Cats are independent creatures. It doesn’t take a scientist to tell you that they’re pretty stubborn about being told what to do. Cats, in general, are rulers of their own destiny, plunking their furry behinds down wherever the heck they please. “Oh, you want to sit on the floor? I’m much more comfortable on your keyboard, thanks.” Last year, however, a woman shared an amazing trick to get your cat to sit in one spot. Needless to say, the internet went wild.
In April of last year, Danielle Matheson shared a message she had received from her mom. “Nobody has had a more productive day than my mother,” she tweeted.
Here’s what her mother had sent:
Turns out the lovely folks on Pinterest were claiming that simply taping a square onto the floor would lure kitties like a fresh bowl of tuna.
Pfft. Yeah right.
Wait, what?
As mentioned, the internet went wild when they saw the photos Danielle had shared. Twitter users everywhere pulled out rolls of tape and started putting their felines to the #catsquare test.
It should be noted that not every cat will be mesmerized by your square. But, according to scientists, the cat square really does attract kitties. Here’s why:
Nicholas Dodman, an animal behavior professor at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, told iHeartCats that felines like small boxes and spaces because they rub up on their sides. This pressure is very similar to how a cat feels as a kitten, squished between his siblings, snug and cozy with mom. Additionally, scientists say endorphins (the feel-good chemicals in the brain) are released when kitties feel this type of pressure on their sides.
Although the cat square isn’t a real box with walls, for some cats it provides a good substitute.
“It’s the idea of the square that attracts your cat,” they explain. “Tape squares represent the possibility of a box, and for some cats, that’s good enough.”
“It’s flimsy and not ideal, but if there’s nothing else available, a tape square can provide similar kinds of security.”
Here’s a video of the cat square in action:
I tried #CatSquare with #PrincessPenny.
I taped a square on the floor then brought her to the doorway. Trick #kitty on cue👍👏. (20 sec.) pic.twitter.com/RxbbEzASBU— montymiff (@montymiff) February 4, 2018
Try it, and let us know if your cat resists the temptation!
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