Caoimhe can cope with being round the back of my wood burning stove, or having her face a few inches from the glass door, so I'm not too concerned about her. A small paperweight will end her fun, and a piece of fabric or paper next to it could suddenly become a bug attraction if rectangular.
What is it about marked rectangles? Can they be just markings? Mere rectangular borders, or does it have to be a marking of solid filled colour? Or a change of material, rectangular shaped?
A PhD on it? Now I would sign up for that happily.
I wonder if there is a serious academic book about cat behaviour and intelligence, also one concerning dogs?