Cats never cease to amaze their owners. Sometimes their behavior can be frustrating, and many owners scold their pets for leaving fur on their clothes, using their laptops, or having an inexplicable affinity for plastic bags. There are several explanations for why these furry friends love to lie in the most unexpected places.
The owner's clothes
When we find light-colored hairs on dark clothing, we often wonder, "Is he doing this on purpose?" In fact, your friend isn't trying to upset you; quite the opposite: your owner's clothes carry their scent. Surrounded by clothes that smell like you, your cat feels completely safe, relaxes, and copes with stress. You'll agree, this theory makes you love your pet even more.
The second reason for this behavior is the exchange of scents. If you share an apartment or house with several cats, this may be how they "reserve" your attention. Cats have glands on their paws and faces that secrete a scent that's undetectable to humans but audible to animals. Therefore, if a cat tramples on your clothes, it's demonstrating its dominance and claim on you.
If your cat isn't neutered, they may mark their clothing with waste. Besides, soft clothing is much more comfortable for their paws and back than rough carpet. If you don't like your pet constantly sleeping on your clothes, consider buying them an alternative: a large stuffed animal or a blanket.
Empty box
The most unusual place for a cat to sleep, according to cat owners, is an empty box. It would seem unimaginable that four cardboard walls could be so appealing. There are several reasons for this:
- Firstly, the box provides the cat with a safe haven. It feels protected.
- Secondly, if the cat is stressed (for example, if a lot of people come to the house or something scares it), it will hide in the box "to escape its troubles." The box acts as a protective barrier between the pet and the outside world.
- Thirdly, due to the peculiarities of their heat exchange, cats seek a warmer place in the room, since a comfortable temperature for their body is 30-36 degrees.
- The final reason is the behavior of his distant predatory ancestors, who needed to hide in the shadows to silently attack their prey.
Freshly ironed linen
As we've already mentioned, cats love to mark their owners with a special feline scent. As soon as you wash and iron the clothes, they smell different, and after washing, the scent left by the pet disappears. So, the furry one goes through the process of appropriating the items again.
If you just take something out of the closet that your cat has never seen before and start petting it, within a few minutes you're sure to find them kneading the soft fabric with their paws. That's the psychology of whiskers: showing who's really in charge.
A rustling newspaper or bag
Pets often annoy us with the incessant rustling of a bag or a new newspaper, seemingly doing something incomprehensible with it. It turns out that the rustling sounds indicate that the animal is hunting, as they resemble the scurrying of mice or other small rodents.
Or maybe your cat just decided to play with it. The bags rustle and move so unusually, you can squeeze them and push them with your paws without much effort, and the static will make them stick to your fur like crazy. What fun!
Tablet or laptop
We've all seen comics about furry creatures slumped on your keyboard, and you can't get them off because they're so cute! But it's still interesting to see what it is about your laptop, computer, or tablet that attracts them.
Even though the keyboard isn't exactly soft, cats feel like they're hugging it like a pillow. The keys press down and deepen under the pressure of your body, which they really enjoy. Furthermore, when you type, cats feel like you're massaging the keys with your paws, just like they do.
Moreover, all electronics heat up when used. Pets love and appreciate warmth, so they'll never miss the opportunity to bask on a warm tablet or laptop. Your chair will also be an inviting place when you get up, so don't be surprised to find a purring friend there when you return.
As with things, if a cat walks on the keyboard or rubs its head, tail, or paws against the screen, it leaves its scent and signals dominance to other animals. But sometimes your kitty just wants human attention, as you might sit for hours at a time, typing away without even looking at your furry friend. They might make subtle gestures, walking in front of you from one side to the other, or they might lie down right on the keyboard with their hands, as if to say, "Pay attention to me, master!"
Now you know that you shouldn't scold your pet every time it sheds fur or distracts you from work. And if it really bothers you, you can always buy separate toys and playhouses for it: trust me, your cat will definitely be happy.
