Science Tries to Explain Why Cats Love Boxes So Damn Much

As any cat owner who’s ever received a package can attest, cats fucking love boxes. But why? Why can’t I open an Amazon package without my cat parking his furry ass inside his new cardboard castle and staring up at me like, “What’re you gonna do about it, loser?”

Science, perhaps, has answers. Wired reports on a couple of the leading theories to explain the affinity between felines and boxes. One line of thinking says it’s about comfort, like you’d perhaps crawl under your desk to avoid an imminent deadline. For instance, vet Claudia Vinke observed shelter cats and found those given boxes upon arrival adjusted faster. But even well-adjusted cats love a good cardboard box. That might be because they’re cold and they’re too proud to accept kitty-sized cardigans from their owners:

According to a 2006 study by the National Research Council, the thermoneutral zone for a domestic cat is 86 to 97 degrees Fahrenheit…. It also explains why many cats may enjoy curling up in tiny cardboard boxes and other strange places. Corrugated cardboard is a great insulator and confined spaces force the cat to ball up or form some other impossible object, which in turn helps it to preserve body heat.

Or maybe our fine furry friends are just a bunch of fucking weirdos. We cannot conclusively eliminate that possibility.