It’s a classic: you buy the softest and most expensive cushion on the market, and your cat ends up sleeping in the packaging box. But an even more absurd trend had invaded social media last summer. Owners were hauling heavy concrete slabs from their hardware store to place them in the middle of the living room, and their felines stretched out on them with undisguised pleasure. Why on earth would such a delicate animal choose to lounge on a material so hard and cold? Biology has a few surprising clues.
The psychological trap of the “invisible box”
The love of cats for cardboard boxes is legendary. These enclosed spaces give them a sense of security and control over their surroundings. But this primal need to isolate themselves within a restricted perimeter doesn’t necessarily require walls that exist in reality.
The concrete slabs brought home by owners have one major characteristic: they are perfectly rectangular. A fascinating study conducted in 2021 demonstrated that cats are prone to optical illusions: if you draw a simple square on the floor with tape, the cat will naturally sit in the center. The concrete slab acts exactly like this two-dimensional illusion. Its rigid geometry in the middle of the floor instantly triggers the feline reflex to seek shelter, and the cat lies there as if protected by invisible walls.
A bed that also doubles as a “spa” and a cadastral map
Beyond shape, the raw material itself offers paradoxical comfort. If the slab seems terribly uncomfortable to us, its rough and gritty surface is a major advantage for a resting feline.
By lying down and rolling on this abrasive surface, the cat receives a tailored massage and brushing, reaching areas of its back that would be impossible to groom otherwise. Moreover, this friction is not harmless: the cat’s face and body are covered with scent glands. By pressing heavily onto this porous block, it imprints its pheromones, turning this stone bed into a powerful territorial beacon.
The New Object Syndrome
Finally, biologists remind us of a fundamental rule of feline behavior: curiosity trumps all. The sudden introduction of a massive object, bearing an unusual mineral scent and a temperature different from the home floor, is a major event for a territorial predator.
To appropriate this “extraterrestrial vessel” that has appeared in its living room, the most effective method for the cat is to climb on top and settle in comfortably. To determine whether it’s really the concrete that it loves or just the novelty, a researcher suggests placing a cushion exactly the same size next to the slab. But given our cats, there are strong chances the construction block will still win the prize.
