You might have noticed a certain behavior of your feline friend. They are more inclined towards small and closed places. They sink into bowls, bathroom sinks, tight corners, coffee mugs, and many more. Sometimes you might have faced the hardship of finding your cat, and later they are found somewhere you never thought of.
Cat has a mind of their own and they live by “If I fit, I sit”. Their body structure is also designed to do so. Due to these anatomical advantages, they have a flexible collarbone, shoulder, and spine. There are various reasons that the cat shows such behavior. Many studies have found the different reason why cat loves themselves in a closed small place.
We have broken down some reasons related to your cat’s behavior.
Warmth
Cats love staying in warm and cozy places. Cat prefer about 14° C temperature for their body which is less compared to human’s normal temperature. Small places have thermoregulation which preserves and reflect the heat to the cat. They curl up in a small ball to keep themselves warm. This also makes them feel cozy and snuggled up.
Stay Hidden
Cats love to stay unseen. As they have the predator’s instinct, they love watching their prey saunter past them. They love to use elements of surprises like small places that you wouldn’t think that your feline friend is hiding. The feel of staying invisible is enjoyable for every cat. They also love watching their humans from their small cozy spot.
Stress Relief
Small places help decrease cats’ stress. Cats easily get stressed out due to different reasons, some being continued annoyance from humans and other animals, new environment, injury, and more. This triggers negative behaviors like urinating everywhere, scratching the surfaces continuously, biting, and many more. This also affects the mental health of the cat.
Different researches have shown that cats deal with stress by hiding in small places. They hide away from pets, kids, and people at home. They can have peace of their own. This has also shown an immediate result of the decrease in the inappropriate behavior of the cat.
Protection
Although cats are predators by nature, they are vulnerable. They also have the instinctive behavior of hiding away from predators and feeling safe. They hide away from birds and other animals that they feel threatened. Small tight places provide them with the feel of security. Cat is also bad at conflict. They might put a show of aggression at the beginning but if they feel threatened then they retreat and hid away in tight places.
Cat also loves sleeping in safe places. Their bellies are the most sensitive part of their body, so they curl up in tight places to prevent their belly from being exposed. So they prefer a closed place when they are sleeping. Small places also assure them that they won’t be jumped on when they are sleeping.
Hadmade Wool Cat Caves for your cat at woollyfelt.com
Now you might be aware of the reason for your cat being attracted to closed places. Like a dog has a dog house, why not gift your feline friend a cat cave. They are perfect for your cat. It meets every requirement of your cat. Cat caves are the perfect cute resting and chilling spot for your cat.
You can order one from the Woollyfelt website. They have a wide range of cat caves to choose from and styles you and your cat prefer. The cat caves are made from 100% New Zealand wool which is safe for your cat.
How to encourage your cat to stay in safe places?
If you want your cat to spend more time in a safe place then why not try to encourage them to stay in safe places. You can place treats or toys that your cat-like in those places. You can also make the habit of feeding your cat in specific places regularly. This will encourage your cat to stay in those places more.
