Thanks for the Cardboard Box!

Cats are finicky eaters, largely unruly, totally self-absorbed and on occasion they gack-up some pretty gruesome hairballs—stuff that might be capable of running away on its own if equipped with legs.  Just the same, they can be charming and entertaining.  Not a lot of other animals can make big fun out of a shoelace or a paperclip.

My 40 pounds of cat (2 x 20) can be pretty good company.  We sometimes sit in the sun together.  They like to help me scatter papers and pens.  The frightening noises they generate in the middle of the night are also helpful in our relationship.  Mostly, I like my cats for something I refer to as “thanks-for-the-cardboard-box” behavior.

My cats love a cardboard box.  Their affection for and reaction to a cardboard box is wholly dependent on the size of the box.  If I bring home a box that is anything more than twice as large as a single cat, they tend to shy away at first.  Eventually they will warm-up to the box.  They will slowly walk around—assessing and sniffing.  If the box is full and closed they will jump on top and see what if feels like to sit on it.  Soon enough they will sleep on it.  If the box is open and empty they will jump in and hang out for a while.  A few swipes at the flaps are also in order.

Smaller boxes spark much more interesting behavior.  The cats will immediately approach a box smaller than them, sniffing.  They will rub against it.  Often they will sit and stare at one side or another.  Splash, my biggest cat will do something I call “forward biasing.”

Yes, forward biasing is the electrical term used in describing the point where polarity and voltage applied to a solid state component cause the component to switch from a non-conductive state to a conductive state.

In forward biasing, Splash puts his nose against the box and pushes it around on the floor a bit.  Sometimes Splash will forward bias a box all over the place.

Funny stuff.

Inevitably, at some point—no matter how small the box is—the cats will attempt to get inside any size box if it is empty and open.  Today I am posting a photo of Splash sitting in a Bunny box.

You are welcome, Splash.

--Mitchell Hegman