Cats like boxes primarily because they provide a safe, enclosed space where cats can hide and feel secure, which helps reduce their stress. Boxes serve as a protective retreat where cats can observe their surroundings without being easily seen, mimicking their natural instinct as ambush predators to hide and hunt from confined spaces. Boxes also help cats adapt to new environments more quickly, as shown in studies where shelter cats with boxes acclimated faster than those without. Additionally, boxes are great insulators that trap warmth, offering a cozy and comfortable spot for cats to sleep, matching their ideal body temperature needs. Cats are also naturally curious and tactile creatures; they enjoy exploring and playing in boxes, scratching and chewing the cardboard which provides mental stimulation and entertainment. Beyond security, warmth, and curiosity, sitting in boxes can also fulfill cats' instinctual behaviors to seek shelter, avoid danger, and practice hunting skills by pouncing out of confined spaces. Even two-dimensional outlines resembling boxes can attract cats, likely because these shapes provide a perceived sense of safety. In summary, cats love boxes because they offer comfort, protection, warmth, mental enrichment, and satisfy natural predatory and shelter-seeking instincts.