(Newswire.net— August 29, 2020) — It has long been known that cats are mysterious creatures. Their behavior sometimes confuses even their owners. However, everyone agrees on one thing – cats like crawling into cardboard boxes and scientists have tried to explain why.
According to Mikel Delgado, a doctor of science who studies the behavior of cats at the Veterinary Faculty of Davis University in California, Cats enjoy boxes for several reasons. First of all, it is about something new that they want to explore.
Their innate curiosity leads them to try to understand the purpose of an object. Interesting smells and the rustling of crumpled paper further stimulate feline curiosity, says Delgado.
The second reason is that it is warm inside the box. Cats prefer room temperature to be higher than that which suits most people, and since cardboard is an excellent insulator, cats often crawl into cardboard boxes to maintain their elevated body temperature.
So, boxes provide cats a sense of security and comfort. The safety of the closed and protected space, in this case, the box, contributes to the reduction of stress in cats.
Cats are both predators and prey, but because of the latter, many are prone to self-protection. Boxes offer them a kind of safe zone because they protect them from potential dangers that lurk in open spaces and enable easier escape when they see a potential threat, McCarthy explained.
Dr. McCarthy also says that the texture of cardboard suits cats. It is one of the most suitable scratching materials for them. This allows them to mark their territory with visible markings, to sharpen their claws, remove thickened claws and stretch their muscles.
The cardboard box material is also a great absorber which is suitable for cats to mark territory with their scent.
McCarthy emphasizes that it is important not to disturb the cat while it is resting in its box, because the cardboard becomes its safe space. Picking up a box or hitting it can turn that safe space into something quite the opposite.