Why do cats sit on books? Do your cats know how to read? Well of COURSE they do. I suspect our felines subscribe to the Kitty Manual on Rooling Humanz or wouldn’t have such a uniform method of intervention.
I had to laugh when I got the Ask Amy question: Why do cats sit on books and paper? We know they liked to climb on counters–but then they also find the morning newspaper and use it as a bed. What’s up with that?
Do your kitty friends do this? Sitting on top of books can certainly get in the way of reading. My Karma-Kat wants to prop his head on manuscript ages and even the computer keyboard, too, sort of cutting to the creation part of the book.
While cats sitting on books or lying on paper can be aggravating, it’s fun to figure out WHY they do it. Simply chasing them off elevates kitty stress, and we want to reduce stress, not create more. Once we understand, then perhaps we can find some solutions so we can read undisturbed.
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BONUS! Sitting on BOOKS in a BOX!
They simply sit on the page (or the E-reader) and absorb the text through their (ahem) nether regions. And Karma can even do that through the mailing packages, what a talent!
Karma sits on books even once they’re in mailers.
Just check out Wall-E, in the picture when he sits on books “reading” my first-aid book. Kitties want to be prepared. 🙂 What do YOUR cats read?
Why Do Cats Sit On Books?
Karma-Kat doesn’t limit himself to sitting on books, though. He has great taste in reading material. Here are a few examples of how cats sit on books and othe reading material.
Karma likes music. Here, he sits on the cello score of Beauty And The Beast.
Karma even enjoys original music. He “helped” me write the score for some of our musicals.
“Reading” newspapers is one of Karma’s favorites.
Sometimes Karma-Kat can’t wait for the words to be printed. He goes directly to the source–the laptop keyboard. (Of course, it’s warm there, too…)
So, truly, why DO cats sit on books, sit on paper, sit on computers, and really sit on anything their human needs/wants to see? That’s easy.
You’re focussed on that object, staring into space for hours on end, and paying attention to that THING. Your cat simply wants you to turn your attention to more important subjects–like the cat!
So do your cats sit on books–or other objects? Do tell! Oh, and here’s an ASK AMY video with more.
I love hearing from you, so please share comments and questions. Do you have an ASK AMY question you’d like answered? Do you have a new kitten and need answers? Stay up to date on all the latest just subscribe the blog, “like” me on Facebook, and sign up for Pet Peeves newsletter. Stay up to date with the latest book giveaways and appearances related to my September Day pet-centric THRILLERS WITH BITE!
Amy Shojai, CABC is a certified cat & dog behavior consultant, a consultant to the pet industry, and the award-winning author of 35+ pet-centric books and Thrillers with Bite! Oh, and she loves bling!
Finally, this question is answered! Thank you.
Oh! On a side note to kitty keep-away… does anybody else have cats that are OBSESSED with following them to the bathroom? Almost every cat I’ve known seems to have this thing for begging for attention at a rather, ah, inconvenient time. LOL I suspect they consider it a captive audience. I always ask Simba why it is she gets all upset if you so much as glance her way when she’s on the litterbox, yet it’s perfectly okay for her to pester me when I’m on mine. I have yet to get an answer. 😉
Of course, both kitties have been trying to figure out what the heck the fascination is with that box full of wet stuff. I guess they can’t understand why humans bathe in water instead of just licking themselves like a proper animal. LOL
Hey Karyl, I wrote a column last year on the ‘bathroom buddies’ behavior: http://cats.about.com/od/askamy/a/why-do-cats-seek-attention-in-bathrooms.htm
Seren likes to stand on the outside of the shower glass door and “dig” to get inside…but she doesn’t appreciate actually getting inside with all that (yuck!) water, LOL!
Well, the coolness factor can be ruled out because our main bathroom is actually carpeted (we don’t know why either). The behavior chain is kind of a loss too, because I usually finish breakfast in the morning before being awake enough to check the cat bowls. They don’t perch on the vanity at all, just purr and wander on in and nudge for pets. LOL Only thing that makes sense is the captive audience part. I find it funny, with Simba, she wanders up and as soon as I reach for the toilet paper, she leaves. I don’t mind it, I just find it amusing that she always seems to follow me.
(on a side note, though, one of my mom’s old cats apparently crept in behind my sister and scared her when he jumped into the bathtub and started splashing around LOL)
Seren used to play in the empty bathtub all the time. I put a Ping Pong ball inside (so I didn’t have to fish it out from under furniture!) and she could bat it around all day if she wanted.
Then one day I ran water in the tub and she didn’t realize it…came running into the bathroom, leaped into the tub…and then LEVITATED out!
Some breeds love splashing in the water, like Turkish Vans and Bengals. Seren was not amused. (but I was *eg*)
Shoebee liked playing in the FULL bathtub. He also used to dip his paws in the toilet (we had to keep the lid shut) and hus water bowl.
Anubis, now he drinks from the empty bathtub. Then gets sick. *facepalm* No idea what’s so appealing about stagnant, soapy leftover bathwater… especially when they have THREE WATER BOWLS. lol
Our cats seems to like “reading” magazines and newspapers more than books. Oh, and catalogs. I mean, it has the word cat in it, so that means it’s for them, right?
We had one cat when I was a kid who was a little confused I suspect, and was not taught to read properly, for instead of sitting atop the newspaper to absorb it, she would climb under it and sleep there. Of course, this same cat also had a habit of staring for hours on end at a particular point on the wall in the hallway – a habit which we eventually assumed to be her contacting the Mother Ship to take her home to whatever planet she came from.
Ah yes, the “stare of death” — really does make you believe in ghosts (cue scary music!).
I’ve known of cats who did a run-run-run-run-leap-and-sliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiide on the newspaper, too. Different strokes. *s*
My vote still goes for aliens.
If you had known Molly, you would understand. LOL