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, why does my cat sprawl on my laptop?
Experts say the reason isn’t that the cat wants to mimic your typing, even though it may react when your fingers run across the keys.
Recent research has shown that cats can imitate some human behaviors. One study even demonstrated that these animals try to match their movements with yours — for example, they might touch something with their paw after you touch it with your hand.
However, according to Dr. David Sands, a British expert in animal psychology with extensive clinical experience, cats find it difficult to imitate the process of typing. That helps explain why they aren’t truly interested in copying the exact motions of your fingers on the keys.
Dr. Sands says it’s also unlikely that cats are attracted only to the warmth of your laptop. “Yes, laptops emit heat, and warm spots appeal to cats. But why isn’t your cat just sitting next to the radiator?” he asked.
What really draws cats to a laptop is the smell — specifically, your scent that you regularly leave behind. Humans usually can’t detect their own scent, but cats can.
As Dr. Sands put it, “Cats are scent machines from the tip of their tail to the tip of their nose: their world is based on smell.”
“I own you!”
Dr. Sands offers another, even more likely explanation for a cat’s love of a laptop.
“Your cat wants to leave its own scent on it and replace yours. It’s about marking territory,” said Dr. Sands. By doing this, the cat is essentially saying, “I own you.”
People often think that when cats rub against their legs they’re showing affection. In reality, cats are more focused on dominance: the more they touch you and leave their scent, the more they’re asserting control.
They are trying to become the dominant presence in your home. While people may have domesticated dogs to be companions, a domestic cat still retains wild instincts. It is not a social animal in the same way and is primarily concerned with itself, according to BBC Science Focus.
“When your cat meows a lot and constantly follows you around the house, it may be a sign of its anxiety about something and a search for your attention,” said Dr. Sands.
If the cat is calm, though, there’s no reason it can’t occupy your computer keyboard. After all, it owns it — just like everything else in your house, including you.
About the expert David Sands earned a doctorate in animal psychology (ethology) from the University of Liverpool. He has 25 years of professional experience running an animal behavior clinic. He is a member of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour (ASAB) and the author of the book “Cats: Answers to 500 Questions.”
