New cat owners are always baffled whenever they buy their cat a cool new toy but then the cat seems more interested in the box nearby. There are many plausible explanations for this behavior, and it’s not because they like to waste your money.
Cats were ambush predators back when they were wild, so they had developed instincts to find a safe-enclosed space that they can spring out of. In the wild, these may be bushes, flowerbeds, behind thick trees, and the like. In a human habitat, boxes are what fit the bill perfectly.
Cats feel safe in boxes because it is safe and warm, and any intruders, so to speak, have to come into their field of vision, so they wouldn’t be surprised. Cats don’t have in-built conflict resolution instincts, so their first choice is to run and hide from their problems. (Mood.)
A study conducted by the University of Utrecht showed that cats can also use boxes as buffer zones when adapting to a new environment, especially when coming from a shelter. The population which was given boxes was able to recover quickly from a shift in the environment.
Another reason is to bring the temperature up to the ideal 37 degrees, especially for cats that live in colder climates or during colder seasons. The small space of the box also encourages them to curl up, so coupling that with the insulation ability of the box, it does provide a safe space for them to get to their ideal temperature for comfort.
Cats are also naturally curious creatures, so it will investigate every new item that comes into your, and their, home. And that also includes the new box that comes with the said item.
Another is that cardboard’s texture is simply perfect that cats really enjoy scratching at it. It’s even reinforced when owners don’t scold them, as opposed to when they scratch actual furniture. This sends signals to their brain that they are better off scratching these boxes.
So it’s not like they dislike the new actual toy you gave them, but cats simply gravitate towards boxes because of these combinations of factors. Evolution, temperature, safety, reinforcement, an=mongst others.
References:
Purina. (n.d.). Revealed: Why Do Cats Like Boxes So Much? | Purina. Retrieved August 17, 2022, from https://www.purina.co.uk/articles/cats/behaviour/common-questions/why-do-cats-like-boxes#:%7E:text=Boxes%20are%20safe,from%20the%20side%20or%20behind.
Vinke, C., Godijn, L., & van der Leij, W. (2014). Will a hiding box provide stress reduction for shelter cats? Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 160, 86–93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2014.09.002