Mary Allen
Some find it annoying, others are happy to be around: If a cat sits on you, there can be many reasons. We explain the most common ones here.
Whether for a nap, to get a petting, or to keep you from work – your cat sits, lays, and cuddles on you all the time? She is not alone in this: Many kitties like this closeness to their people. At least as long as you can decide for yourself when, how often, and for how long you get it.
Have you ever wondered why your cat likes to sit on you so much? There are probably several reasons for this. Marilyn Krieger, an expert in cat behavior, explains some of them.
In doing so, she realizes that it is first and foremost a big compliment for you: because your cat has to trust you very much when it sits down on your lap. At the same time, she can strengthen her trust in you.
“If you give the cat the choice whether it wants to sit on your lap or not, and if it can go when it wants, it will deepen its trust in you,” explains Marilyn Krieger to the magazine “Catster”.
Your animal world tells you why your cat also chooses you as its resting place:
You are Warm
It doesn’t sound very romantic, but there is something about it: Cats just love cozy, warm places. That’s why they like to sit by the window in the sun, on the heaters, or in front of the fireplace. Your body heat serves a similar purpose for them as a cozy electric blanket. Of course, this also applies the other way around: With the purring kitty on your lap, it is much warmer and cozier for you too.
Your Cat Wants Your Attention
Another reason your cat will sit on you: This is a fairly surefire way of getting your attention. After all, it’s hard to ignore it when it’s lying on you like a heavy, breathing ball of wool. Because even if cats often – wrongly – have the reputation of being aloof: Many kitties like our company and long for our attention.
So your cat is probably just trying to get a few pats. As a result, she also revives deep feelings of connectedness. Because, as Marilyn Krieger explains: When they are petted, it reminds many cats of the grooming that their mothers experienced when they were kittens.
Does your cat knead your leg at the same time? This is the best sign that she is comfortable with you right now. Because this is also a behavior from the kitten times when your puss wanted to stimulate her mother’s teats intuitively with the kneading movements.
Your Cat Will Sit on You Because They Can Smell You Good
When your cat is sitting on you, it will feel the noises and movements of your body very closely. Your breath, your heartbeat – for your cat these are very calming tones, comparable to the white noise sounds that are used to get babies to sleep. This is why our velvet paws fall asleep so quickly when they make themselves comfortable on our lap or stomach.
Another bonus for the kitties: With your familiar smell in the nose, they feel safe and secure.
Its Clothes
Your cat is more likely to sit on you if you wear a fleece jacket or fluffy bathrobe than a sleek plastic rain jacket or scratchy fabrics. Because the kitties prefer soft, cozy materials.
The next time your cat sits down on you, you will know: The reason for this is probably a combination of the desire for closeness, warmth, security, and comfort. But above all, it is an invitation for quality time together. And if you accept this, the relationship with your velvet paw will only get closer!