We all know that cats love boxes but researchers from the University of Utrecht have done a study to find out more about the how and why.
In their recent study they set out to see if boxes could help alleviate stress in shelter cats. They worked with a dutch animal shelter and took 19 new shelter cats. 10 were given boxes and 9 were not. The 10 with boxes adjusted and recovered faster than the 9 that did not have boxes.
Cats are very easily stressed out and stress has a big impact on a cat’s health. Having the boxes had a major impact on these cats. It gave them a place to hide and feel safe which helped them to recover faster.
The findings led researchers to the conclusion that having a box to hide in keeps stress levels down, giving them the opportunity to recover faster.
This is great information for all rescue workers and shelters to have. Even regular people with cats can use this information to help their cats heal from illness, surgery or trauma (both physical and emotional).
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