# My cat sleeps on my new computer. Should I move it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 30, 2005, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550 "2005-06-30T17:27:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aguecheek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Aguecheek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aguecheek)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/1 "2005-06-30T17:27:41Z")
So we got us a new computer, and new DSL (woo!) and are having a wonderful time. As is the cat. She has found that it’s nice ‘n’ warm and she gets to sit right next to me, without having to move every five seconds if she’s on my lap. This concerns me. There are no vents on the top of the computer, so I’m not worried about hair getting into all the gubbins, but I am a tad worried about overheating. Should I be? I could move the computer, but where it is right now is about the most convenient spot. Desktop is too small, anywhere else will make it difficult to plug in USBs/printers, etc. Thanks in advance for your humble thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/2 "2005-06-30T17:32:43Z")
> [@Aguecheek](#): > > So we got us a new computer, and new DSL (woo!) and are having a wonderful time. > > As is the cat. She has found that it’s nice ‘n’ warm and she gets to sit right next to me, without having to move every five seconds if she’s on my lap. This concerns me. > > There are no vents on the top of the computer, so I’m not worried about hair getting into all the gubbins, but I am a tad worried about overheating. > > Should I be? I could move the computer, but where it is right now is about the most convenient spot. Desktop is too small, anywhere else will make it difficult to plug in USBs/printers, etc. > > Thanks in advance for your humble thoughts. You probably should do something. I have to keep my box on the floor under the desk, and although usually keep our two cats away from it, their hair is **everywhere**. Therefore, I find the intakes often get clogged with hare as well as the grills outside the fans. I just open the box every couple of weeks and clean it out, but am sure it is not doing the cooling system any good. You can, of course, always make a little jump suit for your cat. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/3 "2005-06-30T17:46:39Z")
The computer has a fan (or several) in the back and air vents on the side/front, right? As long as these aren’t blocked, I wouldn’t worry about it. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/4 "2005-06-30T17:52:35Z")
I meant I wouldn’t worry about overheating as a direct result. **KlondikeGeoff** ’s point is valid. It won’t hurt to open up the case once in a while and blow away any accumulated hair (and dust) with canned air. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/5 "2005-06-30T18:11:34Z")
> [@KlondikeGeoff](#): > > Therefore, I find the intakes often get clogged with \*\*hare \*\* as well as the grills outside the fans. (bolding mine) There’s a good bunny joke in here somewhere, but darned if I can find it. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/6 "2005-06-30T18:15:27Z")
Man! I have two cats that do this all the time. I hope I’m not creating “The Hairball That Ate Chicago”. ---
**Author:** ![DeadlyAccurate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/7 "2005-06-30T18:28:49Z")
Both my cats like the tops of my monitors and one likes the top of my husband’s computer. They don’t generate enough body heat to affect your computers as long as you have good intake and outtake fans going. ---
**Author:** ![Aguecheek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Aguecheek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aguecheek)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/8 "2005-06-30T18:39:46Z")
Open it up and sweep it out periodically. Check. Kitty’s too small to overheat the thing, so let her sleep where she damn well pleases. Check. Thanks guys! And **KlondikeGeoff** , I have enough trouble putting her in a collar. A jumpsuit would cost me my hands. Although if you could send me one of those hares that seems to be running rampant around your place, I might be able to distract her…😉 ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/9 "2005-06-30T18:53:56Z")
You’ve said that there are no vents on the top of your PC. Therefore there will be no cat hair. Your problem is that the cooling effect of the top surface is decreased, and if the cat’s [body temperature](http://www.thepetcenter.com/exa/nv.html) is greater than the computer’s, your top surface will be an internal radiator. I wouldn’t worry too much. ---
**Author:** ![Cemetery\_Savior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/439d5e/32.png) [@Cemetery\_Savior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cemetery_Savior)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/10 "2005-06-30T18:54:31Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > Man! I have two cats that do this all the time. I hope I’m not creating “The Hairball That Ate Chicago”. Er, please get the hair cleaned out. If it’s a big enough hairball, it might reach out here to the 'burbs. I fear hair. ---
**Author:** ![New\_Beginning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@New\_Beginning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Beginning)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/11 "2005-06-30T19:22:12Z")
My cat kept sitting and sleeping on my computer… This was particularly a problem because my computer vents through the top… My solution was to place little things on top of it in strategic positions until it was just too much of a bother for the cat to sit on it: ``` http://www.orbit.org/photos/2005-03-16%20-%20Kitnix/CRW_2493.jpg ``` 🙂 (That’s before getting enough stuff on there). ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/12 "2005-06-30T20:27:29Z")
A: Opening up your computer for periodic cleaning is a good idea, cats or no cats. Especially if you smoke. B: I for one would like a nice picture of kitty sleeping on compy. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/13 "2005-06-30T20:51:00Z")
> [@Anaamika](#): > > Originally Posted by KlondikeGeoff > Therefore, I find the intakes often get clogged with hare as well as the grills outside the fans. > (bolding mine) > > There’s a good bunny joke in here somewhere, but darned if I can find it. Sounds like a lazy cat if it’s sleeping where the computer is all infested with hare! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2005, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/14 "2005-06-30T21:26:48Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > You’ve said that there are no vents on the top of your PC. **Therefore there will be no cat hair.** Your problem is that the cooling effect of the top surface is decreased, and if the cat’s [body temperature](http://www.thepetcenter.com/exa/nv.html) is greater than the computer’s, your top surface will be an internal radiator. > > I wouldn’t worry too much. Um, you’ve never actually had a cat, have you? ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/15 "2005-07-01T00:34:24Z")
Is it a Linux machine? You could try cat \> /dev/null. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/16 "2005-07-01T22:28:30Z")
> [@tremorviolet](#): > > Um, you’ve never actually had a cat, have you? Actually, I’ve lived with several. The OP stated that there were no vents on top. ---
**Author:** ![KlondikeGeoff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3e96dc/32.png) [@KlondikeGeoff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KlondikeGeoff)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/17 "2005-07-01T23:08:40Z")
> [@Aguecheek](#): > > And **KlondikeGeoff** , I have enough trouble putting her in a collar. A jumpsuit would cost me my hands. Although if you could send me one of those hares that seems to be running rampant around your place, I might be able to distract her…😉 OK, OK, i’ll never live down the “hare” thing. Even if we had a spell checker, it would have squeezed by. Oh well, hare today, gone tomorrow. Final advice: trade in your cat for a hairless model. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2005, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/18 "2005-07-02T19:27:11Z")
you’re all busy making calculations of temperature rises and size of hairballs—but you’re forgetting the really important issue here: calculating the cuteness ratio. Ain’t you never learned to appreciate cats? ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2005, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/19 "2005-07-02T19:54:28Z")
Q: My cat sleeps on my new computer. Should I move it? Answer courtesy of Catbert: Sure, provided you don’t disturb the sleeping cat. ---
**Author:** ![Rico](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rico/32/3582_2.png) [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2005, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-cat-sleeps-on-my-new-computer-should-i-move-it/310550/20 "2005-07-03T01:03:45Z")
A quick story about my days of working for KSLY-AM/San Luis Obispo, CA (published on [440.com](http://www.440.com)) > [@](#): > > One night I was on the air, and our huge orange cat the station had adopted, Sly, was sleeping in his usual place on top of the triple stack cartridge playback deck. About 4:30 AM, the deck went dead with an excruciating wow-down. I quickly grabbed one of our few remaining vinyl records (we only had one turntable left) and started to keep the show going with one turntable, talking between every record and cueing by sight. In the meantime, I was frantically on the phone to our engineer, who said he’d be right down. He got there, took the back off the cart deck, and started pulling handfuls of orange cat hair out of the motor! Needless to say, he posted a HUGE note stating that Sly (the cat) was not allowed to sleep on the cart deck any more! Poor kitty - we really had to keep our eyes out so he wouldn’t get up there. Good luck with Kitty and your computer!