A Cardboard Box: The Ultimate Cat Spa
Why do cats love to sit in boxes? A cardboard box from an online order may look like garbage to us, but what you’ve received is actually a luxury cat spa! Leave it sitting idle in some corner of your home and you’ll eventually find a cat lounging inside.
A Warm Fuzzy Place
Corrugated cardboard, with layers of paper and air, is actually a relatively good insulator and will keep in a lot of heat. Especially when the cat is almost the same size as the box, the inside heats up quickly and it turns into a warm cozy space that can be many degrees warmer than the rest of the house. It’s kind of like owning a personal sauna or laying under your warmest blankets, why would you ever want to leave?
Hidden in the Shadows
Boxes are essentially caves for cats – a perfect hiding spot that helps them feel safe. Cats are naturally hyperaware of their surroundings and constantly scanning to keep track of potential threats. With four walls and just the one opening, cats can just lazily watch one direction or peek over the edge as they desire. Plus, the darkness inside a box makes it harder for anyone (or anything) to spot them.
Cats also don’t have much control over the world around them. Faced with a stressful situation, they often do what we secretly wish we could do—run, hide, and hope it goes away! A box is the perfect escape for them relax and regroup. For instance, if you accidentally drop a spoon in their general vicinity, you’ll likely find them retreating to their trusty box for some alone time.
Curiosities and Oddities
Boxes are also just a cool novel item that warrants further exploration from naturally curious cats. They have unique smells from their journey around the world to your door. The cardboard is a fun texture for scratching their nails on or trying to bite. There also might be anything hiding inside just waiting to be discovered from food to a fun toy. Their mere existence in your home warrants further exploration!
Beyond the Box
While we have been mostly writing about specifically cardboard boxes, these principles apply to any small enclosed dark space. Cats will seek them out and find them wherever they exist! Plenty of cat owners have laughed about how they can ‘lose their cat’ in their own home or apartment. In fact, if I can’t find one of my guys, I’m sure to find him if I look in the drawers under my bed! He figured out long ago how to open the drawers, and it’s by far his favorite spot in the house to take a break from the craziness.
Boxes are an endless and totally free source of entertainment for cats! Save one from your next online purchase or grab one from the checkout area at Costco. If having boxes around isn’t your thing, there are plenty of alternatives, such as cat caves and cat trees with built-in hidey holes.
Although it is a simple piece of cardboard, boxes provide warmth, safety, and endless amusement—everything a cat could dream of!
