GabyYou might have been annoyed by your pet’s behavior for a while now, but you still haven’t figured out why your animal does this. Why is it so obsessed with your computer? Experts in cat psychology have a key theory that explains the behavior of these furry creatures that love to sprawl across keyboards. So, what’s the reason behind it?
Recent studies have once again confirmed that cats are capable of imitating human behavior. One study even demonstrated that these pets compare their bodies to yours and mimic various actions, such as touching a box with their head or paw. However, if you think that lying on your laptop is just another form of your cat imitating you, you might be mistaken. After all, it’s unlikely that they can press the keys the way you do.
According to Dr. David Sands, an animal psychology expert with over 25 years of clinical experience, cats find it challenging to imitate the process of typing. It’s also improbable that cats are solely attracted to the warmth generated by your laptop. “Yes, laptops emit heat, and warm spaces are appealing to cats. But in that case, a cat could simply sit by the radiator,” Dr. Sands pointed out.
What truly draws a cat to your laptop is its scent. Or, to be more precise, the scent that you regularly leave behind. And if you don’t notice it, your cat certainly does, as it can smell it all over the keyboard, the expert explains. “Cats are scent machines from the tip of their tails to their noses. Their world is based on smells,” Dr. Sands added. However, the idea that your furry friend lies on your laptop just to enjoy your scent is overly simplistic. According to Dr. Sands, “the cat wants to preserve its own scent and displace yours. It’s all about ownership. By doing this, your cat is essentially declaring that you belong to it.”
People often think that when cats rub against them or their belongings, they are expressing love. Not quite! In reality, cats are very possessive creatures. The more scent they leave on us, the better it is for them. This way, they assert their dominance in the home and claim ownership over their human. As Dr. Sands noted, dogs are our companions, while cats are quite wild. They were primarily bred to combat pests and never became social creatures, as reported by Science Focus.
Does lying on the laptop harm your cat? Your cat is unlikely to suffer from resting on your computer. However, you should be concerned about this behavior if it indicates a lack of attention from you. “If your cat seems to be complaining and constantly follows you around the house, it may be a sign of anxiety and a search for attention,” Dr. Sands said. But if the animal shows no such signs, there’s no reason to worry. It’s just taking another nap on the laptop to show that both it and everything else in the house belongs to it.
