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Why Cats Like Lying on Paper: 7 Explanations for Strange Behavior
18.03.2024 19:10
Cats and paper are a combination that may seem unusual, but it's actually quite natural for our purring friends.
Why do cats like to lie on paper so much? Let's figure it out.
Warm
Cats have a higher body temperature than humans, so they like warm rooms. A cat's normal body temperature is 38-39 degrees, while humans have an average body temperature of 36.6 degrees.
Finding warm spots is one way cats regulate their body temperature. The pet likes to lie on a blanket or bask in the sun.
Paper can be somewhat insulating, especially when there is a lot of it. Also, the sun or any warm object can easily warm it up, providing a warm, flat surface for your cat.
Comfort
Cats are drawn to sit and lie in places they find comfortable. This can be anything from soft blankets to rustling things like paper. Many cats like the texture of paper. Most often, a cat will lie down on paper that is lying on a hard surface.
Looks like a bed
In the wild, cats make their own bedding by scratching surfaces with their paws to remove hard objects and spread out softer materials. Domestic cats have beds and soft blankets to lie on.
However, they still exhibit some of these instincts, such as scratching a soft blanket before lying down.
Paper is one of the few things that cats can throw around relatively easily and resembles some natural materials found in nature, such as leaves.
Wants to attract attention
If your cat frequently lies down on important papers, it may be doing so solely to attract attention.
If a man regularly chases her off the paper, she will quickly realize that this can make him pay more attention to her.
Cats have a poor sense of difference between positive and negative attention. Even if a person is not particularly pleased with the cat lying on the paper, the cat does not understand this. For the cat, any attention is good.
Interesting
Cats are extremely curious creatures. They may regularly do something solely because it is interesting and new.
Most cats will not sit on paper for long. When they do, it may be because it is different from what they are used to lying on. The cat may like the interesting texture of the paper and the sound it makes when it lies down.
Confused with a box
Cats love boxes because they prefer enclosed spaces that provide security. In the wild, cats spend most of their time hiding in small spaces where predators can't get to them.
Cats don't really know what a box is. Research has shown that cats like to sit in "fake" boxes, which are simply a sheet of paper on the ground. The small size of the paper compared to the large floor makes the cat think it's a safe space, even if it's not, from a human perspective.
When a cat sits on a piece of paper, it may be because it thinks it is a safe place to rest, just like a box.
Designation of territory
Cats have several scent glands that allow them to "claim" things. Humans can't smell the pheromones these glands release, but other cats can.
Even if there is only one cat in the house, it may rub against objects to spread its pheromones.
When a cat sits on an object, its scent is transferred to it. When a person brings something new, such as a piece of paper, the cat may decide that it is important to claim this strange object that it has not claimed before. However, cats do not usually sit on things, preferring to rub against them.
Previously, we wrote about what to do if a hamster prevents you from sleeping at night.
