Cardboard, boxes

Adam G.

If you have a cat, or have even been around a cat, you know they have a propensity for trying to fit into spaces far too small for them. Many a box has been ruined by a cat with a misguided sense of her size. From shoe boxes to refrigerator boxes, cats zero in on cardboard and make it their own. The question is, why? Is it because they know how adorable it is? Or do they get a thrill from making sure we have to keep climbing over whatever random box they have made their home for the day? Well, science has finally (possibly) found the answer!

It turns out, according to a new study from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, that cats use boxes for stress relief. Researches took 19 cats that were new to shelters and gave 10 boxes, while the other 9 did not. Over a 14 day period, the felines with boxes showed far less stress on the Kessker and Turner Cat-Stress-Score (CSS), and adjusted to the shelter environment far better than their box-less cohorts.

Cats are also awful at resolving conflict. If you have more than one cat, pay attention to where they go after a squabble, or to avoid one. Chances are, they are hitting an enclosed space, most likely a box. Hiding out in them helps them ignore whatever is stressing them out. That’s assuming your other cats don’t try to follow into the same box. . .

Outside of stress relief, boxes also provide something every cat needs: extra warmth. Cats prefer to stay between 86 and 97 degrees Fahrenheit, about 20 degrees higher than the average temperature of homes. Since cardboard is such a great insulator, curling up in boxes helps them maintain their comfort temperature. The same goes for cats curling up in a sink, or in a corner of the basement when they are too hot. They don’t do it simply to be cute (probably).

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