If you share your living space with a cat, you’ve probably witnessed their incredible loyalty… to cardboard and paper. You could gift them the comfiest, most luxurious bed, only to catch them majestically draped across a scrap of cardboard, pointedly ignoring your expensive offering. But why, among all things, do cats seem utterly obsessed with boxes? Buckle up—science has some telling hints, if not all the answers.
The Universal Appeal of Boxes (and Flat Things)
It’s not just your sofa that gets the cold shoulder when a cardboard box appears. From the moving box to the freshly emptied delivery package, cats flock to these humble structures as if they’re five-star resorts. Cats aren’t alone in this behavior, either. According to New Scientist, this boxy obsession is a trait shared by wild cats as well—think tigers, lions, lynx, and leopards. Even Slate.com was amazed when this revelation surfaced in 2015, sharing pictorial proof: apparently, big or small, if you’re feline, you’re into boxes.
But let’s get back to our house cats. Their passion for boxes and bits of cardboard isn’t random. Put simply, it’s about comfort—an embrace, proximity, and maybe a hint of nostalgia (for their earlier days of snuggling littermates).
Science Purrs In: Why Boxes?
Researcher Gabrielle Smith at the University of Vienna explains that, for cats, settling into a box recreates the moments when they curled up with their mothers and siblings. It’s not just about nostalgia, though. Smith suggests another angle: cats are ambush hunters by nature, and boxes offer the perfect hideout for them to spy and scheme in stealth mode—because, after all, the element of surprise is crucial when stalking that unsuspecting shoelace.
But hold on. If it’s about hiding, why do cats show the same enthusiasm for flat surfaces—especially rectangles of cardboard or paper? Smith and her colleagues tackled this mystery, publishing results confirming cats’ undeniable preference for areas with clear rectangular boundaries or smaller perimeters.
- It doesn’t have to be a full box—the flat, rectangular shape seems to work its magic just as well.
- As long as the surface is large enough for the cat to fit entirely (ignore the tail; it’s apparently not part of the equation), cats are happy to take up residence.
Still, no one knows exactly why these surfaces are so alluring. Maybe, Smith speculates, a rectangle of paper or cardboard is to a cat what a borderless box would look like—a mystery for future feline philosophers.
Sniffing Out Other Theories
Despite the best efforts of researchers, the secret is far from fully cracked. Charlotte de Mouzon, a researcher at Paris Nanterre University, offers a possible—though not yet proven—explanation. Cats, she suggests, are above all fascinated by new objects. To feel secure, they need to leave their scent behind. And what better way to perfume the premises than to plant their dainty derrière squarely in the middle of a new surface?
- This ritual could be the cat’s way of saying, “This is mine now. Smells about right.”
It seems that in the mysterious mind of a cat, a fresh piece of cardboard or paper could be an open invitation—a “box without walls,” so to speak. For now, though, the mystery remains wide open. Maybe it’s just one of those quirks that keeps their human roommates wondering, and them in control.
Living with the Box Boss
So, the next time you order a package and your cat climbs inside before you’ve even finished unboxing, remember: you’re witnessing feline behavior backed by science, kinship, and a dash of ancient wildness. If you’re hoping to win their feline affections, skip the designer bed and just put a box on the floor. Your cat will thank you—though in true cat fashion, probably with a yawn and a tail flick.
John is a curious mind who loves to write about diverse topics. Passionate about sharing his thoughts and perspectives, he enjoys sparking conversations and encouraging discovery. For him, every subject is an invitation to discuss and learn.
