Cats and cardboard boxes seem to have a magical attraction. But why is that? A team of scientists from the Veterinary Medicine University of Utrecht has found an answer to one of the most frequently asked questions on the internet: do boxes help reduce stress in cats, and why do cats love them so much? The study, led by Dr. Claudia Vinke, was published in the Applied Animal Behaviour Science journal. The researchers found that boxes for hiding and playing can significantly reduce stress levels in cats living in shelters. Domesticated cats in shelters are exposed to high levels of stress, which can lead to a weakened immune system and more infections.
During the study, the scientists divided cats from a shelter into two groups: one group received boxes for hiding, while the other did not. The cats’ behavior was observed for two weeks, and their stress levels were evaluated using the Kessler and Turner Cat-Stress-Score (CSS). The cats that received boxes showed lower stress levels from the third day, while the cats without boxes had more varied stress levels. Over the two weeks, the stress levels of the cats without boxes eventually decreased to the same level as those with boxes. The researchers noted that the sample size of only 19 cats was small, but they still concluded that boxes can significantly improve the well-being of cats in shelters, especially in the first few weeks.
The study has sparked interest from a charity organization that has started collecting donations to provide suitable boxes for shelter cats. The researchers plan to conduct a larger study over a longer period to confirm their findings. The study’s results provide valuable insights into how simple environmental enrichment can improve the lives of cats in shelters and reduce their stress levels.
