If your cat often sits under you, this post will show you a number of likely causes and what you can do about them.
So, why does my cat sit under me? Likely reasons why your cat sits under you are that it is waiting to get something from you, it feels safer there, it is being affectionate, separation anxiety, or that it just likes the spot.
There are actually a number of possible reasons why your cat sits under you 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 goes underneath you
Below are likely reasons why your cat has been doing it and what would make them more likely.
It wants food
The cause could be that it wants food from you. This would be more likely if your cat only sits underneath you before it has been fed or when it has not been fed for a while. It would also be more likely if it sits there when you are eating something that it likes such as fish. It would also be a lot more likely if it tends to do it when you are sat at the dinner table.
It might also be the case that it does it because it is waiting to get something else from you such as attention or for you to let it outside.
It feels safer
It could also be the case that your cat sits there because it feels safer. By sitting or lying under you, it will be able to shield itself slightly while having you sit above of it making it feel safer. This would be more likely if your cat tends to do it more when it might be feeling nervous such as when there are loud noises outside or other animals around.
Separation anxiety
Another cause could also be that your cat has some separation anxiety. This would be more likely if your cat sits under you regardless of where you sit and if it follows you around as well even after it has been fed.
Affection
It might also be the case that your cat does it because it is being affectionate. This would be more likely if your cat gets you to pet it, when it is sat under you, and it also purrs, kneads and rubs itself against you.
It likes the spot
It could also be the case that your cat simply likes the spot. This would be a lot more likely if your cat only sits under you when you are sit in a certain spot and it also sits there when you are not there. In this case, it could help to give it another place to sit.
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 under you
If your cat has not always sat under you, it would help to consider what else happened when it first started doing it. If it started doing it suddenly, it might be the case that it learned that the behavior gets rewarded or because something caused it to be anxious without you.
What is different when your cat does not sit under you
If your cat does not always sit under you, it would also help to consider what is different in the timing. For example, if it does not sit under you when it has already been fed, the cause would be likely to be that sits there when it is waiting for food.
What to do about your cat sitting under you
If you want to get your cat to stop doing it, below are some options you have.
Give it another place to sit
The first option would be to encourage your cat to sit somewhere else. One way to do so would be to put a cat bed where you want it to go and to put your cat there whenever it tries to sit underneath you.
Limit reasons why it might be anxious without you
It could also help to try to limit reasons why your cat might get anxious when you are not around. Ways to do so could include giving it a safe spot it can go to without you and to feed it before leaving it and to give it access to water and a litter box when you are not around.
Reward it for sitting somewhere else
It would also help to encourage your cat to elsewhere by rewarding it when it sits there and not rewarding your cat too much when it sits under you.
Let it do it
If your cat has not been behaving unusually in other ways and it seems to be doing it because it is being affectionate or it just likes the spot below where you tend to sit, another option would be to allow your cat to continue doing it.
Why does my cat sleep under me?
If your cat tends to sleep underneath you, it would be likely to be because it feels safer there and/or it has some separation anxiety. It might also be the case that it likes a particular spot below where you sit or that it does it when it is waiting for food.