Cats and Their Passion for Computer Keyboards

As any cat owner knows, there are a few things their feline friends love doing which can leave them mystified and wondering what drives their pets to do them. Wanting to sit on your lap when you're reading a paper is one of them, but wanting to sit on a computer keyboard is another! So what draws our kitties to keyboards so much they feel the need to walk on them, sit on them and curl up for a snooze on them?

If the truth be known, our feline friends just cannot resist warmth and if they find anywhere that's a little cosy and warm, they will settle themselves nicely in the spot for hours on end. Cats love it when it’s toasty, they adore lounging in the sun on a windowsill, in the garden or anywhere a ray of sunshine happens to fall. With this said, cats are intrigued by anything that moves or which makes a noise. A computer and it's keyboard offers everything a cat needs to both keep them warm and amused, it makes noises, the mouse pointer zooms across the screen and lots of things blink and scoot about which our feline friends and in particular kittens, just cannot resist.

Cats & Warmth

Our furry feline friends are drawn to warmth like a bee to a honey. Whether it's to lounge in front of an open fire or to stretch out on a sunny windowsill, you'll often find your cat snoozing away in the warmest place they can find and this naturally includes on your computer keyboard too. Their need for warmth starts developing when cats are very young and the need to be 'cosy' continues throughout their lives. It becomes a second nature to them to seek out the cosiest spot and warmth provides them with a feeling of security and safety which makes them feel safe and secure.

Older cats love sitting on keyboards because the warmth helps alleviate any aches and pains associated with arthritis and the fact the keys are pliant, means they move nicely under your pet's body, providing a little massage treatment which cats thoroughly enjoy!

Cats Have a Keen Heat Receptors

Kittens are born with sensitive heat receptors on their faces which help them find mummy even when their eyes are not yet open. These receptors remain very sensitive throughout a cat’s life and in fact become even more sensitive as time goes on. However, they can also be a little insensitive to higher temperatures and this means a cat can easily get burned which happens more often than most people may think.

A computer keyboard is warm and when cats walk on them, they move under their feet as they press the keys down and as any cat owner knows, the other thing our feline friends find hard to resist is anything or anywhere that feels nice, “soft” and pliant. This is why you may find your cat pawing away at the keys of your computer keyboard whether it's turned on or not! The problem can be when you are working and have to leave your computer for whatever reason and you find yourcat has signed off on all your work!

Protecting Your Keyboard from Your Pussy Cat

Luckily, there are ways of preventing your cat from walking all over your keyboard or curling up on it when you're not looking. If you work at a computer desk, the best thing to do is push the slide the keyboard sits on under the desk every time you leave the room. If you work on a laptop, make sure you shut it so your cat can't sit on the keyboard. However, you may find they just cannot resist sitting on the closed laptop anyway because it's nice and warm and this is something our feline friends find totally intoxicating!

Another good way of preventing yourcat from jumping on your keyboard is to offer them a fantastic alternative. There are several things you can invest in which includes a thermal mat you can place on a sunny windowsill. There are some brilliant cat throws on the market which are great for placing on your pet’s favourite chair and as a bonus it means there's less cat hair left on your furniture.

Conclusion

Cats and their love of keyboards can be quite entertaining, but only as long as they are not walking or sitting on them when you are trying to work! Our feline friends are attracted to computers and keyboards not only because of the warmth, but also because a computer is after all a hive of activity. The mouse pointer is seldom still and when you type, letters appear on the screen which kittens just cannot resist chasing. All in all a computer and a keyboard have a lot going for them in yourcat's eyes which is why whenever you turn you back, you'll find your feline furry friend happily sitting on them!