Reader's Digest - Here’s Why Your Cat Is So Obsessed with Your Keyboard

Posted on 21 December, 2020

Written by Alexa Erickson for Reader's Digest

No, your feline friend isn't trying to sabotage your important work email.

Cats can be mysterious creatures. You call their name to jump on your lap and they respond by walking in the other direction. They meow for food only to wander off as soon as you put it in their bowl. They curl up next to you for a good pet, purring with every stroke, when suddenly they decide it’s too much and run away. This may not describe all cats, but we can probably agree that feline behaviour isn’t always easy to understand. Especially when it comes to computers. Also, if you’re curious, this is why cats purr.

If you work on a laptop, you likely know that the joy of your cat’s company can easily turn into annoyance as he or she takes over your keyboard, sending emails accidentally, getting in the way of your video call, and even throwing off the balance of your device as it tumbles to the floor—cat and all.

So, what’s the deal? Why is your cat so obsessed with a non-fuzzy, hard-surfaced piece of equipment that doesn’t dispense free food, offer love in return, or is even all that cosy to lay on?

“Many cats sit on spots such as keyboards and laptops because they are near their favourite person and can be at the centre of their attention,” explains Marilyn Krieger, Certified Cat Behaviour Consultant and author of Naughty No More! Changing Unwanted Behaviors through Positive Reinforcement. “Usually people reinforce the behaviour by petting the cat and/or talking with him. Cats quickly learn that when they sit on the keyboard they get what they want—attention.”

If your cat is becoming a real problem for you, and you find yourself locking your feline out of the room when you need to work—but dearly wish you could enjoy their affection, there are steps you can take. Just make sure you don’t do any of these things that your cat hates.

“You can break the habit by providing the cat a comfortable and a desirable place to settle that is next to you while simultaneously reinforcing and rewarding him with affection and attention when the cat is sitting or lying on it,” Krieger says. “At the same time, discourage him from hanging out on the keyboard by making it an uncomfortable place to sit and difficult to access.”

Did you know that you can actually train your cat? Here are the pro cat training techniques that work.

To read the original story, please visit - https://www.rd.com/article/why-cats-love-laptops/

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