Cat owners might be shocked to see how much their feline loves a simple $2 concrete slab.
If you’ve ever traipsed through @CatTok, you’ve undoubtedly come across various videos of cat parents bringing their feline friends a fairly unusual yet surprisingly effective enrichment tool. We are talking, of course, about a concrete slab. Yes, you read that right. Not a fancy new scratching post. Not some laser contraption. A cement square. That’s it.
Back in July, when the trend really took off, folks were going in droves to Home Depot to purchase these unassuming blocks. And every time they presented their kitties with this new treat, the reactions looked something like this:
Below, pet behaviorist Dr. Annie gives a few of her hunches as to what drives this phenomeownon…though she adds the caveat that there haven’t yet been any official studies on it. So it's all based on her educated guesses.
“First, I think cats are enjoying the concrete slab being brought into their homes because they are new and kind of out of place. There’s probably nothing quite like them already in the home environment,” Dr. Annie says.
This might initially sound counterintuitive, since it’s generally accepted that cats thrive on routine. While this may be true, as Dr. Annie has discussed in previous videos, their "predatory and territorial nature” makes them "sensitive to novelty.” When a toy seems static, it no longer mimics actual live prey, and therefore does not stimulate kitty as it would in nature. Same goes for cat beds and scratching posts, as they’re used to exploring and monitoring their environment. When something “new” appears in their territory, they are very motivated to interact with it.
Second, Dr. Annie surmises that the concrete’s porous surface makes it really great for holding onto the cat's scent, which is a key factor in marking a kitty's territory. Again, cats really like knowing (or in this case, smelling) what’s theirs. In many videos, you can see cats actively rubbing their cheek glands on the slab, Dr. Annie notes.
Also, and probably more of a no-brainer, the concrete surface is very, very fun for scratching! And while we all might know that cats enjoy the tactile pleasure of using their claws, having a part of their environment that they have control over is very fulfilling for their mental health.
Two cats cuddling and sleeping together on a sunny windowsill. Photo credit: Canva
Lastly, Dr. Annie confirms what many cat parents assumed, which is that temperature plays a huge role in making the concrete slab cat-friendly. Cats like warmth because they have a higher body temperature, and evolved from creatures that live in warmer climates (like tropical jungles, African plains, etc.). If they are seeking a way to raise their temperature—especially in air-conditioned homes—a concrete slab that’s been soaking up the sun is a great way to do so.
Thank you Dr. Annie for that fascinating deep dive. Those all seem like pretty solid theories. And while we might not ever get actual studies on this, there’s yet another fact that becomes abundantly clear: cat parents will go above and beyond to make their fur babies happy. Even if that means taking on a job in construction for free concrete.
For even more fantastic cat facts, give Dr. Annie a follow on TikTok.
This article originally appeared in July.