There are few things a cat loves more than a cardboard box — but have you ever wondered exactly why they love them so much? I mean, yes, science kind of explained it; secretly, though, I think it's because they get a kick out of the versatility of them. Or at least, that's what Cole and Marmalade's latest video, “A Cat's Guide to Boxes,” suggests: Hidden inside this guide to the many uses of the humble cardboard box might just be the truth about why your feline buddy considers the packaging of your latest Amazon shipment to be the most valuable thing you have in your house.
The most obvious use of a cardboard box for a cat is, of course, as a biodegradable version of a pillow fort. My SO and I have never gone all out and built a full-on fortress for our cats out of cardboard boxes; we do, however, have a habit of picking out the weirdest-looking box we can find every time we go to Costco specifically so we can give it to the cats. As a result, we typically have around four boxes of various sizes sitting on our kitchen floor, all ready to be used… well, pretty much however the cats (or we) want. Every so often we retire a box to the Great Recycling Unit in the Sky — but not before it's had a long and happy life. The best part? Every time the cats get bored of one of the boxes, all we need to do is flip it upside down or stack it on top of one of the other ones and it's suddenly an entirely new box to them.
But a box fort isn't the only way a cat might employ their favorite hunk of cardboard. These five options as demonstrated by YouTube favorites Cole and Marmalade are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg; scroll down to watch the full video for more.
1. Sneaky Cat Nap Spot
A long, thin box with a lid is particularly useful when you don't want to be disturbed. They'll never find you.
2. Teething Apparatus
Or maybe just a high-fiber snack.
3. Playground
Who doesn't love a good slide?
4. Ambush Location
Mine do this to me all the time, but it's always funnier when they do it to each other. There's nothing quite like a cat getting taken by surprise by a box suddenly coming alive.
5. Deluxe Cat Bed
It doesn't matter if you purchase the softest, comfiest cat bed on the market. Your cat will still go for the cardboard box last night's dinner came in over it every. Dang. Time.
Check out the full video below for more. Now if you'll excuse me, I have box fort to rearrange.
Images: Nicholas Erwin/Flickr; Cole and Marmalade/YouTube (5)
