Most people with cats have been amazed at one time or another about their felines who can be more enthused over a box than any other toy you buy them.
Veterinarian Dr. Claudia Vinke, of Utrecht University in the Netherlands, is one of the few researchers to study cats in boxes.
More specifically, Vinke was observing the stress levels of shelter cats, reported Wired. She did this by provided hiding boxes for a group of newly arrived cats while depriving another group of them entirely.
The cats with no access to boxes were severely more stressed out than those who had boxes to hide in.
Of course, not all cats who love boxes are stressed out or anti-social.
Boxes can also serve as a place to keep warm in the winter. Cats are the most comfortable in 86 to 97 degrees Fahrenheit weather, reported Wired.
As it turns out, corrugated cardboard is a great insulator and being in a confined space preserves body heat, making boxes - no matter how small - a great place to hide out and keep warm.
That explanation could also answer why cats tend to hang out in other odd places to relax including bathroom sinks, shoes, bowls, shopping bags, coffee mugs and empty egg cartons.
Putting science hypotheses aside, some cats may just choose to hang out in boxes because hanging out in boxes is fun! Or at least that appears to be the philosophy of this cat named Maru:
