If your cat often sits just out of reach, this post will show you likely reasons why and what you can do about them.
So, why does my cat sit just out of reach? Likely reasons why your cat sits just out of reach are that it does not want to be bothered, it does not like the way you pet it, it likes a particular spot, or it thinks you do not want it to sit with you.
There are actually a number of possible reasons why your cat has been sitting just out of reach and it might be due to a combination of reasons. However, there are some things you can consider when figuring out the main cause and there are some things you can do about it.
Reasons why your cat sits just out of reach
Below are likely causes and what would make each of them more likely.
It does not want to be bothered
The cause could be that it does not want to be bothered. This would be more likely if your cat normally sits just out of reach when it wants to sleep and if it does come and rub itself against you when it is awake.
It does not like the way you pet it
Another possible cause is that it does not like the way that you pet it. This would be more likely if it quickly becomes agitated when you are petting it. In this case, it would help to consider if you have been petting it the right way. Often, you will find that cats prefer to be rubbed below the chin instead of having a full back rub. It would also help to observe its body language and stop petting it when it starts getting agitated.
It likes a particular spot
It might also be the case that your cat likes a particular spot. This would be more likely if your cat always sits in a particular spot and it even sits there when you sit close to that particular spot.
It thinks you do not want it to sit with you
Another possible cause is that your cat thinks you do not want it to sit with you. This would be more likely if your cat used to sit with you but you got annoyed with it when it sat with you or if you give your cat rewards when it sits out of reach. Instead, it would help to reward it whenever it does come near you and to be calm around it.
Things to consider
Below are some things to consider to help figure out the main reason why your cat has been doing it.
If your cat has always sat out of reach
If your cat did not always sit out of reach, it would help to consider what else happened when it stopped doing it. If it stopped doing it suddenly, it might be the case that it learned that sitting out of reach gets rewarded or that you got annoyed with it when it sat with you.
What is different when your cat does not sit out of reach
If it does not always sit out of reach, it would also help to consider what is different when it does not sit out of reach. For example, if it only does it when it goes to sleep, the cause would be more likely that it does not want to be bothered.
What to do about your cat sitting out of reach
Below are some options when dealing with the behavior.
Pet it the way it likes
One option would be to pet your cat the way it likes to be pet. Usually, cats prefer it when they are pet gently, they often don’t like their whole backs being rubbed and prefer to have then chins rubbed.
Leave it when it wants to sleep
As mentioned above, it could be the case that your cat does it because it wants to be able to sleep without being bothered. When your cat is sleeping, it would likely help to leave it alone.
Let it do it
If your cat seems to be doing it because it does not want to be bothered or because it likes the spot, another option would be to let your cat sit there and to reward your cat whenever it does interact with you.
Why does my cat sitting out of petting distance?
Your cat might sit out of petting distance for any of the reasons mentioned above, it would help to consider the timing of when your cat sits there, if it does sit close to you sometimes and it would help to be calm with it and reward it when it does sit with you.