When you’ve got cats, you get used to them wanting to be part of pretty much everything you do. But to accommodate feline needs, cat parents have to get creative. After all, it’s not easy to get things done with a cat in your lap or acting as a shadow. And if they’re in a singing mood, the melody of meow certainly doesn’t help you concentrate on whatever task is at hand.
There’s one particular thing most cats seem to enjoy, as evidenced by a 2020 TikTok trend, and that’s laying on the laptop while you’re trying to work. With 2020 closures and lockdowns, a good majority of the world started working and schooling from home, and the cats loved it! The laptops now belonged to them, as well as the lion’s share of our attention.
TikTok user @bestcoastbaby offered a reason behind the laptop stealing, “So, I read on the internet that cats get on your laptop because they’re mirroring you, and so if you get them their own laptop, they’ll leave you alone.”
She then shows us a shot of her little businessman on his own computer!
But do cats really sit on laptops to mirror their humans?
Mirroring Behavior or Seeking Attention
The science behind this thought hasn’t been definitively proven. However, according to Dr. Kristyn Vitale, an animal behavior and cognition expert with the Oregon State University Human-Animal Interaction Lab, cats do have the brainpower for mimicking us. Still, there are probably a few different reasons cats choose to sit on our computers.
“Some cats may sit on the laptop to be closer to their owner, while other cats may sit on the laptop because it is warm or for some other reason. Every cat is an individual, so we cannot assume that all cats engage in this behavior for the same reason.”
So, while we may never know the real reason cats choose our laptops as lounging spots, cat lovers are still shooing kitties off keyboards. Just like Mishi the cat‘s parents.
Mishi’s Mini Laptop
Mishi loves a good laptop, constantly sprawling out over her parent’s keyboard. But with dad, Joshe, trying to do schoolwork, the silly gray cat needed to find another place to perch. Mishi’s humans decided to follow social media’s advice and give their sweet cat her own laptop. But they went about it in a mini-way.
They made Mishi her very own mini Macbook where she could handle all her cat business. It turns out she was quite the fan. Video reveals the cute cat with her laptop and her dad with his. Another win for solving cat conundrums with creativity!
@mishidetalca Así con las clases online con Joshe. #cat #macbook #catsoftiktok #mishi #chile #talca #bussinessman #class #school #zoom #cute #viral #fyp #gato #fy
H/T: www.unilad.co.uk
Feature Image: @mishidetalca/TikTok