Reasons Why Cats Like Boxes So Much
Cats are one of, if not the most, admired pets in the world. All cat lovers can agree that cat behavior is tough to decode. As much as this is the case, they can all agree that cats love boxes. To them, no toy compares to a simple box regardless of how fancy or expensive it may be. Boxes are loved by cats, unlike humans who see them as non-appealing. The size of the box doesn’t matter. Cats can happily play inside a large box or take a nap in a small one. The shape of the box also doesn’t matter. Cats like them whether they are regularly or irregularly shaped. Here are several reasons why cats like boxes:
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They Provide Warmth
The first reason why cats like boxes is the warmth they provide. Cats are magnetically attracted to warm spots such as boxes. Cats like boxes because they find them physically comforting. They nonetheless help cats reduce stress greatly and regulate their body temperature. Spaces that are small and enclosed such as boxes provide insulation that keeps your four-legged friend warm and safe. This encourages the cat to curl up and relax. The ideal temperature for cats to be comfortable is around 37 degrees, hence your beloved cat needs to keep warm. If your furry friend has a specific napping box, place a blanket or towel in it to ensure maximum warmth and comfort. Nonetheless, boxes provide warmth similar to what kittens receive from their mothers.
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Provide Safety
The other reason why cats like boxes the provision of a sense of security. Cats like to hide in places that protect them from possible predators and places that offer a good vantage point to spot and pounce on prey. A box provides these requirements. Nonetheless, boxes offer a safe zone where your feline companion can observe without being seen. The fact that boxes are confined and enclosed also provides a sense of safety and security to felines. Since cats don’t have inbuilt conflict resolution strategies, they prefer to hide from their problems. This is why cats love boxes. Any cat owner is advised to provide a safe space for their feline to escape to.
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Offer Great Sleeping Places for Cats
Cats spend up to 18 hours of their day sleeping hence they must find the right spot for doing so. A cat sees a safe and luxurious cave in a box that promises both warmth and protection. Providing a box for your furry friend gives them a safe space for them to escape to.
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Cats Love the Texture of Boxes
The texture of a box is the perfect texture for your feline friend to bite and scratch hence making it much fun to play with. Cats may like a box purely to bite and chew and soon shred it to bits. A plain old box makes a toy that is interesting and fun to keep your cat entertained for days on end.
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Cats are Curious
Cats are very curious creatures; hence it should not be a surprise that whenever you purchase something new such as a box, they make a beeline for it to investigate. The new item smells different, hence your cat will be curious to find out the purpose of the new item in their home. You will find your cat rubbing itself around the box and having a good look.
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Boxes Help Cats to Adapt
Boxes are beneficial for cats as they help them deal with change. Cats with boxes recover quickly and adjust to their environment quickly.
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Reduce Stress Levels
Hanging out in boxes plays a vital role in reducing stress in cats. Stressful situations usually have negative effects on the wellbeing of kitties and may lead to higher incidences of infectious diseases in shelters due to elevated levels of the hormone cortisol that may results in immunodeficiency. Hiding inside boxes helps reduce stressful behaviors and hormone levels that may be harmful. It also reduces the time it takes the cats to recover from the transition.
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Predator Drive
As a cat owner, you must always remember when contemplating cats and boxes is that they are predators. You also need to remember that cats love to leap from boxes and grapple lower limbs. This feline predatory drive prefers places to prey from and hide in during rest. This explains why cats like boxes.
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Make Great Hunting Hideouts
Boxes serve as excellent hideout that can give cats a chance to hide from their prey, catching them unaware. If you are a multiple cat owner, you must have seen one cat hide in a box waiting for the unsuspecting second cat to wander by. Boxes are incredible for sneak attacks on fellow cats and your unsuspecting ankles.
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Provide Cats a Territory of Their Own
Cats are territorial by nature. Boxes are a value addition to a territory. Since boxes are enclosed, they give cats the feeling of ownership. Cats also like a lot of alone time as they are a fairly solitary species. Cats do not develop conflict resolution skills and so, they prefer to go off by themselves after a stressful situation arises. They can survey their territory from the safety of a box and know if the individual who offended is approaching. In addition, cats also make nests for themselves and their kittens. A box can be the perfect nesting spot.
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Boxes Provide a Warm Embrace
Cats relax in boxes for the same reason that human beings relax into hugs to find gentle side squeezes to be soporific. These sensations of gentle pressure stimulate the body to produce endorphins and neurochemicals that boost pleasure, reduce pain, and create a sense of well-being.
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Cats are Angry
Cats are not very good at forgiving. If they feel mistreated in any way, they usually disappear for hours. This is because they cannot talk through the conflict hence run off and hide in a safe zone. This safe zone could be a box and it allows the cat to sleep, stew, and eventually forget.
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Avoiding Conflict
Cats by nature cannot simply talk through their issues or discuss their problems with other cats like people do. Instead, they tend to retreat to their comfort zone to avoid conflicts. Running from their problems provides the much needed time for them to cool down. So, a box becomes a happy place for felines to melt away anger and anxiety.
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Provide Shelter
Cats simply love to squeeze themselves into small spaces where they feel safe and secure. This is way better for them than being exposed to danger in wide-open spaces.
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For the Fun
Cats enjoy hanging out in boxes just for fun. Boxes are places where they can sleep, sit and play. Nonetheless, they can chew or scratch without getting in trouble unlike when they scratch on the couch.
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Cats Love Exploring
The new factor of a box may be enough to capture your cat’s interest. Cats love to explore the lay of the land so they get excited when you bring something new into your home. This may be a box, grocery bag, or a toy. They try to explore every inch of new landmarks and this includes finding out if they fit inside the new box.
How to Keep Boxes Safe and More Inviting
- Check for any leftover staples or tape that could get caught on the cat’s fur
- Keep the box on a sturdy surface
This prevents tipping over. This means that the floor is preferable instead of putting the box on top of a cat tree. Keep the box away from areas with high foot traffic if you have a shy cat.
- Pad the box with some soft blankets and throw in some of your cat’s favorite toys
This makes it more welcoming.
- Setting up a calming diffuser nearby
This makes the area more inviting as a calming diffuser releases a vapor that is drug-free and odorless that mimics the pheromones a cat releases that show that an area is safe and secure. This is like sending a signal in a cat’s language that lets her know that she is safe and she can relax.
- Put the box in a quiet place
Avoid a noisy furnace, dryer, or washer as loud noises scare cats hence the cat will not use the box.
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How to Reduce Box Smell and Messes
- Scoop daily
- Clean the box at least once a day so that both your nose and furry friend are happy. Cats are far more likely to pee and poo outside of the box if there are too many landmines to navigate around.
- Provide well-sized boxes. If you don’t have enough boxes, your cats may avoid the box entirely. It is important to note that cats don’t like to go where other cats have gone. The same applies if your box is the wrong size. A box that is too tiny means that your cat will have less personal space and is more likely to hit the sides of the box or just let their business fall wherever it may, whether that’s inside the box or right next to it. Also, ensure that you have a box that has sides that are low enough for your beloved cat to easily step over.
- Use Baking soda. Try sprinkling a little baking soda on the bottom of the box if you are still having odor problems. This helps absorb some of the smells, but without adding irritants that may upset the cat’s nose and lungs which are sensitive
- Clean messes thoroughly and quickly. Use a good enzymatic cleaner to take care of any potty accidents in case your feline companion soils in the box. A good thorough cleaning gets rid of the smell, prevents odors from developing over time, and prevents the cat from going outside of their boxes in the future. If your cat is going outside their box, like on the living room carpet, getting the smell out effectively helps prevent them from sniffing it out and choosing that similar spot again.
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Conclusion
A cat’s love for boxes is something that should be celebrated and encouraged. A box is a great toy to add to your cat’s collection as it provides a measure of security to them both physically and psychologically. The fact that they are enclosed makes cats feel safe and warm and satisfy their curiosity and their desire to explore.
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