Cat Mysteries: Why Cats Like Sitting in a Circle

Do you have a cat at home? Have you noticed that if they have an opportunity, they always sit in a circle? Try to create a circle on the floor with the diameter of about 50 centimetres – from a string, hoop or any other way. You’ll see that it won’t take long and you’ll find the cat sitting inside. The Internet is full of photos and videos of cats sitting in a circle and it doesn’t matter what they are made of on the floor.

Why are cats so obsessed with this geometric shape? Is it about inquisitiveness or is it something more? Some experts claim that cats feel safe in a circle with a raised edge. However, that doesn’t explain why they are attracted to a circle which is only painted or created from cardboard. There are assumptions based on cat psychology that these domestic beasts consider a circle to be their new territory that requires protection.

If the theory is true and cats are really instinctively pulled into sitting in a circle and similar shapes, it might make some things easier. For example, getting uncooperative cats to a crate or catch wild cats for drug administration. Cats are said to refuse leaving the shape. If that really works and the urge is really stronger that their inquisitiveness, unpacking a bag from a shop could become a boring activity again without their noses in it. I definitely have to try it.

You can get creative when choosing the material for a circle or you can get the inspiration on the Internet. When entering “cat in circle” in your search engine, you’ll see the simplest circles from aluminium foil, cat toys, slippers, elastic bands or even bananas. Also, watch this video.

Try this experiment and let us know what happened!