why is my cat sitting in a box?

It has happened to us all - we receive a package, we open the box, then place it on the ground while we check out our new item. And before we know it, we hear a rustle, and there is our cat looking up at us from inside the box.

Skoda does this every time. Package down, and within minutes she's not just sitting in the box, she's grooming in it.

My veterinary instinct is that firstly she is checking out this new arrival, investigating this intrusion into her world. 

Secondly, and instinctively for cats, boxes provide a secure “hiding zone” away from the world - somewhere she can retreat and feel less exposed.

But then it gets interesting. A box may not even be needed.

In one study, cats were just as likely to sit inside a 2D optical illusion of a square (a Kanizsa square) as they were a real square. There seems to be something about the boundary itself that appeals to them… but we don't really know why.

So, you can make your cat happy by getting a box.

It doesn't actually need to come with anything inside.

Stuart Ralph BVSc
Veterinarian and founder of WellCat