Cats are naturally curious and playful animals. They explore every corner and attempt to play with anything they discover. Apparently, bags are no exception.
Not every cat goes berserk for bags, whether they are plastic or paper. Some are genuinely frightened by the noises a bag makes and will flee at the sight of that noisy monster.
Similar to how we react when we hear a loud and sudden noise, your furry friend may jump when she hears you shaking the plastic bag, just like she does when you use a vacuum cleaner, for example. The main reason is that she doesn’t understand where the noise is coming from. Her survival instinct tells her to flee, so that’s what she does.
However, some cats (my Nora, for example) appreciate plastic bags and will confiscate one as soon as they get the chance. Why do cats like plastic bags so much, though? Some of these reasons may surprise you.
1. It feels safe and warm
Even though they don’t feel threatened in the comfort of your home, cats have that survival instinct in their DNA. As their ancestors would hide from predators in caves, lairs, and dens, your homie will do the same with boxes and bags.
When they’re in a bag, they feel protected and they narrow their field of vision, so it’s possible for them to identify every potential threat before it reaches them. Also, when your feline is curled up in a bag (or any other dark and small space), it’s possible that she’s stressed out and this is helping her calm down.
Her anxiety levels rise when she’s upset, and instead of having a conflict, she’ll rather walk away and avoid the problem altogether. This is her perfect spot for reducing anxiety and stress levels. Don’t be surprised if she pushes a box or bag into one of the corners of your living room and stays there.
Also, cats are comfortable at higher temperatures since their body temperature is naturally warmer than ours by about 20°F (around 7°C). That’s why they’re all too keen to curl up in that bag and take a long warm nap.
You know they sleep up to 20 hours a day, right? Go figure that they pick the coziest spots to snooze!
2. It smells like food
“Why do cats like bags, especially plastic ones? Every time she spots a bag, she goes for it and doesn’t want to let go and I’m wondering what could be the reason?”
Well, if you just returned from grocery shopping, those plastic bags probably smell like food, so your little feline will definitely be attracted to them. Without a doubt, she’ll disturb you while you’re trying to put everything in its place. Plastic is porous, so it easily absorbs the smell of its previous contents.
Perhaps you bought Marmite and a bit of it leaked out. You cleaned it before you got those bags in the kitchen, but that little devil can smell everything! Of course, Marmite has a strong scent so she can easily pick it up, but the same goes with other food.
Her nose is a powerful tool. Don’t be surprised if you see her licking or chewing that plastic bag you couldn’t move to the cupboard before she “stole” it. She’ll want to taste whatever was inside.
However, chewing on a plastic bag may indicate that your feline has some dental problems. If you’ve noticed some other changes in her behavior or if she’s showing any signs of health issues, don’t hesitate to seek medical attention.
3. It’s an interesting toy substitute
Do you know how one part of the plastic bag pops up when you gently press the other? It’s an interesting toy substitute for your feline, so she’ll enjoy chasing it around. It’s lightweight, and it can fly!
In all seriousness, though, your furbaby adores plastic bags because her happiness increases exponentially while playing with them. That said, it’s definitely not a healthy alternative for toys.
They’d be much better off with some real cat toys. There are also some healthier alternatives to plastic bags, but more on that later.
The reason cats like bags may lie in the fact that bags are actually the most interactive object in their world. It’s super easy for your feline to change the bag’s shape and position. That’s not something they’re used to, which makes it different from their familiar toys.
The noise that plastic or paper bags make when you move them around or step on them is really interesting (for the cats who aren’t afraid of them, of course). If your furball jumps into hunting mode whenever she hears that crinkling sound, she’s in the mood for playing.
4. She smells tallow
This may be a pretty long shot; some cats can smell the tallow in plastic bags. Tallow (melted animal fat) is used in producing almost every plastic bag. That’s actually one of the main reasons your feline chooses to lick or chew them.
Our furbabies have a much stronger sense of smell than we do, so they can pick up even that faint fatty tallow you didn’t even know about until now. I mean, we both know that cats are attracted to fatty food, such as butter, beef jerky, or nuts. So, is it really surprising that she doesn’t smell something from that bag?
5. She wants your attention
It’s simple – she may just want your attention. If you haven’t played with her in a while and it seems like that bag of yours is more important, then of course she’ll pounce on it and start dragging it around. Your cat needs to spend some quality time with you, and you have to fulfill that.
I mean, you signed up for it the moment you welcomed her to your home. Don’t let her get bored before you decide to take that feather toy and play with her. That sneaky little devil knows that she needs just one plastic bag to have you all for herself, and she’s definitely going to jump on it.