If I Fits… I SITS!!

For anyone who's ever owned a cat…

Wait, strike that… Let me start again…

For anyone who's ever been owned by a cat,

I'm sure you've wondered why in the world they love boxes so much! Here's the reason…

You can buy a thousand dollars worth of expensive and creative cat toys for your little furry friend and what do they spend the most time playing with? That's right… the darn box it came in! But before you get annoyed or frustrated about fluffy's personality quirks, consider her reasoning behind why that box (or paper bag, laundry basket, hamper, closet door slightly ajar, suitcase full of neatly folded clothes, etc…) is so intriguing…

This behavior is actually an instinct and a throw-back to their inherent "wild side". Out in nature, enclosed spaces provide quite a few benefits. They allow the cats a place to hide, keeping them safe from dangerous predators, while also providing them with the necessary camouflage from which to stalk their prey.

Now in their warm, cozy and safe homes with us, they really don't require shelter from scary monsters and they don't have to look very far to find a yummy meal. Nor do they typically have to work very hard for it. However, their instincts are still engrained in their little systems. Since a box can be rather "cave-like" they feel a sense of calm & safety. And it seems the more snug the fit, the happier they are squeezing into it. Hence the ever rapidly growing phrase; "If I fits, I sits!"

Where a box surrounds them on all sides, anything that might sneak up on them, would have to be within site, giving kitty a chance to prepare & pounce first. They can also wait quietly for unsuspecting "prey" to pass by, perhaps a foot wearing a fluffy slipper or a fellow house mate might be the unknowing victim of attack. Once it's too late to avoid the snatch… WAM! "Gotcha!" says kitty!

Cats are notorious for helping us to coin the phrase, "Cat Nap" and with good reason, since a cat will typically sleep up to 20 hours per day… boy, what a cool job! A snug fitting box or a warm basket of clean laundry provide the perfect spot to snooze the day away.

Now I have to admit, all this info sounds convincingly intellectual, as if we've somehow figured out the feline psyche. But the truth of the matter is scientists are still baffled by the true "whys" of cat behaviors, including, but not limited to, the ever so popular snug-fitting cardboard box. As is evident when one of our furry friends tries so hard to squeeze their little round tush into a box that's obviously too small.

When given the opportunity, even large jungle cats will jump at the chance to snuggle into a tight fitting box… so we MUST be onto something, right?

Most cats will still be happy to stalk a feather toy or give a catnip pillow a good ol' fashion butt whoopin', but don't be too surprised if they would prefer to hang out in the packaging it came in… Their just revealing their wild side!

Below are some cool kitty products we love!

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