Mary Allen
Cats always make their decisions between the tension between curiosity and caution. This is part of their survival instinct because without curiosity they cannot find new food sources or safe hiding places, without caution they put themselves in unnecessary danger in their search. You can find out here what this has to do with their penchant for checking shopping bags.
Shopping Bags Arouse the Curiosity of Cats
The bags with the purchases offer everything that stimulates the cat’s curiosity: strange smells, exciting objects, potentially edible things, and interesting sounds. The many different smells you bring in with the shopping bags are what attracts cats first. After all, they have to control what is brought into their territory and see if they can use it for their purposes.
Therefore, they then carefully examine the contents of the bags with their nose and paws – there might be something tasty for them. Plastic bags and paper bags also crackle and rustle so nicely when the kitty sniffs them. Hardly any fur nose can resist and their play and hunting instinct is stimulated.
Cats in Bags – Seemingly Safe Hiding Place
However, shopping bags are not only a potential source of food and an exciting toy, cats can also hide in them. If the pockets are empty or your velvet paw has decided that there is nothing edible in them, from a cat’s point of view they are wonderful as a safe observation post or sleeping place. The reason for this is similar to why cats like to sit in boxes. The limited space keeps them safe and also helps the animals retain their body heat. In addition, they can roll up in bags even better than in boxes so that they are not visible at first glance.
Be Careful When Cats Check Plastic Bags
However, as a precaution, you should supervise your cat when your groceries are in plastic bags. Plastic can contain plasticizers and other chemicals that may be toxic to your cat if it chews on it.
It becomes dangerous when the animals bite off pieces of the plastic bag while playing and swallow them. This could result in intestinal obstruction or an attack of suffocation. However, if you look carefully, you can also have your velvet paw inspect plastic shopping bags.
Be Careful: Cats Can Get Caught in the Being Bags
You should pay particular attention to your four-legged friend when he puts his head in a shopping bag. Your cat can get caught in the handles, drag the paper or plastic bag behind it out of panic, and even get caught on furniture. In the worst case, this can become life-threatening for the animal.