July 11, 2025, 3:19 pm | Read time: 3 minutes
The internet constantly surprises us with new trends. Some are clearly short-lived and will soon disappear. Then there are trends that are here to stay. One such trend appears to be the concrete block trend for cats. PETBOOK explains what it’s all about.
It’s no secret that cats sometimes love the strangest things. That’s why some owners jokingly compare their cats on social media to small children who have a playroom full of expensive toys but still only want to play with mom’s Tupperware. The latest object of desire for many cats: concrete blocks. A new social media trend is currently swearing by standard concrete slabs from the hardware store for cats. “It’s unbelievable, but my cats love this concrete block,” a pet influencer reports to their followers on Instagram.
“Thirteen dollars later, we have even happier cats!”
Another person writes that he and his partner also bought such a concrete block and “thirteen dollars later, we had even happier cats!” But what’s behind this? Why would cats be interested in cool concrete blocks? Biologist and PETBOOK editor Saskia Schneider has a theory: “The main reason is that it’s a new, exciting object. Cats are curious and love to explore things.”
Additionally, concrete blocks are likely to store scents well due to their porous structure. This makes the blocks attractive to cats: “There’s a lot to sniff here,” the cat expert is sure. “Moreover, the structure encourages cats to want to place their own scents there.” This theory is supported by the fact that in many viral videos, it’s clearly visible how cats rub their heads against the blocks.
The new object in the territory must be marked with their own scent
As viewers, we then ask ourselves: Why does the cat do this? It must be uncomfortable to lie on a hard, rough concrete block. “For the cat, however, their behavior makes perfect sense. In their territory, there’s a new object that must be marked with their scent,” explains Saskia Schneider. Cats use the scent glands on their cheeks to produce so-called pheromones, which they release in the process.
“These provide important information about who lives here and contribute to the cat’s self-confidence and well-being,” the biologist explains. Another reason is the shape of the blocks. Cats are known to be fascinated by squares. This phenomenon is especially known from boxes. “As soon as it’s placed on the floor, the cat is already inside. This is because cats like to lie in places that offer physical boundaries. They provide the animal with security. However, this also works without walls.”
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Do cats simply appreciate the practical function of concrete blocks?
In fact, there are also cats that exhibit this behavior when you simply tape a square on the floor. Why this is the case is explained in this article. “A concrete block is also a square and can encourage cats to sit right in the middle, as seen in many posts,” explains cat expert Saskia Schneider. Another factor could be the cooling function of the concrete blocks, especially now in summer.
“Many cats prefer to lie on cool tiles in extreme heat,” Schneider knows. “You often find the animals in the bathroom or kitchen. A concrete block can also have this cooling effect and make the cat want to lie on it,” the biologist concludes.
About the Expert
Dr. Saskia Schneider is a biologist with a Ph.D. During her studies at the Free University of Berlin, she focused primarily on zoology and animal behavior. In addition to training as an editor, she completed training as a behavior consultant with a focus on cats.