Now this is very, very rare! And I gather from you-tube and cat discussions, not only in our house! I love my sweet Ava who has decided she can get a lap cuddle while I'm typing this, AND she is totally content (read not trying to 'help' me, causing unreadable guff, deletions or computer crashes!) What can I say? She is my sweet girl.
Kato on the other hand is most 'in your face' about your face being glued to a screen. I believe they think we are doing nothing - and why are we not giving our attention to them, when they're so much more interesting than nothing?
On several memorable occasions when husband-man was playing PS3, Kato has been very direct about his frustration. He starts with meows, pacing and leg rubs. Then he blocks the screen with his body, moving to obscure it and counter every squirm of the struggling-to-see human. Then he bats at the hand controls. And then he bites the controller, trying to pull it away while also batting away the human hands. He finally progresses to climbing onto the lap, puts his front legs on human shoulders and his face centimetres from the human's. In this position, Kato opens his mouth for the loudest, longest vocalisation in cat history! Right at that non-functioning human! Kudos to Kato - he is far more successful than I at getting husband man off that darn thing. So sometimes, I don't mind at all that our cats hate 'human face to screen' practices.
But there are other times when we need to be at that screen for work. I have found the best tactics to satisfy their need for attention is to give them some. Just 10mins is a small portion of time traded for a far longer uninterrupted work session. Then there is the trick of setting out a 'viewing' platform, or a sleeping spot next to what you are doing. Somehow they understand that it is their spot, and the keyboard and screen is our spot - although a few gentle repositionings may be needed. Kato regularly comes onto my computer table now when I am working, nosing around and looking at me - he is asking for his 'bed' next to the computer. So I dutifully lay out one of my jumpers and we happily co-exist, while still including each other.
Kato on the other hand is most 'in your face' about your face being glued to a screen. I believe they think we are doing nothing - and why are we not giving our attention to them, when they're so much more interesting than nothing?
On several memorable occasions when husband-man was playing PS3, Kato has been very direct about his frustration. He starts with meows, pacing and leg rubs. Then he blocks the screen with his body, moving to obscure it and counter every squirm of the struggling-to-see human. Then he bats at the hand controls. And then he bites the controller, trying to pull it away while also batting away the human hands. He finally progresses to climbing onto the lap, puts his front legs on human shoulders and his face centimetres from the human's. In this position, Kato opens his mouth for the loudest, longest vocalisation in cat history! Right at that non-functioning human! Kudos to Kato - he is far more successful than I at getting husband man off that darn thing. So sometimes, I don't mind at all that our cats hate 'human face to screen' practices.
But there are other times when we need to be at that screen for work. I have found the best tactics to satisfy their need for attention is to give them some. Just 10mins is a small portion of time traded for a far longer uninterrupted work session. Then there is the trick of setting out a 'viewing' platform, or a sleeping spot next to what you are doing. Somehow they understand that it is their spot, and the keyboard and screen is our spot - although a few gentle repositionings may be needed. Kato regularly comes onto my computer table now when I am working, nosing around and looking at me - he is asking for his 'bed' next to the computer. So I dutifully lay out one of my jumpers and we happily co-exist, while still including each other.