My Cat Ignores Toys, Loves Boxes? This is Weird.

Okay, so we have progress! Luna is no longer a permanent resident of the guest bathroom. She's started venturing out, which is a huge relief. But she moves like some kind of secret agent, her body low to the ground, slinking along the walls like she's trying to avoid laser beams. Every time the fridge hums or a car horn honks outside, she bolts for the nearest piece of furniture to hide under. It's a slow process. I spent what felt like an hour last night just waving this wand toy with feathers on it, feeling like a complete moron. Luna just watched me from under the coffee table with these huge, unblinking green eyes. But then something switched. Her ears perked up, her pupils dilated into these giant black holes, and she did this little butt-wiggle thing before pouncing. For about thirty seconds, she was a fierce predator, not a scared little fluffball. And then just as quickly, she was gone again. It's progress, I guess.

So I'm trying to make the apartment more inviting for her, trying to figure out what she likes. I bought her this incredibly soft, plush, heated cat bed that cost way too much money (don't judge me). I put it in a nice, quiet corner. I even put one of my old t-shirts in it like the internet said to. She has not touched it. Not once. She gave it a suspicious sniff and has actively avoided that entire corner of the room ever since. It's basically an expensive dust collector at this point, a monument to my ignorance about cat preferences. This whole first time cat owner weird behavior thing is a steep learning curve.

The Cardboard Kingdom

But the empty cardboard box from a package I got yesterday? Oh, that's a different story. That's apparently the best thing ever invented. She loves it. It's not a bed, it's just a plain brown box sitting in the middle of my living room floor, and it has become her absolute favorite place on earth. She squeezes into it, even though it's a little too small, and just sits there, peering out over the edge like a little king in her castle. I spent all of last night doom-scrolling 'why do cats like boxes' and fell down a huge internet rabbit hole. Apparently it's about security and having a safe, enclosed space. It makes sense but it's also hilarious, and I'm just sitting on the couch watching her attack the box flaps and wondering about all the money I wasted on the fancy bed when all she wanted was literal garbage. Anyway.

Her logic is completely alien to me. The expensive toy with catnip? Ignored. The plastic ring from a milk jug that fell on the floor? Best toy ever. I'm starting to realize that my human brain is completely useless here. I have to unlearn everything I thought I knew about pets and just observe. I've basically become a full-time feline behaviorist, noting every little ear twitch and tail flick and then frantically googling what it means. It's exhausting but also... fascinating. Like I'm slowly cracking a very complex, very fluffy code.

Amidst all the confusion, there was one huge win. I was so worried she'd start scratching the furniture, but this morning I actually saw her using the sisal scratching post I set up by the window! She had a big, long stretch and a good scratch, and I honestly felt like a proud parent watching their kid score a goal. It's a small thing, a tiny victory, but it feels massive. It's a sign that maybe, just maybe, she's starting to see this place as her territory. She's still so elusive, but the curiosity is starting to win out over the fear. And that feels like everything right now. [Read more: {why-cats-love-boxes-and-ignore-toys}]