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Why does my cat jump on me?

If your cat keeps jumping on you, this post will show you a number of likely reasons why and what you can do about them.

So, why does my cat jump on me? Likely reasons why your cat jumps on you are that it wants to sit on you, it feels safer on you, it is playing, or that it wants attention from you.

There are a number of possible reasons why your cat jumps on you and it might be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are some things you can consider to help figure out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.

Why does my cat jump on me?

Below are likely reasons why your cat has been doing it and what would make them more likely.

Your cat wants to sit on you

The reason why your cat has been doing it is likely to be that it wants to sit on you. This would be more likely if it tends to jump on you more in situations such as when you are sat down on the couch.

Your cat feels safer on you

Another possible reason is that being on you makes your cat feel safer. This would be more likely if your cat tends to jump on you more when other animals are around or when there is something else that might be causing it to feel anxious.

It is playing

Your cat might also jump on you because it is playing. This would be more likely if it does it when it is full of energy and if it does it when it is playing with other things as well.

It wants attention

It could be the case that your cat has been jumping on you in order to get extra attention from you. This would be more likely if it tends to do it when you have not been giving it much attention and if you tend to give it extra attention when it does it.

Something is causing it to be fearful

Another possible cause is that your cat is trying to escape from something that is causing it to be fearful. This would be more likely if your cat jumps on you in situations such as when a dog is around.

Things to consider

Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main cause.

If your cat always jumped on you

If your cat did not always jump on you, it would help to consider what else happened when your cat first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it could be due to things such as a change in its environment that has been causing your cat to become fearful.

What is different when your cat jumps on you

It would also help to consider the timing of when your cat jumps on you. For example, if your cat does it when you are sat down on the couch, the cause is likely to be that it wants to sit on you.

What to do about your cat jumping on you

Below are some options you have when dealing with the behavior.

Give it distractions

One option would be to give your cat things to be distracted by, such as toys, when it seems likely to jump on you.

Give it somewhere else to go

Another option would be to give your cat other places where it can sit. Perhaps you could try putting a cat bed down for it to sit in.

Don’t encourage it

Another thing to do would be to avoid giving your cat things it wants when it tries to jump on you and to get it off you when it does it. Eventually, your cat should learn that jumping on you will not result in it getting rewards.

Why does my cat jump on me when I’m standing?

If your cat jumps on you when you are standing, the cause would be more likely to be that your cat feels safer on you or that there is something that it is trying to hide from.

Why does my cat jump on me in the morning?

If your cat jumps on you in the morning, the cause would be more likely to be that it is trying to get you to feed it or that it has some separation anxiety which would be more likely if your cat does not sleep in the same room as you.

Why does my cat jump on me at night?

The reason why your cat jumps on you at night could be that there is something that causes it to be anxious at night or that your cat feels more comfortable by sitting on you.

Why does my cat jump on me then run away?

If your cat jumps on you and then runs away, the cause could be that your cat is playing with you. If your cat does it when you are sitting down, the cause might be that your cat decides that it does not like the way you are petting it so it leaves.

Why does my cat jump on me in bed?

The reason why your cat jumps on you in bed is likely to be that your cat feels safer on you and that it is being affectionate.

Why does my cat jump on me then bite me?

Your cat might jump on you then bite you because it is playing or because it does not like the way you interact with it after it jumps on you.

Why does my cat jump on me after I shower?

Your cat might jump on you after you shower because it likes the way you smell, because the sound of the water was causing it to be anxious or because your cat was anxious while you were not around.