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Appreciation post: My cat's weird obsession with a specific box taught me something wild
So my cat, Gizmo, has this one particular shoebox he's obsessed with. He ignores all other boxes, only this one from a pair of sneakers I bought last fall. I looked it up and found a study from the University of Tokyo saying cats get major stress relief from hiding in small, enclosed spaces. It's not just a random box thing, it's a legit comfort behavior. Gizmo will literally sprint across the apartment to nap in this specific box for like 3 hours a day. It blew my mind that his weird habit is actually backed by science. Does anyone else's pet have a super specific, non-negotiable comfort object?
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joseph_ellis856mo ago
That Tokyo study is interesting. Do you think it's the specific size of that shoebox that does it for him, or maybe the smell of the sneakers that were in it? My friend's cat is the same way with a particular cardboard tray from a case of soda, won't touch any other box.
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stella_lane6mo ago
I always thought cats just liked boxes, but that study made me realize they're super picky about the exact fit!
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rubys806mo ago
Honestly that study explains so much. My sister's dog has a single, crusty old tennis ball he treats like it's made of gold, ignores all the new ones.
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