Anyone's cat terrified of cardboard boxes?

[fhicat]

We always think of cardboard boxes as kitty play heavens. 

Not mine.

He's terrified of boxes. Anytime he even hears the sound of a cardboard box being handled, he bolts to my bedroom and under the bed. Doesn't matter what size box, and doesn't matter where he is in relation to the box. He could be up on his cat tree, safe from all the activities on ground level, and I'd come in through the front door. He'd jump down (or tumble down, more accurately) the cat tree, race across the living room, somersaults over the couch and bolts into my bedroom.

All the while I'm still at the door holding the box.

I don't remember him being this terrified of boxes when I brought him home in September. I would have noticed if he was. He wasn't very interested in boxes, but I still have pictures of him sitting in one of those:

View media item 181988
View media item 182193
 I can't tell when it started. Makes me sad. 

 

[peaches08]

Hmm.  Julie is my "crazy" cat, but all know that the front door means danger.  I've instilled that into them since bolting out the door can mean a dead cat in my neighborhood (cars, dogs, etc).  But Julie still loves boxes, once the commotion has calmed down.  What happens when you leave the box out?  Does he still avoid them days later?  Still afraid?

 

[fhicat]

 
Hmm.  Julie is my "crazy" cat, but all know that the front door means danger.  I've instilled that into them since bolting out the door can mean a dead cat in my neighborhood (cars, dogs, etc).  But Julie still loves boxes, once the commotion has calmed down.  What happens when you leave the box out?  Does he still avoid them days later?  Still afraid?

Nope. He'll come out of the room hours later and check out the box if I leave it. He doesn't act afraid of a stationary box - as in, he doesn't give the box a wide berth. If the box is sitting there, it's just another fixture to him. Same with the carrier. He's fine eating next to the carrier, fine eating inside the carrier, but if I go anywhere near the carrier or tap on it, he'll bolt off. At least the carrier has an explanation - on the other hand, I've never brought him to the vet in a cardboard box before.

The most logical guess is, he's afraid of -someone- with a cardboard box. Maybe in his past, or maybe since he lived with me. I can't fathom how or why. It could be my roommate abused him with a box when I wasn't around, but I have a hard time believing that. Sure, my roommate doesn't care for my cat, but he's not mean or anything to him.

 

[peaches08]

I wonder if it's the "commotion" of you entering with a box rather than the box itself?

 

[fhicat]

I thought that too at first, but no. If I move or pick up the stationary box that's been there for days, I get the same reaction. As long as he hears the sound of a box, he doesn't need to see a box. 

I've entered with a giant backpack, an oversized coat, a giant body pillow. No reaction.

 

[peaches08]

There may be a noise to it that he doesn't like?  You know how many people don't like nails on a chalk board?  Mine is a napkin/cloth on teeth.  Yes, you read that right.  When I got my molars sealed, the dentist made a squeaking sound with the cloth on my teeth and I almost lost it.  Maybe while it is in your hands it makes a noise that's unsettling?

Gadget gets upset when I whistle or blow kisses.  He gets wild-eyed and smells my mouth when I do it.  Something about it makes him worried.  Mason cannot stand for me to touch his lower back.  Can.  Not.  Stand.  It.  EVERYTHING must be on his terms (he's a brown tabby too).  Julie...the list goes on and on.  She's just crazy and I accept it. 

  Sometimes she runs from me freaking out when I enter the house like I'm going to beat her.  Other times she meows and starts doing the figure 8's around my legs.  Who knows?!

 

[deimos]

My kitty is scared of cardboard boxes too.  I got him from the shelter about a year ago and they put him is a cardboard cat carrier.  I think this is part of his trauma.  He is good sitting next to the box and he will bite at it.  but he wont go in even if i put in his favorite treat or toys.  Generally, he is the sweetest most social, most curious cat around, so that he doesn't like boxes, i find to be a little strange.

 

[Oldcrone]

We always think of cardboard boxes as kitty play heavens.

Not mine.

He's terrified of boxes. Anytime he even hears the sound of a cardboard box being handled, he bolts to my bedroom and under the bed. Doesn't matter what size box, and doesn't matter where he is in relation to the box. He could be up on his cat tree, safe from all the activities on ground level, and I'd come in through the front door. He'd jump down (or tumble down, more accurately) the cat tree, race across the living room, somersaults over the couch and bolts into my bedroom.

All the while I'm still at the door holding the box.

I don't remember him being this terrified of boxes when I brought him home in September. I would have noticed if he was. He wasn't very interested in boxes, but I still have pictures of him sitting in one of those:

View media item 181988
View media item 182193
I can't tell when it started. Makes me sad.

You're not alone my semi feral calico is terrified of boxes also. Won't come in a room that has a box that she can see.

 

[Margot Lane]

I wonder if there is a way to reacclimatize fraidy cats…put something that smells nice in them, or a favorite toy, or, make it a slightly different shape.

 

[ladytimedramon]

Delilah hates boxes AND large plastic bags. She has no interest in a box, but if I open a garbage bag or shake out a large plastic bag, she bolts.