Watch as cats react to concrete slabs in a new TikTok trend
Does your cat ignore expensive toys and prefers plastic wrappers? Then this new concrete slab trend is for you!
Cat parents, clear your shopping carts of those robo toys and costly towers. This summer’s hottest commodity is a simple slab of concrete.
Netizens have taken to hauling squares of the stuff into their homes as part of a trend that looks to have started with a May TikTok post by @abrameng, in which Abram Engle explained that his cat, Kurt, loved rolling around on the concrete when taken outside.
“So I’m bringing the concrete to him,” Engle said in the clip that, as of July 18, has since amassed 4.7 million views. Kurt, of course, loved rolling and rubbing on the square slab, called a paver, and his enjoyment inspired pet parents across the internet to take part. It doesn’t hurt that pavers of a similar size sell for about $2 and under – a real bargain for those who have felt the sting of buying a pricey toy or scratching post just to watch their cat snub it entirely.
Some users, like @shecatcalls, theorized that their former street cats love the slabs because they remind them of their outdoor glory days. Others concocted creative ways to draw their cats’ attention, placing the paver in the sun to get nice and toasty, or creating a hanging bed using the slab.
The trend got so big that employees at hardware retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s began recognizing that people were coming to their stores just to buy pavers for their furry friends.
Not every feline is a fan, however. The cats of USA TODAY were split about down the middle, with half going crazy for the concrete and others barely giving it a second glance.
What’s up with this kitty concrete obsession? We got an expert to weigh in.
Instinct or just weirdness? Why are cats digging concrete pavers?
Our feline friends aren’t just weirdos, Dr. Annie Valeska, pet behaviorist at Purina, told USA TODAY. They have their reasons, both apparent and perhaps not so obvious.
“I think that for those previously outdoor cats that are liking the indoor concrete, there likely is some familiarity there. They liked attributes of it that they enjoyed when they were outside,” she said. “But, as all these viral videos have shown, that enjoyment is not limited to just cats that had previous concrete experience, and I think for a lot of those indoor-only cats, part of the appeal of the concrete is the fact that it is totally new. “
Cats’ love for novelty can be traced back to their primal instincts, said Valeska. Domestic cats are mesopredators, meaning they occupy a middle spot on the food chain. They are excellent predators, but are also prey to other larger animals, meaning they are astutely aware of their surroundings.
“Because of their territorial nature, they are highly attuned to new stuff in their environment, and so having this concrete slab set in the middle of the living room where it really doesn’t belong is going to be a real draw,” said Valeska.
And, of course, the rough surface of the pavers makes for a great back scratcher. The texture is also extra suited to holding onto scents, which are vital to cats’ sense of safety, ownership and belonging in their space. That is why you’ll see so many cats rubbing their faces and cheeks, where their scent glands are located, against the bits of concrete; they are depositing their scent, which lets them and everyone around them know, “this is mine,” according to Valeska.
Let it sit in the sun for a little bit to warm up, and you have a kitty sensory experience for the ages.
“Normally, we accomplish helping our cats feel at home by spreading out cat stuff all over the house,” like litter boxes, beds and scratching posts, Valeska said. “This concrete is kind of an unconventional way for cats to mark their territory, but I think it’s probably serving that purpose very well.”
Sometimes, it’s about control for cats
Experienced cat parents likely aren’t surprised to hear that their pets love access to on-demand scratches, sunbathing and their favorite smell (themselves). But Valeska believes the trend also offers us some insight into their psychology.
“Maybe even more important than feeling good physically, it’s giving cats control over when they get that scratching and control is really great for animal well-being,” she said. “Giving animals control over their environment is really good for them, and it’s also kind of hard to do if you think about how much control the average cat or dog has. It’s probably not that much, and so putting concrete in the house, letting cats have a little bit more say on when they get that kind of scratching, can be really good for them.”
If you lugged a piece of construction material all the way home just to have your cat ignore it completely, you’re not alone. For better or worse, especially when trying to do scientific research, cats are highly variable creatures with lots of quirks and unique personalities, said Valeska. You can still find fun, cheap enrichment for yours by paying attention to what sights, sounds and sensations they respond to on a day-to-day basis.
“It’s amazing to see a pet trend that is about bringing enjoyment to our pets instead of scaring them or handling them in a way that they’re not comfortable with,” Valeska said. ” I think this trend is hitting on the types of relationships we can have with our cats. The kind of play that they engaged in, the behaviors that we get from them, are really only as good as the opportunities we give them to do that.”
“I love the creativity that inspired it and I hope that we continue to see more examples of people and thinking outside of the cardboard box,” she added.
