December 17, 2024, 9:05 am | Read time: 6 minutes
Which cat owner hasn’t experienced this? You just want to wrap presents in peace and quiet before Christmas or birthdays. But you just cannot when your cat is in the room because it wants to play with the colorful paper. Even when the gifts are unwrapped, many cats can’t be kept away from the wrapping paper. PETBOOK editor Louisa Stoeffler explains why.
There are lots of funny videos on the internet about owners buying their pets great toys, but the cats are only interested in the wrapping paper and the box in which the new gadget was delivered. Packaging material is also very popular with my cat Remo. He is particularly fond of plastic strapping bands, also known as “polypropylene strapping.” He is delighted with every shipping box that comes with one or two of these straps.
The hard plastic seems to be the perfect prey for him, and he only relinquishes his grip when I dispose of them. Not in the household trash, of course, because he has already fished the packaging waste out of there. But his fascination naturally also extends to wrapping paper, which he – like many other cats – can never seem to get enough of.
6 Reasons Why Wrapping Paper Is So Appealing to Cats
There are several reasons why cats are fascinated by wrapping paper because it appeals to many of their senses.
Auditory Stimuli
Cats have much better hearing than humans. This allows them to pinpoint prey, even when it’s trying to be as silent as possible. Consequently, cats are wired to respond to any rustling, as it triggers their primal and hunting instincts.
But it’s not only the wrapping paper that excites cats. They also hear noises when wildly tearing open packages, which may leave them puzzled at first, and they also want to know where these sounds come from. Once cats discover that torn wrapping paper crackles during play, their passion for it is often already cemented.
Tactile Stimuli
Wrapping paper not only appeals to the cat’s ear. The animal also takes every opportunity to explore new things and surfaces. Fabrics that give them different stimuli when touched are particularly popular. My cat Remo, for example, likes cushions and blankets covered with particularly fluffy fibers.
But he also wants to explore smooth and rough surfaces. He takes great delight in chasing after balls of wrapping paper that move unpredictably across the smooth parquet floor. Crumpled paper, in particular, is a welcome change from the feeling of carpet or parquet under his paws.
Visual Stimuli
Wrapping paper is also interesting for cats because it usually comes in bright colors and glitters, shines, or otherwise reflects light. It thus also captivates the cats’ visual senses.
This is why many cats are eager to pounce on wrapping paper. This is evident when their pupils dilate or they wiggle their hindquarters in preparation for a leap.
Olfactory Stimuli
Even if you don’t necessarily notice it as a human, or you simply don’t press your nose against wrapping paper, the coating usually has a subliminally perceptible smell. Cats perceive this even better than we do, thanks to their sensitive olfactory system.
With used wrapping paper, there is an additional olfactory stimulus: We humans have held the paper in our hands several times. When unwrapping presents, we are full of anticipation and leave our scent with our fingerprints, which gives off an additional perceptible joy for cats. It is an enticing scent they enjoy, signaling to them our excitement. Accordingly, they want to claim it for themselves and mix it with their own scent to create a group scent. This is why cats may rub their cheeks against wrapping paper to spread their own scent.
Heat Factor
Another reason that can lead to cats hiding – especially in large piles of wrapping paper – is that paper also has heat-insulating properties. This is also one of the reasons why cardboard is incredibly attractive to cats.
A ball of paper provides a cozier warmth than lying on the bare floor. Some cats also use their paper fort to playfully scrabble for ankles and feet.
Reinforcing Effects
Wrapping paper, therefore, appeals to many of a cat’s senses. This effect can also be reinforced. If the cat was initially unimpressed with the colorful paper during its first birthday or Christmas celebration, this interest can grow and intensify over time.
This is because once a cat discovers that this paper stimulates its senses and has “succeeded” in hunting torn paper, this behavior can intensify with each successful encounter.
Cats Don’t Like Secrets
This is also the case with Remo. Paper scraps are such a valuable toy for him that we now go into another room to wrap presents without him. But Remo doesn’t like closed doors even under normal circumstances and always follows me into the bathroom, for example. If he also hears the sound of a present being wrapped from behind a closed door or sees gift ribbons and rolls of paper being carried into the room, he becomes quite agitated.
In many cases, people also tend to wrap presents in secret. If only so that their partner or children don’t find out what is being wrapped. This secrecy is, of course, incredibly interesting for curious cats. If people are so secretive about the “resource” of wrapping paper, it must indeed be of great value. And the cat’s interest is sparked twice over.
Attention
So, it may not come as much of a surprise why cats love to pounce on wrapping paper and packaging material. Many of their most important senses are stimulated by the brightly colored, crinkly paper.
Moreover, it boasts a delightful texture and can be skittered across the floor or stalked. Cats self-reward by successfully pursuing the stimulating object. Once a cat has been successful and the experience has a positive connotation for them, they will also try to get their hands on the wrapping paper more often.
In addition, the behavior is usually subconsciously reinforced by the owner if the animal receives attention for it. Either because you laugh out loud because the cat is tearing around the living room with a piece of paper or because you jump up to remove it so that it doesn’t get scattered everywhere or even break something while the cat is playing. Both scenarios signal attention to cats and reinforce their behavior.
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However, Care Should Also Be Taken with Wrapping Paper
However, if you’re aware that your cat enjoys playing with wrapping paper, tearing it, licking it, or chewing on it, you should be cautious of any potentially harmful ingredients.
This is because the coatings that make wrapping paper glitter or shine can be toxic to cats. If licked or torn with the teeth, substances released from the paper can enter the cat’s system. If the cat even tends to eat the wrapping paper, there is even a risk of gastric or intestinal obstruction.
Therefore, it’s advisable to opt for chlorine-free, that is, unbleached paper treated with non-toxic dyes. In addition, you should never leave your cat alone when it is munching on torn paper. Or, challenging as it may be, it’s wiser to prevent the cat from playing with the paper altogether and to tidy it away promptly after the festivities.