Mary Allen
Scientists have wondered why cats love cardboard boxes so endlessly. They examined it and found amazing things.
Anyone who owns a cat as a furry roommate knows the phenomenon: cats and boxes are simply the ideal combinations. The velvet paws love to squeeze into boxes that are much too small and to sit, lie or sleep in them as if they were the most natural thing in the world.
Scientists from the University of Utrecht have asked themselves how cats become passionate. In doing so, they found something amazing.
The researchers examined 19 cats in an animal shelter for their study. 10 got a box, and 9 were left without their favorite piece of cardboard. All cats were examined regularly.
Less stress, more happiness
During the investigations, the scientists found that the cats with the box were significantly less stressed than those without. The boxes, no matter what size, seemed to keep the cats safe.
The cortisol level in the blood of the animals with the box was significantly lower than that of those without a box. Cats with a crate were thus significantly happier than those in the other group.
The lower stress levels of these animals also made them appear more relaxed to shelter visitors, giving them a higher chance of being adopted. Also, because of their greater well-being, these animals were more likely to adapt to new situations, making them more likely to paw and set foot in the new home if adopted.
Healthier through the carton?
Furthermore, the lower stress levels in the boxed cats meant that they were less prone to illness than the non-boxed cats. The more relaxed basic posture of the cats with the crate meant that their immune system was not weakened and the defenses could work against pathogens unimpaired.
So cats love crates for a very natural reason: the cats perceive the crates as a protective retreat that gives them security and keeps them healthy.
If you love your cat and want to do something good for her, leave one or two boxes from a mail order company in the apartment. It doesn’t have to go to the waste paper so urgently, does it?