You can spend £60 on a beautifully padded cat bed, position it beside a radiator and present it like a boutique hotel suite.
Your cat will inspect it once, walk past it and climb into the Amazon box.
This is not personal.
Cats have several very good reasons for loving boxes, and most of them come down to one thing: a cardboard box makes a cat feel protected while still letting it watch the world.
Boxes are excellent hiding places
Cats are predators, but small cats are also vulnerable animals.
A tight, enclosed space gives them cover on several sides. They can rest without feeling exposed and still keep an eye on the entrance.
That matters particularly in unfamiliar or stressful environments.
Studies of shelter cats have found that providing hiding boxes can reduce behavioural signs of stress and help newly arrived cats settle more quickly.
Your living room is obviously not a shelter. But the underlying preference for somewhere enclosed does not disappear just because your cat now has central heating and its own Instagram account.
A box reduces the number of directions trouble can come from
Think about the geometry.
In the middle of a room, a cat has to monitor activity from every direction.
Inside a box, most of its body is shielded. There is usually one obvious opening to watch.
That can make resting easier.
It also gives the cat a convenient ambush point from which to launch an entirely unnecessary attack on your ankle.
Cardboard is warm and insulating
Corrugated cardboard traps pockets of air, which gives it useful insulating properties.
Cats generally enjoy warm resting spots, so a box can create a small, sheltered micro-environment that feels cosy compared with an open floor or draughty room.
Add a blanket and a sunbeam and you have, in feline terms, a property development.
The texture is satisfying
Cardboard is also wonderfully scratchable.
Cats use scratching for several reasons, including stretching, claw maintenance and scent marking. A disposable box provides a surface they can dig into, bite, shred and generally renovate without anyone producing a spray bottle.
The smell and texture can be interesting too, particularly if the box is new.
Small spaces can make cats feel secure
There is a reason cats squeeze into containers that appear one size smaller than the cat.
Physical contact around the sides of the body can create a sense of enclosure. The animal can curl tightly, conserve warmth and reduce exposure.
That does not mean every tiny box is comfortable or safe. But it helps explain the classic feline confidence that if the head fits, the rest of the cat is merely an engineering problem.
Why do some cats ignore boxes?
Because cats are still individuals.
One may love high shelves. Another may prefer the back of a wardrobe. Another will sleep fully exposed in the middle of the hallway where everyone has to step over it.
Age, personality, previous experience, room temperature and the location of the box can all influence whether it gets used.
A box placed in a noisy walkway may be ignored while the exact same box in a quiet corner becomes premium real estate.
How to make a box more appealing
You do not need much.
Try placing a clean, dry box in a quiet area with one open side. Add a familiar blanket if your cat likes soft bedding. If the box has handles or damaged holes, make sure there are no sharp edges or spaces where a collar or paw could become caught.
Avoid boxes contaminated with chemicals, food residue or anything your cat could chew and swallow.
And if your cat destroys the box, accept the review.
The bottom line
Cats like cardboard boxes because boxes combine several things cats value: cover, warmth, a defined space, an interesting texture and a safe place to observe from.
Research on shelter cats supports the idea that access to hiding boxes can reduce stress in unfamiliar environments.
So the next time your cat ignores an expensive toy in favour of the packaging, do not take it personally.
The packaging accidentally has better feline product design.
FAQ
Why does my cat sit in boxes that are too small?
A tight fit can still feel secure and warm. Cats are flexible and often tolerate surprisingly compact resting positions.
Are cardboard boxes safe for cats?
Usually, if they are clean, dry and free from staples, tape loops, sharp edges and harmful residues.
Why does my cat chew the cardboard?
Some cats enjoy the texture. Occasional chewing can be normal, but swallowing cardboard repeatedly is worth discussing with a vet.
Sources / further reading
Utrecht University — Will a hiding box provide stress reduction for shelter cats? :: https://research-portal.uu.nl/en/publications/will-a-hiding-box-provide-stress-reduction-for-shelter-cats/
PLOS One / PMC — Effect of a hiding box on stress levels in Dutch shelter cats :: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6791553/