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Why does my cat sit under my desk?

If your cat tends to sit underneath your desk, this post will show you why and what you can do about it.

So, why does my cat sit under my desk? Likely reasons why your cat sits under your desk are that it wants food, it feels safer there, separation anxiety, it wants attention or that it simply likes the spot.

Your cat might sit under your desk for a number of reasons and it could be due to a combination of them. 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 under your desk

Below are possible causes 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 there 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 feels safer

It could also be the case that it sits there because it feels safer. By sitting under the desk, it will be able to shield itself from the sides and back while having you sit in front 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

The cause could also be that your cat has some separation anxiety. This would be more likely if your cat only sits under your desk when you are there and if it follows you to other places as well.

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 there, 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 also sits there when you are not sat at your desk. 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 your desk

If your cat did not always sit under your desk, 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 your desk

If your cat does not always sit under your desk, it would also help to consider what is different in the timing. For example, if it does not sit there 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 your desk

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

Give it another place to sit

One 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 under your desk.

Limit reasons why it might be anxious without you

It would 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 sit somewhere else by rewarding it when it sits there and not rewarding your cat too much when it sits under your desk.

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, another option would be to allow your cat to continue doing it.