this matter. Scientists have found that animals can relate to boxes and packages differently. However, it rarely leaves such things unattended.
A cat can find a variety of uses for simple packaging. Today it is a means of active recreation, tomorrow it is a secluded place, during the day it can become material for research. The reason for the different interest may lie in the pet’s mood. It is this that is the factor that determines the purpose of the item.
Why do cats and cats like bags?
You may quite rightly ask why cats like bags. After all, if everything is already clear with the box, then what attracts the pet to the rustling device for transporting things. The answer to this question is as simple as in the situation with boxes:
- a game
- curiosity
- opportunity to hide
In addition, we often bring food home in bags, and all cats certainly like it. Animals are attracted to the smell of food or the street. So they run around with the bag, enjoying the pleasant aromas.
As you can see, cats’ love for boxes and bags is due to various reasons. Don’t think about them, just let the purr enjoy life and rejoice with it.
Favorite places for cats to hide and seek
Of course, in the ranking of cat preferences, cardboard boxes lead without any competition. In second place in popularity are... plastic bags. Why - this is definitely a mystery, especially since most of the above versions cannot be adapted to the package.
The package rustles so funny - I’m afraid and I’ll scare everyone!
Like any children, kittens are great inventors. No matter how many toys and houses you buy for them, they will definitely find something new for themselves. And you can definitely make a house out of anything!
Kittens can adapt almost any object into a house
Domestic cats are incredibly inventive - for hiding and playing, they adapt the most unexpected and inconvenient, from our point of view, places and objects.
Photo gallery: cats in the most unexpected places
Cat in a bag - an extra hole won't hurt
Kitten in a boot - both warm and smells like the owner
Cats sometimes hide in the most unexpected places
Kittens in bowls - so you definitely won’t miss lunch
Master, when you leave, take me with you
Cat in a flowerpot - I’ll lie down and warm the flower
The cat is in the sink - ready for water treatments!
A cat in a terrarium - it’s so beautiful here - warm and dry!
Cat in a stump - why not?
Owners of secret hideout lovers need to be careful
Video: where else do cats like to hide?
Why do they chew packages?
Plastic packaging attracts pets no less than cardboard packaging. There are times when a pet furiously tears a plastic bag with its teeth. This does not mean that he lacks any substances or is sick. Not at all: if you are sick, have a vitamin deficiency or feel unwell, the cat is not interested in the bag. The animal entertains itself this way, because, you see, the owner often pays too little attention to it.
The cat begins its play by rustling and often by tossing a package. While entertaining herself, she may give in to her predatory instincts, similar to those when she plays with a mouse. Other individuals like the way their claws dig into the polyethylene. If the cat seriously chews or even eats the bag, most likely there was something edible in it, which left an attractive smell for it. For the same reason, the cat licks bags.
Warm
The boxes also attract four-legged creatures by providing warmth when it gets too cold outside. Cats can't just put on a sweater when the temperature drops, so don't be surprised if they seek warmth in unusual places. Cardboard is an excellent insulator. Whether your cat is stressed, mildly ill, or just looking for a comfortable place to feel safe from predators (perhaps your neighbor's dog), a box is a very suitable item.
Finding a safe place
The way of life requires animals to find a safe shelter. Wild cats sleep most of the day. This is how predators save the energy needed for hunting. While resting, they need a safe place, protected from other animals. In nature, they climb trees, find holes, and hide in bushes.
At home, pets do not require such tricks. But instinct pushes us to search for shelter, explaining why cats love boxes and bags.
Even a small object seems like a suitable place for them to hide. A cat can settle into a box that only fits its paws and feel comfortable. The pet is calmed by the presence of limited space. Scientists have shown that access to boxes reduces stress in pets.
Shelter provides a feeling of security - the cat understands that it will not be attacked from behind or from the side. All potential threats must be brought into view.
An enclosed space becomes a cozy couch. But only if the cat got there voluntarily. Forcible attempts to place your pet in a carrier or bag will be met with aggression. But the cat can explore the same container on its own and choose it for sleeping or resting.
It is worth giving mousecatchers a choice of several hiding places. When bringing a cat home for the first time, it is advisable to release:
space under the bedside table (table);
a place in a closet with an easy-to-open door.
The animal will choose the offered shelter or find its own. So, the cat will hide in a constantly forming pile of clothes for ironing, a box under a folding chair (sofa). The presence of stationary shelters will not affect the interest in abandoned boxes (packages).
The curiosity that boxes and bags evoke
The packaging brings an abundance of smells. This is one of the reasons why cats lick bags. They also leave traces of the contents. Animals are attracted to the smell:
So, a cat will climb into a box of bleach, a product containing chlorine. Pets are attracted to new scents, especially those containing traces of other animals. The cat will show increased interest in a country box, a bag that has been in contact with the local fauna.
For pets, packaging becomes a source of information about the outside world. The contents, places of injury and production leave aromatic traces that can interest the pet. Having climbed into the box, the cat receives information about other places without leaving the room (yard).
Hunting or game
Entertainment is an additional reason why cats lick bags. In addition to food debris, the material attracts them by rustling and pliability on the claws. A cellophane bag becomes a favorite toy until it becomes unusable. Attracted by a scent or hiding space, the cat climbs into the bag.
The rustling light material is an interesting prey. The cellophane moves with a slight blow or push, prompting the animal to enter into a “fight.” Cats also see other packaging as a potential toy. How they are attracted to a surface for sharpening their claws:
- polystyrene foam, other foamed plastic;
soft woods.
The materials are used to produce containers where cats can hide: completely or “nominally”, climbing into a box without a lid or a box with large holes. From a hiding place, the pet can hunt others. Structures made of soft materials allow for additional improvement of the shelter. The pet tears off pieces of the structure, creating additional toys; makes holes, creates grooves, sharpening claws.
Pros and cons of this behavior
What smells do cats not like? 5 Scents That Cats Just Hate
The main positive aspect of the fact that cats adore boxes is the availability of the latter. Owners do not have to spend money on expensive houses; it is quite enough to take a suitable container and make a hole for them.
Note! The box can be replaced with a bag, basin, basket - the item that your pet will perceive as home.
A regular box is the simplest, cheapest option for a house that your cat will be delighted with.
Other advantages:
- having its own home makes any domestic cat more sociable and calm;
- when the owner is not at home, the pet will not be sad and lonely, he can crawl into his hole and sleep.
However, such love of cats also has negative aspects:
- Often mustachioed beauties take a liking to those boxes that the owner needs, for example, for shoes or clothes. And those that were brought especially for them are ignored;
- cardboard is a fragile material, if a pet starts gnawing on it, then the garbage will inevitably scatter throughout the apartment, creating additional worries for the owner;
- the box is a refuge; the cat sitting in it is not visible. She can suddenly jump out, frightening a person.
Despite the disadvantages, the cat, for whom the box has become a home, looks very funny.
Reasons why cats are partial to cardboard boxes or bags
Every owner of a mustachioed purr knows that if you leave a shopping bag on the floor, your pet will immediately be found in it. There are many versions of why animals revere enclosed spaces in the form of bags or boxes, and they are all quite logical and justified:
- Smell . The cat knows absolutely all the smells in the house, so the appearance of a new object arouses genuine interest in it and the need to immediately thoroughly examine it. And if something aromatic and tasty was brought in this package, the cat’s interest is quite understandable.
- The spirit of competition . A bag is an amazing item for a cat. It moves under the influence of air or if you touch it, and even makes rustling, attractive sounds. Add to this electrical static, due to which the bag sticks to the fur - what is not an insidious opponent attacking the cat? For many cats, bagging is a fun, active game where the winner must end up inside a foreign object.
- Static – when a cat gets into the bag, static electricity affects its fur, causing a very pleasant sensation in the animal.
- Anti-stress relief . Psychologists advise people to relieve emotional stress by beating a pillow, putting all their negative emotions into the force of the blows. For cats, the bag is similar to a whipping pillow. “Fighting” with the package, the kitty gets very angry, all the negative emotions come out of it, therefore, climbing inside the “defeated enemy”, the cat calms down and relaxes.
- Shelter . The cat, although a predator by nature, is small. Its genetic memory reveals memories of being hunted by large predators, so it is a natural instinct to seek cover, and a box or bag is an excellent place to hide.
- Memories . There is an opinion that cats love to sit in cramped boxes and bags because they experience the same sensations in them when they were kittens, and their mother warmed them with her fur. Another reason is the smell of cardboard. When a cat has lambed, she and her kittens are usually given a place in a box, the smell of which is the first thing that newborn babies remember for the rest of their lives.
- Comfortable temperature . The simplest explanation is why pussies love to sit in bags and boxes - it’s warmer there. Purrs love warmth, and accordingly, in such shelters they feel most cozy and comfortable.
- Mustache and rest . A cat's whiskers are not just an antenna for perceiving the outside world, but a separate organ that is constantly at work, monitoring the slightest vibrations in the air and odors. When the animal sits in a box, in conditions of limited space, it does not need to be constantly alert, and it simply rests.
- Associations - the bag is used to carry food, and pets often watch how their owner takes out their favorite treat from a rustling object. And if it ends up on the floor, why not examine it to see if there’s something tasty hidden there?
- Wild roots. Before cats were domesticated by humans, they lived in forests, among many pleasant-smelling trees on which they sharpened their claws. Cardboard for boxes is made of wood, and it is its smell that is captured by the animal’s incredibly keen sense of smell. This is another reason why purrs love to be inside cardboard objects.
Surprising but true! An unusual explanation for the phenomenon of cats’ love for boxes and paper bags in 2022 was proposed by Fardin Mark-Antony, a physicist. He said that a cat is a liquid, which means it can be in three states of aggregation - solid, liquid and gas. And since gas and liquid are consistencies that fill any volume, the cat climbs into the box to fill it with itself.
Also watch the video why cats love boxes:
What is a box from a cat's point of view?
Scientists from around the world spend time and money on research trying to understand why cats love boxes and bags. Since cats themselves do not want to answer this question, scientists offer several versions - from quite reasonable to funny and incredible.
Only in a box do cats become themselves
Fantastic version
Cats are actually aliens from a distant planet. They monitor humanity, waiting until people reach the level at which they can be contacted. Hiding in boxes, they can relax - after all, it is difficult to constantly pretend to be a stupid animal. Only in a box, invisible to people, do cats become themselves.
Anti-stress version
Scientists conducted a study in which some cats were given boxes to use and could stay in them, while other cats were deprived of this joy. As a result, zoological experts were able to understand why cats love boxes: cats that had shelter had significantly lower stress levels than those animals that could not hide anywhere. The boxes helped the cats adapt to their new environment and reduced their stress levels, allowing them to be safe and feel a sense of security, just like in the wild.
The box helps reduce stress in cats
Anti-conflict version
It is worth watching a little of the cats that share their territory to understand: cats are animals that do not get into trouble and do not strive to intensify the conflict. They shouted and hissed at each other - and went their separate ways. Cat fights don't happen often. The reason lies in the fact that cats do not live in packs, in which they often have to sort things out, like it or not. Cats walk on their own, only occasionally meeting their own kind. Indoor cats are not trained to resolve conflicts, which is why cats love to sit in boxes. They long ago understood the truth: if you hide from a problem, it will disappear.
Temperature version
Experts from the National Research Council (USA) found out why cats love boxes.
Cats tend to crawl into cardboard boxes to keep warm
Attention! The most comfortable air temperature for domestic cats is 30-36º.
The thermal insulation properties of cardboard allow it to maintain this temperature, which is why cats tend to crawl into cardboard boxes to keep warm. If there is no box, you have to be content with lying in the sun or on the radiator.
Habit version
Some cat owners believe that the box is a familiar habitat for their pets. After all, the owners most often provide a box for a giving birth cat, and the kittens are familiar with this habitat from birth. Here the mother cat feeds them, licks them and raises them.
https://youtu.be/W2sxxAoPTKI
Olfactory version
Those who humanize a pet believe that a cardboard box, a box, or a stack of paper contains a woody smell that reminds animals of nature. This version is hard to believe because it doesn’t answer the question of why cats like to get into plastic bags that don’t smell like wood at all.
Game version
While feeding and petting a cat, people forget that even domestic cats are predators. And a predatory animal needs to hunt in order to feel good. By hiding in a box, box, bag, basket, and then suddenly jumping out of there, cats satisfy their need to hunt. This game is very popular not only with young cats, but also with adults, especially if the owner plays along, reacting to the pet’s actions.
Cats satisfy their need to hunt thanks to the box
Incredible version
After studying photographs of cats in drawers, boxes and other containers, British scientists suggested: cats are liquid! That's why they need reservoirs.
By choosing any guess why cats love boxes, and knowing how cats need all kinds of boxes, the owner will better understand his four-legged friend.
Matter of habit
A special opinion about why cats like boxes is the version that humans artificially instilled this habit in them. The thing is. that domestic cats most often give birth to their offspring in cardboard containers, and therefore, the smell of this material becomes familiar to kittens from birth.
It is from the very first days that animals associate the aroma of cardboard with warmth, comfort and security, and so that your pet loves to sit in your arms with the same intensity, you can try to accustom him to this from childhood.
Peekaboo
Cats of any age can do without toys if they have an empty shoe box or household appliance at their disposal. They like places that can be used for ambushes, because these animals, despite domestication, remain predators. Unlike dogs, cats prefer not to chase their prey, but to wait and make one swift leap to capture it. If it was not possible to catch the prey, the four-legged hunter will not run after it, but will return to its original position and continue tracking.
Animals like to sit in an isolated place, watching their prey in the form of a rustling candy wrapper on a rope or a ball. The box is an ideal “cave”: you can hide in it, jump out of it sharply, fly into it with a running start, and also scratch and gnaw its walls.
The fascination of the spectacle and precautions
You cannot scold a pet that climbs into boxes and bags left on the floor by its owners.
For cats living in confined spaces of apartments, this is the most fun and variety in a routine, measured existence. Watching such games is a pleasure, causing sincere laughter and tenderness among the owners.
If a person is away from home for a long time and cannot provide his pet with regular active games, when leaving for work, you can leave a box on the floor, the cat will be actively busy all day. However, precautions should be taken when “communicating” your pet with a bag or box:
- If you leave your pet alone with an interesting item, preference should be given to boxes, since your pet may get confused in the bag.
- The items left behind should not contain polystyrene foam, receipts or other foreign objects that the animal might “test” out of curiosity.
- When leaving your pet alone with the bag, it is recommended to remove sharp and shaky objects from the room. After all, when running with a bag, a cat can get hurt on sharp corners.
- The box must be intact, or the owner himself can make slits in it for the cat to climb into.
- “Toys” should not stand at a height - a closet, a windowsill. A cat that gets into them can play with them, lose its balance and fall to the floor with the box, injuring itself.
- Labyrinth. Inventive owners can connect several boxes together to form a tunnel with slots. The animal will be delighted with such a gift - a whole complex of attractions.
What else do cats chew?
Excessive chewing is not advisable for cat owners. This can be dangerous for the cat, and they may taste valuable objects on their teeth. Causes may include illness, boredom or teething. Here are some items that cats chew besides cardboard boxes.
Wires: It's dangerous, not cute. Cats may try to chew plugged-in power cords while you're away. This could expose the conductor and electrocute your kitty or one of you. To prevent this from happening, try to give your cat more toys. Remember to turn off all electrical devices before leaving the house. You can also try covering the wire with a gasket or spraying it with a repellent-scented spray.
Plants: Cats sometimes attack house plants, so it's best to avoid keeping toxic or poisonous flowers in your home. The advice for weaning is the same: spray a liquid with a repellent odor.
Fabric: Cats chew clothes, shoes, leather goods and even balls of wool. To discourage this behavior, buy chewable stuffed animals or something like furry mice. Instead of spraying your clothes, keep them away.
Scientific research
This question has interested even the scientific minds of our world for a very long time, and there are a huge number of versions on this subject. The famous Dutch veterinarian Claudia Vinck has been studying the behavior of cats in shelters for a long time. The decisive experiment in her work was the experiment with newly arrived animals that were still in a state of stress. Wink seated them in two different rooms, one of which was equipped with various hiding places, and the other remained free for prying eyes. As a result, animals with the opportunity to be left alone with themselves adapted to new living conditions much faster.
The result of the study was confirmation of the opinion that it is easier for cats to run away and hide from problems than to solve them, regardless of their size and habitat.
Other sensations
It is also noted that the sound from the bag may remind pets of the noise emanating from rodents when they run through fields or other objects. They understand this: rustling means prey. They can be attracted by various acoustic signals. So don’t be surprised by this behavior of your pet.
Moreover, according to scientific point of view, your pet is a mammal of the cat family of carnivores. So what you are observing is their natural behavior. Cats are small predators, and you shouldn't teach them something like that.
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Another interesting detail is that if you take a closer look at the texture of the bag, you can see that they might like its cool, smooth surface. All this attracts these creatures, regardless of whether they lick the object or simply play with it.
Why do they play with cellophane?
Cats are naturally extremely curious and interested in everything. They love the rustling sound; some members of the family like to inspect every package they see in the house. They can climb into them, sit inside for a long time and be sincerely offended when they are scolded for this. Cat nature is such that furry pets look at everything in their own way. Sometimes breeders jokingly note that their pets were born in bags - they are so attracted to them. Moreover, cats sometimes not only play with bags, but even go to sleep in them.
Plastic bags are different from conventional toys. During play, they not only rustle, but also magnetize the wool when they come into contact with it. Cats love everything unusual, giving free rein to their instincts. In addition, they may associate the sound of a rustling package with a call to hunt.
Being in a playful state, the cat can play along with itself by tossing the bag or trying to touch it as often as possible in order to hear an interesting rustling sound again and again.
How to keep your cat from chewing cardboard?
If your cat has a compulsive urge to chew on cardboard boxes, there are several ways you can try to prevent it.
The most obvious thing is to keep boxes away: put them on a shelf where you can’t get into them, or don’t store them at home at all. Or you can not let your pet into the room where such things are located.
Spray the boxes with unpleasant-tasting repellents. Apple spray or cayenne mixture will work; they will leave an unpleasant aftertaste on the item. This will certainly discourage you from tasting the thing.
You may develop a negative reaction to boxes. Every time the cat approaches her, spray him with a spray bottle, and repeat this for several days. Over time, this will consolidate the desired effect.
Why let your cat chew cardboard boxes when you can play with it? If chewing occurs out of boredom, turn off the TV and play with your pet. You can distract him with other safe toys or play with a laser pointer.
Give your cat something edible, such as a chicken wing, instead of toys. Just make sure it’s raw so that the bone doesn’t crack.
Change your cat's diet. Feed her often, but in small portions. During breaks, spend time doing physical activity.
If this habit is related to health, consult a veterinarian, sometimes it requires immediate medical attention.
How to wean an animal from playing with bags
If cats lick bags with enviable regularity, you can take the following steps::
- Carefully hide all cellophane packaging in places inaccessible to cats.
- If bags are used for the trash can, it should also be out of reach.
- If you suspect dental or oral disease, your cat should be taken to a veterinarian. The doctor will find out the cause of the disease, prescribe treatment, and the animal will stop showing interest in the unsafe toy.
- Buy your cat a special exercise machine with ropes, ladders and rest areas. Models of varying heights and complexity are available for sale to suit any budget. When the owners are not at home, the animal will not be bored, the cat will be able to occupy itself.
- Spend more time with your pet, petting it and playing with it. Always talk to a cat in a calm, even voice, even if the animal has harmed or damaged something.
- If a cat stole a bag somewhere and started playing with it, you should immediately take the dangerous toy away from him and offer him a ball or a fabric mouse in return.
What do you like about boxes?
In the eyes of a cat, a cardboard box can become a refuge or an object for play. Often cat owners use this packaging to create large play complexes. However, the cat does not necessarily need the box to be lined with warm material. If she likes it, it will be her favorite subject, taking up a lot of her free time.
The smell of childhood
Some believe that the reason for the interest may lie in the relationship between cardboard and wood. It is likely that the cat smells the native smell of wild nature. However, a more plausible version is her childhood memory: as a kitten, she was with her mother in a cozy box. And therefore he can remember the smell.
If an animal climbs into a box and, purring, fiddles with its bedding for a long time, moving its paws, then it is so. This instinct has been ingrained in cats since childhood. This behavior is typical of small kittens who fall asleep near a cat. This reassurance, a feeling of protection and absolute peace, is what a cat is looking for all its life. Some cats behave in much the same way in their bed before bed.
Social factor
In addition, the box can become a kind of cocoon that protects the cat from stress. This fact is evidenced by studies of scientists working with domestic cats in shelters. A cat without shelter feels unprotected, it is susceptible to stress and has poor contact with people.
The behavioral strategy of hiding helps an animal to hide from something it may be afraid of.
If the pet does not have its own place, it is likely that the box will perform exactly this function . Some cats occasionally use boxes as a social barrier. Hiding in it, they feel protected from the owner’s reprimands, screaming or noise. These situations are rare; only in the absence of another secluded place will the cat hide in the box.
Toy box
The gaze of an active cat rarely misses small boxes or mailboxes. Small objects become anti-stress toys, large ones become shelters in which you can hide while tracking down prey. Funny pets think they can't be seen in boxes. They get tremendous release from playing, scratching, biting or throwing objects from place to place.
Cats often spend a lot of energy chewing on boxes. Such activity is necessary to waste excess energy, after which the pets tune in to a sweet dream.
Some individuals manage to stick their snouts into narrow boxes, and this does not bother them at all. In their games they rarely set any boundaries for themselves.
Cardboard is used to make scratching posts. It does not injure the animal when it wants to scratch its claws, and allows it to “break away” in a fit of active games. Some individuals play to the point of gnawing holes in the boxes, biting the paper with pleasure. They are sensitive to rustling sounds and enjoy creating them themselves by scratching and biting cardboard boxes.
Physiology
Cats are considered animals that adore various holes. They love to watch for prey, sitting in ambush, and therefore often even hide in a closet or cabinets. Animals are very smart, they can keep watch or track something for a long time, and some, on the contrary, completely relax to the point of falling asleep when they find themselves in a secluded place. The conclusion about the attraction to various burrows was made by scientists a long time ago, and research was carried out on the basis of the habits of many animals.
Pets love boxes, from which owners make improvised houses, cutting out round entrances into “burrows”. If you connect a couple of objects with a common hole, such a toy will be rated better than an expensive lounger. The cat will be inside his maze, confident that he is invisible, and also using the boxes as his personal space.
In general, the craving for boxes and packages is explained by vibrissae. Tactile touching of objects (especially rustling objects) attracts cats . Thanks to their whiskers, they receive information about things, but not every subject can be quickly studied. Cats gnaw boxes only when they examine them with vibrissae, receiving information that the objects are inanimate (animals do not eat anything living, even mice are initially killed so that they cannot bite them during a meal).
Cats like the rustling sound; it vaguely resembles vibrations from mouse paws that reach the brain through their whiskers. It is for this reason that they touch packages and boxes with whiskers. Moreover, each type of mustache gives its own assessment of a certain thing. Vibrissae on the paws can evaluate the box as an object from childhood, those located on the muzzle may indicate that this is a product for play.
Other hairs will tell you that the box can be perceived as a lounger.
Alternative to a sun lounger
A cat, accustomed to its place from a young age, very quickly understands that it is a corner in which no one will touch it. Besides the fact that she sometimes needs her own space, she may just like her new makeshift “house.” There are cases when two cats living together share a similar “house” with each other.
Desire for privacy
Cats are loners. In the wild, they do not live in herds and always defend their territory. They adapt quite easily to family life, but sometimes they still need the opportunity to retire, to feel like they are “at home.” And if people need a separate room for this purpose, then a small box is perfect for a cat. It allows you to simultaneously be isolated from other family members and continue to observe them.
Remember how you felt as a child when you built houses out of blankets and pillows, and you will perfectly understand the cat’s desire to lie down in a box!
Opportunity to warm up
Why cats love valerian: the main reasons for their sympathy
It is known that cats appeared among people from their wild counterparts inhabiting the mountainous and desert areas of Africa. Much information about cats is associated with Egypt. One thing is clear that these furry pets came from hot countries and love warmth very much.
They feel comfortable at a temperature of 30-36 degrees. At lower temperatures, they climb under a blanket to warm themselves, on radiators, or in any small enclosed space where it is easier to retain body heat. This space could be a bag or cardboard box.
