Story: Of cats, boxes and bookcases

Cats.

Boxes.

Discuss.

If you share your life with a cat (or several), you are more than likely to have an empty cardboard box (or several) somewhere in your home.

Because. Cats.

For example, Calvin and Elsa Clair.

Two kittens sleeping in a box

Calvin and Elsa Clair share a box as kittens. Now, the two of them wouldn’t fit and there would be discussions over box ownership.

And, for the record, size doesn’t matter.

Cat in a short box

Athena lounges in a cat food box.

Nor does a cat  have to be in a box to enjoy it.

She can be under.

Cat under a box

We kept this box at the top of our stairs for two years, until it was falling apart. It was Dawn’s favorite place to “hide.”

Or in a box, in a box. With a friend.

Box set for cats

Or in a box fort.

Yes, I build cat forts. Doesn't everybody?

Boxes and cats are so ubiquitous that the people of the interwebs calls them “cat traps,” and, of course, there’s a a meme.

The attraction of cat to box is not confined to felis domesticus, either. Case in point: cheetah in a box.

So it should come as no surprise that cats like to climb in bookcases. Because, if you think about it,  a bookcase is just a box made of wood.

Cat in a bookcase

Calvin is happy to demonstrate that a cat can have as much fun in a bookcase as in a box.

Cat in a bookcase

And in case you’re wondering why there aren’t any books on that particular shelf of the bookcase…

Cat in a bookcase

…you may want to ask him.

cat in a bookcase

Anyone else have empty boxes sitting around just for their pets? Or perhaps a conveniently empty bookshelf?

And in case the dog people out there think this doesn’t apply, here’s a photo of my sweet terrier Rosie, whose favorite activity was to be inside a box with a squeaky ball and crinkly paper.

Dog in a box

You may be able to tell from the photo that this was a much-used box–bursting at the seams from the joy of hanging out, in a box, with a ball.

 

Your turn: who has boxes? Cleared out shelves? We’re all friends here. We understand. 

 

This post is part of the Monday Mischief blog hop. Check out the great blogs listed below.



18 Comments on "Story: Of cats, boxes and bookcases"

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  1. Emma says:

    Love it. That is so totally cat. Just like my cats. Wonder why they love those boxes and shelves so much?

  2. Misaki says:

    I’m pretty sure no box is complete without a cat 🙂

  3. slimdoggy says:

    I never knew this about cats…well until we got involved with SlimDoggy and I started reading cat blogs, I love it. None of my dogs have been ‘in the box’ fans…’rip the box’, well that’s a different story.

  4. Jen K says:

    Ha! Yes, our cats Isaac and Emma definitely love a good box. Or gift bag. But only when you’re not looking and not for a long time, so we don’t have ones left out for them. Emma’s also been known to climb in the dresser if you leave a drawer open.

  5. Earl Lover says:

    That is quite cute though, how they snuggle up like that! :-*

    Lots of Woofs from Earl an I at Earl’s World!

  6. Bongo says:

    I think I’m going to have to put some boxes out. That might keep the cats out of my kennel.

  7. Jen says:

    Sherman and Leroy can’t fit in most boxes but our guinea pig loves a good box to chew on!

  8. We definitely have boxes around here. Anytime a package arrives, the cats take over the box. For Delilah’s birthday last year, my husband and I made her (and everyone else) a “box jungle” -http://www.kittycatchronicles.com/1/post/2014/02/wordless-wednesday-box-jungle.html
    It was pretty neat! We only left it up for a week though because it took up almost our entire living room. MOL!

  9. We’ve never met a box we didn’t like. 🙂

  10. I love your box fort! My cats used to love me putting brown paper bags on the floor. It seems you have a shelf just for “cat-alogues”

  11. Such cute pics!! I can’t say I’ve tried the top shelf of the bookcase, now that would be good mischief if I could get myself up there! 🙂

    I don’t have any boxes to play with, but Mum will leave plastic bottles for me to play with even though Dad’s always wanting to get them back into the recycling! 🙂

    I hope you’re having a fun day,

    Your pal Snoopy 🙂

  12. Sandy says:

    Love the pictures of Calvin enjoying the bookshelf. I leave a box right outside the kitchen for Toby. We say that he is ready to take a cat voyage to who knows where when he gets inside.

  13. Connie says:

    There is something special about a cat and a box..

  14. Carl says:

    I got tired of the ugly boxes so I found this site you should check it out http://www.catfurnature.co.uk

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