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Does your cat like to check out empty boxes when you leave them around your house? We’ve talked to plenty of owners that have had a cat that claimed a big box as its own after moving into a new house and unpacking. In many cases, this box became a favorite sleeping spot for years. Even though this may seem like an odd behavior to us humans, cats love boxes for many reasons. So, why do cats get attached to simple cardboard boxes?

Cats Always Need to Hide

Domestic cats still have the instincts of their wild predator ancestors. All felines stalk and hunt prey in their natural environments. By hiding in a tight space, they can pounce on their next meal before their helpless prey even knows what hit it.

Even though you feed your cat, its brain is still hardwired for constant hunting. This is why cats hide under beds and couches, batting their paws out at everything that goes by their hiding place. An empty box is just another place for your cat to hide while it waits to make its next pounce.

Cats Are Territorial

When you bring something new into your home, you have probably noticed that your cat always wants to rub it. Cats are very territorial, and they mark things and even people with their scent to claim their turf.

Boxes are not only good hiding places, but they are also novel objects that a cat can claim as its own. Once your cat finds a box and rubs its scent on the inside and outside, it will always want to be in the box to protect its territory.

Cats Like to Feel Warm and Relaxed

Does your cat like sleeping in front of a burning fireplace or on a sunny patio? Cats have high body temperatures, so your cat is always looking for a warm place to sleep. A tight space like a box will hold heat as your cat sleeps.

Your cat also likes to feel relaxed just as much as you do. When it gets stressed, it needs its own space to take a time out and unwind. This is especially true if you have other cats, dogs or small children running around your house. When your cat has its own box, it has a place to relax whenever its housemates make it feel a bit too irritated.

If you have an extra box from a move or a delivery, give it as a gift to your cat. With its own space where it can hide, your cat will feel happy as it instinctively hunts down its next meal. It won’t find wild prey in your living room, so the next best thing is giving your cat fresh, healthy, and tasty food. When you choose Pet Wants cat food, your cat will feel satisfied when it heads back to its warm and relaxing box for a long nap.

For more information about pet nutrition or to try one of our formulas, please contact Pet Wants Rehoboth Beach at: (302) 569-9080.