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Does it annoy you that your cat occasionally sleeps on the keyboard of your home computer? And do you find yourself wondering what causes this behavior?
Unfortunately, scientists have not dedicated any large-scale studies to it. However, experts in cat psychology do have a key theory that explains this keyboard obsession.
So, what… why my whale spread out on my laptop versions
The reason lies not in the animal’s desire to mimic your movements, experts believe. Even when you notice that the cat reacts lively to your fingers running across the keys.
Although recent research has shown that cats tend to imitate human behavior. One study even demonstrated that these domestic animals try to match their movements with yours and repeat them. For example, they might touch something with their paw after you have done it with your hand.
However, according to Dr. David Sands, a leading British expert in animal psychology with extensive clinical experience, cats find it difficult to imitate the process of typing. This explains why they are unlikely to be interested in the old laptop bait you are trying to use to entice them.
According to Dr. Sands, it is also unlikely that cats are solely attracted to the warmth of your laptop. “Yes, laptops emit heat, and warm spots are appealing to cats. But you need to ask why your cat isn’t just sitting, for example, next to the radiator,” the expert said.
What is truly attractive to cats in a laptop is the smell. More specifically, it’s your scent that you regularly leave behind. Unlike cats, you probably don’t notice your own smell.
As Dr. Sands noted, “cats are scent machines from the tip of their tail to the tip of their nose: their world is based on smell.”
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However, the expert has another, much more likely explanation for the animal’s love for the laptop.
“Your cat wants to leave its own scent on it and replace yours. It’s all about the desire to dominate,” noted David Sands. By doing this, the cat is essentially saying, “I own you!”
As the expert explained, people usually think that when cats rub against their legs, they are expressing love. But that’s not the case. In fact, they are very dominant animals. The more times they touch you and leave their scent on you, the better it is for them.
They are doing their best to become the dominant force in your home. And while a person may have domesticated a dog to be their companion, a cat, even a domestic one, remains wild. It is not a social creature and is only concerned with itself, the publication writes. BBC Science Focus .
“When your cat meows a lot and constantly follows you around the house, it may be a sign of her anxiety about something and a search for your attention,” said Dr. Sands.
But if the cat is calm, there are no reasons why it can’t occupy your computer keyboard. After all, it owns it, just like everything else in your house. Including you.
About the expert . DavidSandsachievedDoctorate in Animal Psychology (Ethology) atLiverpool’suniversity.He has25 years of professional experience working in his own animal behavior clinic. He is a member of the Association for the Study of Animal Behavior.ASAB) and the author of the book “Cats: Answers to 500 Questions.”
