Social media posts claim that Amazon sprays its shipping boxes with "toxic pesticides to kill warehouse rodents" and that they are dangerous for cats. But the claim, which has circulated for months, has been dismissed by the retail giant, a box manufacturing association and a veterinary association.
"WARNING TO CAT OWNERS ABOUT AMAZON CARDBOARD BOXES Amazon sprays ALL boxes with Toxic Pesticides to kill wearhouse rodents! If your cats play in Amazon Boxes they will be exposed and may experience chemical burns to the tongue" says an October 22, 2021 Facebook post.
The same warning has been shared on Facebook thousands of times, including here, here and here.
But this claim, which was examined by the fact-checking website Snopes during the 2020 holiday season and can be traced to a post by a New York-based cat rescue group that is no longer available, is false.
Alisa Carrol, a spokeswoman for Amazon, confirmed to AFP that its "boxes aren't sprayed for any reason."
"Corrugated boxes are made of wood pulp and wood pulp binders, which is basically what all manufacturers make their boxes out of. So, we don't have special boxes. They are essentially the same thing that every other manufacturer uses."
Corrugated boxes employ a multi-layered structure and are generally stronger than plain cardboard boxes, making them rugged enough for long-distance shipping.
The Fibre Box Association said that corrugated box manufacturers avoid "toxic substances" as much as possible to eliminate risk to the employees who handle the boxes, and to aid in recycling.
"Box manufacturers choose the logical and economical solution, not introducing toxic substances," the association said. "It simply makes sense because boxes are mostly naturally occurring substances, and cheaper enhancers need expensive solutions."
The American Veterinary Medical Association also cast doubt on the claims.
Michael San Filippo, a spokesman for the association, said it "has not heard any reports from our members that there's a widespread problem with cats (or any animals) being injured or becoming ill due to contact with Amazon packages or boxes, nor are we aware of any reports that packages or boxes are routinely treated with chemicals toxic to animals."
"Empty boxes can be great sources of enrichment for our pets," he said, cautioning that pet owners should first ensure that any boxes used as pet toys "are free of any staples, string, or other items that could cause cuts or a choking risk."