Cats have an almost supernatural ability to ignore expensive furniture and climb into the cardboard box it arrived in.
The behavior makes sense from a cat’s point of view.
A box offers security, warmth, concealment, and a good place to watch the world.
Enclosed spaces can feel safer
Cats are predators, but they are also animals that can be preyed upon by larger animals.
A space with walls around it reduces the number of directions from which something can approach.
The cat can watch the room while remaining partly hidden.
That can feel secure.
Boxes can reduce stress
Research with shelter cats has found that access to hiding boxes can help reduce stress.
A new environment is full of unfamiliar smells, sounds, people, and animals.
A small enclosed retreat gives the cat more control over exposure.
Cardboard helps conserve warmth
Cats generally prefer warmer temperatures than many humans do.
Cardboard provides some insulation.
A small enclosed space also traps body heat better than an open floor.
The box may therefore feel physically comfortable as well as secure.
Boxes are good ambush sites
Cats are hunters.
A box provides cover.
The cat can hide while watching movement outside.
Then an unsuspecting toy, foot, or ankle passes by.
The box suddenly becomes a hunting blind.
Why do cats squeeze into boxes that seem too small?
Contact with the sides may increase the feeling of enclosure.
Cats are also flexible enough to fit into surprisingly compact spaces.
If the box is truly uncomfortable, they can leave.
The fact that they keep returning suggests the snugness is often part of the appeal.
Why choose a box over a cat bed?
The bed may be soft.
The box may offer more of the things the cat currently wants: walls, warmth, concealment, scent, and novelty.
From the cat’s perspective, the decision may be perfectly rational.
So when you buy an expensive cat bed and the cat chooses the shipping carton, it is not necessarily judging your purchase.
Although it certainly feels that way.
A related animal question is Why do cats land on their feet?, which shows another way biology shapes familiar behavior or anatomy.
And that’s the short explanation.
Related explanations: Why do cats land on their feet?, Why do cats knead blankets?, and Why do cats purr?