# Cat owners are enthralled by their pet's reaction to the cat circle. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 3, 2014, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557 "2014-11-03T22:44:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/1 "2014-11-03T22:44:39Z")
Anybody here tried this yet? How long did he/she stay in it? Can you move the circle somewhere else and get he/she to sit there too? The ultimate cat control. 😃 Nobody knows for sure why it works. > **[Why did the cat sit in the circle? One trick that all pet can do](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2815730/Why-did-cat-sit-circle-No-idea-say-dumbfounded-vets-one-trick-stupidest-pets-pull-off.html)** > > Hundreds of web users are posting pictures of their successful Cat Circles while vets and pet psychologists remain stumped. > [@](#): > > But it seems while scientists focus on other matters it’s the cat lovers of the web who are taking it upon themselves to collectively perform a research on cat behavioral psychology using low-tech traps on their feline friends. > > All of us, and our cats, can join in. Can you create your own cat circle? Remember - it’s down to the cat’s own free will. And if you master the ‘trap’ - how long before your cat moves? ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2014, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/2 "2014-11-03T23:44:10Z")
[“If it fits, I sits.”](http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/if-it-fits-i-sits) --Every cat, ever. Cats sit in things. They are drawn to enclosed spaces, probably for the same reason they generally like high places–a combination of security and territoriality. Many of the places they sit (open boxes, baskets, or these circles) aren’t actually any more secure, but they suggest enclosure, and that makes them appealing to cats. Either that, or all these cats are collectively doing a Les Nessman homage. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/3 "2014-11-04T00:08:11Z")
I must have weird cats. Yeah, I know…all cats are weird, its a job requirement. I made a cat circle and they all ignored it. OTOP, all cardboard boxes are magic and belong to the cats. For entertainment, I’ll put a small box on the floor and watch them try to squeeze their butts into it. I know, simple pleasures for simple minds…but have you ever watched a cat try to sit in a box that’s about the size of a coffee mug? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/4 "2014-11-04T00:20:33Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > OTOP, all cardboard boxes are magic and belong to the cats. For entertainment, I’ll put a small box on the floor and watch them try to squeeze their butts into it. I know, simple pleasures for simple minds…but have you ever watched a cat try to sit in a box that’s about the size of a coffee mug? 🙂 [Maru versus small boxes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XID_W4neJo&), for your viewing pleasure. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/5 "2014-11-04T00:36:20Z")
LOL! Good to know that I’m not the only sadistic cat owner around 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/6 "2014-11-04T01:40:05Z")
[Yep, it works](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/spcutler/66cbef06-2cb1-4501-9d7c-cddc5728a7fc.jpg) (sorry for potato quality). I watched the circle at first, but as the saying goes “A watched cat circle never attracts a cat.” In fact, Nibbler tried eating the circle at first, as per her name. But after I ignored it for a while, lo and behold I come back and she’s sitting in the circle. It’s magic. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/7 "2014-11-04T02:11:03Z")
Maybe the cat thinks the circle is a really short box. 😉 Those pics are cute. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/8 "2014-11-04T02:20:43Z")
I think this phenomenon will be perfectly understandable to any readers of _The Dresden Files_. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/9 "2014-11-04T03:23:40Z")
I attempted to make a circle out of a long shoelace. My cat pounced on it, bit my hand and tore off down the hallway with her prize (the lace, not my hand). It was a great day for science. ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/10 "2014-11-04T03:53:05Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I attempted to make a circle out of a long shoelace. My cat pounced on it, bit my hand and tore off down the hallway with her prize (the lace, not my hand). > > It was a great day for science. I think my shoelace circle is under the couch. It was fun while it lasted, though. > [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > [Yep, it works](http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b314/spcutler/66cbef06-2cb1-4501-9d7c-cddc5728a7fc.jpg) (sorry for potato quality). > > I watched the circle at first, but as the saying goes “A watched cat circle never attracts a cat.” In fact, Nibbler tried eating the circle at first, as per her name. But after I ignored it for a while, lo and behold I come back and she’s sitting in the circle. It’s magic. After the above mentioned abortive experiment, I made one out of paper. So far, the only one who has noticed it has been my husband. “What the hell is that?” When I explained that our cats were part of a great scientific experiment, he just shook his head and walked away. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/11 "2014-11-04T04:58:29Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > …he just shook his head and walked away. This merely demonstrates that your husband is not, in fact, a cat. Tell him that your new hypothesis is that he is a dog. Because SCIENCE! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/12 "2014-11-04T11:55:21Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > I must have weird cats. Yeah, I know…all cats are weird, its a job requirement. I made a cat circle and they all ignored it. One cat looked at me as if to say, “What the hell is wrong with you?” and stalked off (to sit in the wooden bowl that’s not quite large enough for her). The other tried to eat the tape. He likes tape. I think mine are defective. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/13 "2014-11-04T13:30:19Z")
When I read the thread title, I thought it was some New Age Techno-Pagan thing. Circles for cats, indeed. They’re always grounded and centered. I’ll have to try it out on our three beasts and see. But our cats will always try to get into boxes, and they have a tendency to try to fit onto my books or magazines when I leave them on the ottoman. But I thought that was just to keep me from reading them. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/14 "2014-11-04T13:44:01Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > This merely demonstrates that your husband is not, in fact, a cat. Tell him that your new hypothesis is that he is a dog. Because SCIENCE! > > 😃 Well, did he pee on it? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/15 "2014-11-04T14:29:52Z")
It’s not a circle, it’s a heptagon. A pentagram might work better, though. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/16 "2014-11-04T14:38:29Z")
For centuries cats have been trying to figure out why humans stare at them when they sit in a circle. The internet has advanced their research. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/17 "2014-11-04T17:44:26Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > Either that, or all these cats are collectively doing a Les Nessman homage. I get that reference! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/18 "2014-11-04T17:48:25Z")
> [@simster](#): > > I get that reference! Me too. 😛 If I made a cat circle, Tonka would probably urinate in the middle of it. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/19 "2014-11-04T18:30:59Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > . . . Either that, or all these cats are collectively doing a Les Nessman homage. > [@aceplace57](#): > > Maybe the cat thinks the circle is a really short box. 😉 Those pics are cute. Combining these two comments, I have to ask - has anyone tried a cat square? Do squares work better than circles? ---
**Author:** ![CT\_Damsel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CT\_Damsel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CT_Damsel)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557/20 "2014-11-04T19:20:48Z")
> [@Balance](#): > > [Maru versus small boxes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XID_W4neJo&), for your viewing pleasure. Thank you for this. I have been watching Maru since I read this post earlier today. I am not getting any work done; but I am having a wonderful day.🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-owners-are-enthralled-by-their-pets-reaction-to-the-cat-circle/703557.md?page=2)