Vinted is Europe’s largest online marketplace for second-hand fashion. With over 100 million registered users across 22 countries, the platform has become the go-to place for buying and selling pre-loved clothing.
Founded in 2008 by Milda Mitkutė in Vilnius, Lithuania, what started as a simple website to give away unwanted clothes has grown into a billion-dollar company. And with millions of people photographing their wardrobes, cats have found their way into plenty of those product shots.
If you’re a cat owner, the sight you see in these photos is probably painfully familiar. You know what it’s like to lay a jacket on the bed and watch as your cat materializes on it the moment you turn around.
They won’t touch the expensive bed you bought specifically for them, but they'll happily claim your handbag if there’s no cardboard box available. Classic.
But whether it’s annoying or endearing in real life, on Vinted it definitely makes listings more memorable. It’s pretty hard not to smile when you scroll past that kind of unofficial assistant.
There’s actually a scientific explanation for this behavior. According to The Hervey Foundation for Cats, cats are drawn to clothing because it carries your scent. Your unique smell provides them with a sense of familiarity and security.
When they settle onto your freshly folded laundry or that sweater you just laid out, they’re doing something called scent marking. Through glands in their paws and body, cats mix their scent with yours, essentially claiming both the item and you as part of their territory.
But scent isn’t the only reason cats are so attracted to your clothes. They have incredibly sensitive paws, and different fabric textures genuinely feel interesting to them. Soft cotton, smooth silk, fuzzy wool—each material provides a different tactile experience that cats seem to enjoy exploring.
Clothes also retain warmth, especially if they’ve just come out of the dryer or you’ve recently been wearing them. To a cat, your pile of warm laundry is basically a luxury heated bed that also smells like their favorite person.
And let’s not forget that cats are little attention-seekers. Whoever built their reputation for being aloof got it completely wrong. Long-time domestic pet rescuer Linda Rollins told Kinship that cats quickly learn what gets a reaction from their owners.
Every time you react to your cat sitting on your clothes—whether you pet them, pick them up, or redirect them with a few kind words—they're making a mental note. They'll associate your clothes with getting attention, and they'll absolutely use that knowledge to their advantage.
Cats are also naturally drawn to confined spaces. A pile of shirts creates the perfect little nest, and to a cat, that’s prime real estate.
“Cats feel safest in an enclosure,” Rollins explains. “That’s why they like all the little tunnels and that’s why they like paper bags. I had a cat that used to like to crawl under the covers. Cats are all about comfort and warmth.”
