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Comment by 51Cards | Hacker News Reader

I'm not sure I go with the temperature theory though it does explain the sun/lap loving behavior of cats in general.

I have an adult Maine Coon and he is a walking fur factory. I have never seen so much hair on one cat. His actions are very different from other cats I've had, he avoids sunshine, he doesn't like to sit on laps, and he always sleeps stretched out vs. curled up on the coolest surface available. To me that indicates he's plenty warm and desires no excess heat. However if you put a box down he'll claim it instantly.

I have always thought cats like boxes because it feels secure to them. A Reddit post once commented "Cats are in a difficult position - they're small enough to be prey but they think of themselves as predators. So their natural state is somewhere between dangerous and nervous." I think the enclosure of a box gives them some peace of mind.

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I was thinking about the “security” theory a couple months ago when I took this picture of a box my cat is obsessed with. https://twitter.com/Eric_WVGG/status/521764321622507520

I don’t buy it.

Leftover predator behavior where a cat will attempt to camouflage themselves by picking a resting place that's already visually distinct from the background field.

When I was a kid our family cat would "hide" by sticking his head under the skirting of a chair, meanwhile his entire body was visible.

Cats like caves too such as bags I think they just like to be surrounded. As well as a perch cats need a perch too they must feel safe being up high. A box on a perch would be perfect but now we're getting into bird nest territory.

Maine Coon owner here. I concur that they have very different behaviors than Domestic Short Hairs (DSH). Mine HATES to be held, mainly only goes outside when it is dark out and much less frequently than my three other DSHs who like to go out any time of day. He mainly just sits around and sleeps. Sometimes, however, he is a good "guard" cat. For example, one time the neighbors dog was running wildly around in people's yards. The other cats ran away but he lunged and hissed at the dog to chase it away. He also sometimes growls when strange people come to the door. Main Coons are a different breed!

not sure how unique the growling is to Maine Coons. my DSH growls when something doesnt sound right outside the door, too.

But cats also love to sit on squares or circles (no walls). Try creating a square with tape on the floor.

Or on mousepads! Especially the same moment when you're working behind the PC.

http://www.luyt.org/pictures/cats/mousepadcat.jpg

I had heard that too but am skeptical and 0-2 trying to recreate.

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