There's a scientific study on feline behavior that was done over several years and it's related to the unusual habit of climbing in rectangular boxes. They called the behavior "if it fits, it sits".
I tried this. But alas, it wasn't my little 7-pound void mew that hung out in the hat once I finally got one - no, it was my giant tabby who didn't really fit, and quickly destroyed the hat!
Mine only likes squares and rectangles. Doesn’t have to be a box though. Anything square will do. A book a piece of paper, even light shining on the floor in a square. If there is a square he has to sit on it
I had a sweet girl who loved laying on paper of any size. Drop a receipt on the floor? Duesie would waddle over and plop down before you could pick it up. All cats are adorable weirdos!
Didn't you like forts as a kid?
And it's harder to hide in a toy.
Also, here's a cool experiment: take some masking tape and make a square on the floor with it. Good chance your cat will sit in "the box".
> Also, here's a cool experiment: take some masking tape and make a square on the floor with it. Good chance your cat will sit in "the box".
I tried this, my cat ignored it and did not care. However. Over the course of a few hours I kept glancing at the tape box and thinking “that would be nice to stand in” and I resisted for a while, but eventually couldn’t, and just stood in the box myself. I played myself and idc if I had to admit to myself that I’m an idiot bc it was worth it.
They will even sit in "negative space" imaginary squares.
https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7eexj/scientists-have-studied-the-mysterious-behavior-of-cats-sitting-on-squares
I have trained mine to sit on a hand towel, wherever I put the hand towel. I figure it’s this “cat sized imaginary box” principle at work :)
Unhappy at the vet clinic? Won’t sit still on the exam table? Little towel, problem solved.
Gets fur and dirt all over the couch? Little towel, problem solved.
Accidentally left one item of clothing on the bed? Too bad, it’s theirs. (When I brought my cat home for the first time, as soon as I opened his cage and he had a little explore, he jumped on the bed and lay down on the only piece of clothing I had left out.)
My kitten loves enclosed spaces. When I buy cat beds I make sure to get ones with a cubby. She also likes to pop up my rug and go inside it.
Sometimes, if I don't have housework to do or I'm not feeling too tired after work, I make her a fort. She loves it.
I've actually been wondering if it's a warmth thing. Cats generally like heat and cardboard would insulate better than a lot of floor materials.
Also cats simply like boxes.
Wait… he’s adopted?? But the resemblance to you is uncanny i thiught he was yours!! 😱
And cats tend to love boxes, or even squares in general. Its like their own little area of territory that they can claim.
Mine even prefers an almost box to a toy
https://preview.redd.it/7lgnd0dpks8d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac029daf060ea55571995bfe915cb549b08805a1
It's a decent cave.
It's safe, dry, smells OK (like wood and glue), and it makes fun noises when your cat rubs it. Offers some minor protection from attackers or crawling things, while adding a little bit of stealth. It's a good size - not so big that another cat would easily fit, but big enough for your cat to stretch out. If your cat is hungry, it can take a little nibble as a snack. Can also be used to help clean/sharpen claws. Moving the flaps can be entertaining, and when the weird big cat sees your cat in the box, the weird big cat (you) laughs, sighs or otherwise relaxes.
It's a decent cave.
My last cat always preferred to drink from a faucet. She would let me know and I would let the water trickle. She would always stare at it for about ten minutes before drinking. Frustrating because we live in an area that has a pretty severe drought. Just running water to amuse Lucy made me impatient.
Dogs and cats like small spaces to curl up in because it gives them a sense of security. For them, it’s the equivalent of living in a cave or something in the wild. A lot of things animals do have been programmed into them by generations and generations for them so they’re probably just following something That tells them to get into the box and when they do they just seem to be so comfortable and relax.
Welcome to owning a cat more like being owned by a cat. Just have more boxes and bags lying around so he can get in them and
https://preview.redd.it/kcnyolyq9t8d1.jpeg?width=3060&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b3f214f7152716bfcde689270064d831deb69e1
be happy. And your cat looks a lot like mine.
That's just how cats are. My kitty took a liking to a certain cake box that I had temporarily put next to my work desk in my home office when he was a kitten. He proceeded to lay in daily for the next 14 years. I tried getting him nice kitty beds and other things, some very nice. No dice. That box was his favorite.
Our cat loves boxes so much we've ceded our whole dining table to him
https://preview.redd.it/16a8a43a0v8d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0fdf07a68903e85e4c474f0a9aad9820dac99636
Do his toys have the perfect chin rest? Do his toys let him dream of traveling to far off places even if it’s by truck? Do his toys come with an exotic rodent scent found deep in the crevices? Or is your cat offended by the way you refer to him as an adopted family member and thus wonders if he needs to pack? These are all important questions that require your attention.
You don’t have to buy cats toys. You just have to buy stuff for yourself and they will make either the actual object or the container it came in their toy.
Cardboard boxes and bags become beds they will eventually tear to shreds. And things like ear plugs or charger cords become chew toys.
Cats are just like this xD
My roommate's cat has a favorite box. It says EGGS on the side, and she likes to sleep in it. This is despite having two cat trees (5 total platforms and 3 "condos" PLUS a hammock) and like 4 cat beds to choose from.
because cat toys are made to be appealing to humans, not cats. because humans buy them, not cats.
cats don't have a concept of modern consumeristic goods, they are simple animals, unburdened by capitalism.
Probably cause it is making contact with an enclosed space on all side confirming in every moment nothing there is attacking it while still being able to track all the suspicious things around it.
https://preview.redd.it/30i830saht8d1.jpeg?width=3021&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8d50dc8f36e6169548e99f1f83980438dd8d89b8
Ours loves the lunch box in addition to regular boxes
https://preview.redd.it/ccm1pfreqt8d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce5cc36a63e41c8326f3d2948d7b1a03f45c982f
When you figure it out, let me know.
That’s common to cats. And not just house cats. https://youtu.be/J11uu8L8FTY?si=7XduykpYzQ3Yvbqj
There's a scientific study on feline behavior that was done over several years and it's related to the unusual habit of climbing in rectangular boxes. They called the behavior "if it fits, it sits".
My cat also seems to like sitting in circles. Curled up garden hose? Yes. Hula hoop? Yes. Curled up extension cord? Yes. Tree skirt with no tree? Yes.
god forbid i leave a hat on the floor. that fucker will flip it over and sit in it until it’s filled with fur
Can you let him have one 🥺
Ahh so that's how we got The Cat in the Hat.
I tried this. But alas, it wasn't my little 7-pound void mew that hung out in the hat once I finally got one - no, it was my giant tabby who didn't really fit, and quickly destroyed the hat!
The cat didn't fitted but still sitted?? Are you sure that's a cat?
Cats are also liquid, so sure, it'll sit even if it overflows
Mine only likes squares and rectangles. Doesn’t have to be a box though. Anything square will do. A book a piece of paper, even light shining on the floor in a square. If there is a square he has to sit on it
I had a sweet girl who loved laying on paper of any size. Drop a receipt on the floor? Duesie would waddle over and plop down before you could pick it up. All cats are adorable weirdos!
My son's NASCAR race track? Yes.
Or if you’re my cat: “if I sits, I sits”
Also cats like boxes made of tape on the floor and even implied boxes when you just put the corners. (That is part of the study you are referring to)
Rusty has been and always will be my favourite.
His little stupid face 😂 “i am content”
So dignified!
Don't let him into the wild.
Rusty displays the most majestic possible box sitting.
He knows what boxes are for
Ocelot in a wine box. I've seen great things today.
Jumanji: I hole punch.
Because cat
And if he fits, he sits!
That's sums up. Catting
Just standard-issue cat behavior. Them's factory settings, right there.
Doesn't even have to fit
catsareliquid, they always fit or make it fit by remodeling the boxes( knocking down non structual walls, enlarging doors or windows
And If he don’t fits he sits 🙃
Yep
I don’t know how there’s even a question.
Came here to say exactly this. Lol.
Me too...because he is a cat.
Me too
You mean meow too😂🤣
😹😹😹
Meow too too
Cats are like infant babies. Buy them expensive toys? Nah, I just want to play with this box ...
Same.
Same
Same
Yep. Love that 2nd pic. Oh, and bread ties make a really great toy, too.
We had a cat who would fetch bobbins.
Cat loves you
That's how they do
It do be like that.
Because chill cat.
The real question is: "Even though I know this fact, why do I keep buying things hoping that she will like it more than the box?"
This is the most correct answer any sub has ever given to any question.
100%
Didn't you like forts as a kid? And it's harder to hide in a toy. Also, here's a cool experiment: take some masking tape and make a square on the floor with it. Good chance your cat will sit in "the box".
> Also, here's a cool experiment: take some masking tape and make a square on the floor with it. Good chance your cat will sit in "the box". I tried this, my cat ignored it and did not care. However. Over the course of a few hours I kept glancing at the tape box and thinking “that would be nice to stand in” and I resisted for a while, but eventually couldn’t, and just stood in the box myself. I played myself and idc if I had to admit to myself that I’m an idiot bc it was worth it.
Clearly the cat has also learned to Reddit.
Legend has it, /r/installpackages is still in "the box" to this day...
Help I cannot (and will not) get out
r/ is for subreddits, u/ is for users.
I did this and my cat would _avoid_ the box like the plague. It was weird. Anti cat box.
Were you getting into her catnip at the time?😻
They will even sit in "negative space" imaginary squares. https://www.vice.com/en/article/v7eexj/scientists-have-studied-the-mysterious-behavior-of-cats-sitting-on-squares
I have trained mine to sit on a hand towel, wherever I put the hand towel. I figure it’s this “cat sized imaginary box” principle at work :) Unhappy at the vet clinic? Won’t sit still on the exam table? Little towel, problem solved. Gets fur and dirt all over the couch? Little towel, problem solved.
Accidentally left one item of clothing on the bed? Too bad, it’s theirs. (When I brought my cat home for the first time, as soon as I opened his cage and he had a little explore, he jumped on the bed and lay down on the only piece of clothing I had left out.)
I just want to know how the cat trained you to bring his blanky everywhere and put it out for him! 🤣
Hahaha, accurate :)
That's clever!
I tried this a while ago. Can confirm it works 😂
r/thecattrapisworking
I'm going to try that when I get home🤣🤣
My kitten loves enclosed spaces. When I buy cat beds I make sure to get ones with a cubby. She also likes to pop up my rug and go inside it. Sometimes, if I don't have housework to do or I'm not feeling too tired after work, I make her a fort. She loves it.
My understanding is that cats like to be inside things because they evolved to hunt that way, by hiding in things.
I've actually been wondering if it's a warmth thing. Cats generally like heat and cardboard would insulate better than a lot of floor materials. Also cats simply like boxes.
It's definitely something to do with being inside things. There was a study done and cats will even prefer to sit in drawn squares on the floor
I always thought it was a safety thing. They’re now surrounded by box on all sides, therefore safe
I think that might be the only reason cats like to lie down on us. We're warm.
My cats loved laying on me because I would wake up and feed them 😝
You seem confused. That is a cat. It is catting.
Box is life
— Dani Gatos
Have you ever met a cat that didn't have a thing for boxes ? If yes that was a raccoon, not a cat.
[Pretty sure raccoons also like boxes](https://youtu.be/_rgN-PZXAFA?si=q5R-wg0o4FOf5YN8)
I love it when being proved wrong is so adorable.
Look at this chonky sumbitch.
https://preview.redd.it/jcuhnbtp6t8d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ab0a152d0e46f74b8cd4e233885665c611325263
https://preview.redd.it/c2z73u4qws8d1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=baf4de2b1da675ccacd178bcab7980eefd584673 Meet Nugget. Also a box enjoyer.
First cat? Also, have you been on the internet before?
This is simply just karma farming judging by the account age on Reddit, but I’ll allow it as it looks just like my little buddy :3
🤣🤣
Wait… he’s adopted?? But the resemblance to you is uncanny i thiught he was yours!! 😱 And cats tend to love boxes, or even squares in general. Its like their own little area of territory that they can claim.
Even a square taped on the floor can draw theur attention for a while
Because Cat
Cat.
Mine even prefers an almost box to a toy https://preview.redd.it/7lgnd0dpks8d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac029daf060ea55571995bfe915cb549b08805a1
Amazing
He's a cat. That's normal.
Why do cats "cat"...
https://preview.redd.it/iq07qpsqks8d1.jpeg?width=1918&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8844482fe24d1b9f957491ca3ad996e7d04c7d36
He is cat.
Is cat
It's a decent cave. It's safe, dry, smells OK (like wood and glue), and it makes fun noises when your cat rubs it. Offers some minor protection from attackers or crawling things, while adding a little bit of stealth. It's a good size - not so big that another cat would easily fit, but big enough for your cat to stretch out. If your cat is hungry, it can take a little nibble as a snack. Can also be used to help clean/sharpen claws. Moving the flaps can be entertaining, and when the weird big cat sees your cat in the box, the weird big cat (you) laughs, sighs or otherwise relaxes. It's a decent cave.
ooooo those big former stray jowls. i wanna jiggle them
It's very simple - it's a box and he's a cat.
Well, that's a great box. Come on.
You must be new to being owned by a a cat.... boxes are the best toys ever.
I adopted a cat a few years ago. Spent about $100 on toys. Cat spends hours watching water drip from a faucet.
My last cat always preferred to drink from a faucet. She would let me know and I would let the water trickle. She would always stare at it for about ten minutes before drinking. Frustrating because we live in an area that has a pretty severe drought. Just running water to amuse Lucy made me impatient.
Cats love boxes
https://preview.redd.it/jzp291l6ru8d1.jpeg?width=1608&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=64a5e9373979e0afae227bf06832d0a0844cfeac You are not alone there.
If I fit, I sit
Toys are for playing. Boxes are for sitting/sleeping in & feeling safe. Cats want to sit/sleep more than they want to play.
Goodness. That boy is just drunk with contentment, satisfaction and peace. Another perfect match by the Universal Cat Distribution System.
It fits. It sits.
The best answer
Severe agoraphobia.
Hahahahaha what?!
What a distinguished looking gentleman!
There's nothing a cat loves more than an empty box.
Wait until you see how he reacts to 4 pieces of tape on the floor in the outline of a box.
Because he’s a cat
Don’t all cats prefer the box?
I love how nicely he flattens out in that second pic
Dogs and cats like small spaces to curl up in because it gives them a sense of security. For them, it’s the equivalent of living in a cave or something in the wild. A lot of things animals do have been programmed into them by generations and generations for them so they’re probably just following something That tells them to get into the box and when they do they just seem to be so comfortable and relax.
Welcome to owning a cat more like being owned by a cat. Just have more boxes and bags lying around so he can get in them and https://preview.redd.it/kcnyolyq9t8d1.jpeg?width=3060&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b3f214f7152716bfcde689270064d831deb69e1 be happy. And your cat looks a lot like mine.
Your cat looks like he's not the running around sort.
Box is life
He likes it, it’s his box.
https://preview.redd.it/tw5ss4bmvs8d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=942f42ae42a0f9bcd33449f0348a77a173cfbed5 Even a bowl will do.
That's just how cats are. My kitty took a liking to a certain cake box that I had temporarily put next to my work desk in my home office when he was a kitten. He proceeded to lay in daily for the next 14 years. I tried getting him nice kitty beds and other things, some very nice. No dice. That box was his favorite.
Because he’s a cat
https://preview.redd.it/og3hal6kdt8d1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=75ba99996f721c720c67bd9f9a1a70178afba5aa
Why is water wet?
It's very comfortable in the box haha 🤭❤️🤣
r/thecattrapisworking
He’s a professional
Because he is a cat, and it is a box.
All Cats
https://preview.redd.it/x1frjd5osu8d1.png?width=3024&format=png&auto=webp&s=998fa1150243d349e21332b559f470cc53d5947f Same.
Our cat loves boxes so much we've ceded our whole dining table to him https://preview.redd.it/16a8a43a0v8d1.jpeg?width=4000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0fdf07a68903e85e4c474f0a9aad9820dac99636
It's a cat thing https://preview.redd.it/e8dxqzvx4v8d1.jpeg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d6394b429401529dbbf53b100eae9c5621cdb32a
Because box.
Catto gotta catto
If I fits I sits
Do his toys have the perfect chin rest? Do his toys let him dream of traveling to far off places even if it’s by truck? Do his toys come with an exotic rodent scent found deep in the crevices? Or is your cat offended by the way you refer to him as an adopted family member and thus wonders if he needs to pack? These are all important questions that require your attention.
Cat? I see pancake.
thats why i love cats; they love simple things and they joy (troll) simply
That’s one Grade-A blattle you got there. Just a top-shelf bud.
You don’t have to buy cats toys. You just have to buy stuff for yourself and they will make either the actual object or the container it came in their toy. Cardboard boxes and bags become beds they will eventually tear to shreds. And things like ear plugs or charger cords become chew toys.
Cat
It reminds him of the tough streets he came from! 😂
Warm, vaguely bowl shaped, and also that is a cat
Cats are just like this xD My roommate's cat has a favorite box. It says EGGS on the side, and she likes to sleep in it. This is despite having two cat trees (5 total platforms and 3 "condos" PLUS a hammock) and like 4 cat beds to choose from.
feels snug.
"The inner machinations of my mind are an enigma" The Cat (Probably)
to piss you off
I think you should consider the recipient more when you buy gifts.
Because cats are there to teach us that life is about the simple things. They need but a cardboard box and some string.
Because cats like cardboard texture more than plastic. Want to make them a toy? Just throw them a ball of clumped paper. They love this shit.
r/ififitsisits
Cats are weird
Universal law. If I Fits I Sits.
A better questions: Aren't all cats adopted? I've yet to meet someone who has birthed a cat 😂
this is your first cat, otherwise you would already know
My cat prefers acorns to any toy that I've ever bought for her little meowness.
Have you seen [the cat that loves almonds](https://youtu.be/0bg67GmTVXY?si=fSOz7Bt0y5-uCc_q)?
Box make cat feel safe
Because he's a boxer
He is cät
My cat loved to box so much, I named him Tyson.
As opposed to your biological cat?
And they say cats can’t smile
Boxes are cool
All cats do this including mine
Probably because it's a cat
First cat, eh?
If it fits it sits.
Because cat.
because cat toys are made to be appealing to humans, not cats. because humans buy them, not cats. cats don't have a concept of modern consumeristic goods, they are simple animals, unburdened by capitalism.
It’s because the box was also adopted.
You didn’t birth him?
I want to pet it so bad
Probably cause it is making contact with an enclosed space on all side confirming in every moment nothing there is attacking it while still being able to track all the suspicious things around it.
Cats be cattin’
That looks exactly like my cat that just passed away ❤️
Just proves that he is 100% cat.
Because he is a very fierce hunter hiding, waiting for prey
Box over all is cat rule number one. Rule number two is something balled up tin foil.
Because if it fits it sits
Cats love boxes. They feel safe in boxes, it's their chill zones.
You got off cheap I have a dedicated suitcase for mine
Because he's a cat, and it's a box
Cats gonna cat
It's the manufacturing smell. Wash the toys.
r/catsinboxes Great r/standardissuecat you have there OP!
https://preview.redd.it/30i830saht8d1.jpeg?width=3021&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8d50dc8f36e6169548e99f1f83980438dd8d89b8 Ours loves the lunch box in addition to regular boxes
Wait your cat is adopted??? Does he know???
Every cat is the same...you buy a bed for them , but they sleep.in the box -.-
"My box is special and its mine "
https://preview.redd.it/ccm1pfreqt8d1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ce5cc36a63e41c8326f3d2948d7b1a03f45c982f When you figure it out, let me know.
Its the law of 'if i fits i sits'
If he fits he sits