Why do cats love boxes? It turns out that this is not just a whim, but a real need! (5 photos)

What will almost every cat on Earth choose: a new and comfortable bed or the box in which this bed was bought? Of course a box! And they will happily sit in it while you count how much money was spent on that ill-fated and now unnecessary bed. But what's the catch? Why do all cats love boxes so much?





Any cat loves any box. Regardless of the size of the cat or box itself.

The first and one of the main reasons for such an extraterrestrial love for boxes is that they help mustachioed people stress less. Full-fledged research was conducted on this topic at the Netherlands Cat Shelter. The newly arrived animals were divided into two groups: some were given a box in the enclosure, while others were not given such a thing. During the experiment, scientists assessed both the behavior of cats and the level of stress hormones in their bodies. As a result, those animals who had access to shelters and could hide whenever they wanted, quickly adapted to the new conditions of the shelter and experienced much less stress.



Cat communal.

This is because the boxes to some extent meet the natural needs of animals - to find a secluded, cozy place to hang out and sleep. The box is closed on all sides, and the cat can view the area around and not worry about an attack from behind. Yes, pets experience much less distress, but even they sometimes need to “hide from the world and rest in safety.”





The best gift that could ever be in a box.

The second reason is that the boxes are very warm. Cardboard insulates well and helps the animal maintain a comfortable body temperature while sleeping. Scientists believe that the ideal ambient temperature for cats is about 30 ⁰C. Our houses are usually much colder. Those with mustaches tend to crawl under the covers or into a box, because sleeping warm is much more pleasant.



Yes, it's so convenient for me.

The third reason why boxes are adored is the novelty and texture. Our pets can easily get bored sitting in the apartment all day. So the appearance of a new interesting object cannot leave them indifferent. Everything needs to be explored, sniffed, marked, tasted and scratched with claws! Cardboard is perfect for these purposes - it is perfectly rigid, easy to bite through and pleasant to scratch. Seeing this love for boxes, some manufacturers have even come up with special scratching posts with cardboard inserts. And what do you think - cats are crazy about them!



Hole punching in action.

For the same reason, boxes are great not only for domestic kitties, but also for large cats from zoos. A huge cardboard box is an ideal and inexpensive way to add variety to captive animals.