A Study Shows That Cats Love Boxes So Much Because They Reduce Stress
Cats can turn the simplest household object into a full-time obsession, and cardboard boxes are at the top of the list.
From drawers to laundry baskets, these tight little hiding spots seem to beat even the fanciest cat bed. A 2014 study from the University of Utrecht looked at why that might be, and the answer points to something cats seem to love: less stress.
The results make the box habit look a lot less random, and a lot more interesting.
The study involved 19 cats from a Dutch shelter, 10 of which had a box with them.
The research results came out as expected - stress levels decreased when cats were lying in boxes.
The scientists confirmed in their report: “Stressful experiences can have a major impact on cats’ welfare and may cause higher incidences of infectious diseases in shelters due to raised cortisol levels causing immunodeficiency. Though several studies have shown a preference for hiding places and the stress-reducing effects of hiding boxes on cats in combined studies, none of these studies determined if proper hiding enrichment would be effective in a quarantine cattery.”
The researchers used the Kessler and Turner Cat-Stress Score (CSS) to measure the results. Shortly after the initial measurements, a difference between the cats that had boxes and those without them was obvious. The cats that were provided with boxes had lower stress levels than the other group. After a few weeks, the measurements showed the same CSS levels in both groups.
The researchers concluded: “The hiding box appears to be an important enrichment for cats to cope effectively with stressors in a new shelter environment during the first weeks after arrival.” Scientists indicated that further study is required to find out how house cats would respond and to explore the correlation between possible outbreaks of infectious diseases and the boxes.
If you have any photos of cats in boxes, we would be happy to see them in the comment section.
Cats really do make cardboard look like luxury real estate.
Next, see how “If I fits, I sits” turned into a full-on cat confidence flex. Cats who take “If I fits, I sits” to a whole new level.
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