We so enjoy watching our feline friends play and bask in cardboard boxes. (See Eliza demonstrating this idea.)
But what exactly IS it about the cardboard box that delights a cat?
Just for fun, I’ve inquired with my own 3 cats for their input!
Eliza, 12 yr old cat says, “They’re fun. I can squish my whole self into most boxes. It has a cozy feel to be held tight in a wrap around fashion. It’s like my own little room when I’m hiding in the box. I can also startle or do a sneak attack on another cat passerby. It’s exciting to pounce and play that game upon them. They don’t seem to mind. I go back to my box for a second attack sometimes, but they don’t always stay to play, so I get cozy and just lay down for a snooze. The space is just right for my size.”
Beetle Bailey, 12 yr old cat says, “Cardboard boxes do give off an odor that’s appealing. The way the air swirls around them is most intense in the center. I mostly like the boxes for hiding purposes though. Another cat can walk by and not even see me unless they decide to get in the box too. Boxes hug our bodies and can be roomy enough to twirl [do somersaults] in. I like the feel of it rubbing my body as its pleasurable.”
Lyra, 5 yr. old cat says, “The tactile sensation of the smooth-roughness of the cardboard on my paw pads has a feeling to it that I like. I agree with Beetle in that one can hide unseen. One can also jump into the empty box and disappear from view. It’s like magic.”
Danielle Tremblay
