Overview

• In May, Abram Engle’s TikTok video of his cat Kurt rolling on a concrete slab went viral with 4.7 million views and inspired other owners to bring slabs home.
• Popular Science and other outlets published articles on July 17–18 featuring veterinarians and behaviorists who explained the trend’s sensory and territorial drivers.
• Experts attribute cats’ attraction to slabs to scent marking on concrete’s porous surface and to satisfying natural scratching instincts.
• Pet behaviorists highlight slabs’ thermal properties, noting that cats use sun-warmed or shaded slabs to help regulate their body temperature.
• Veterinary authorities including Cornell’s Bruce Kornreich deem the practice safe, calling concrete slabs a cost-effective form of environmental enrichment with no reported health concerns.