# Why do cats like to sit on paper? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 18, 2008, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066 "2008-02-18T05:00:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![brownsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ad7895/32.png) [@brownsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brownsfan)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/21 "2008-02-18T17:18:51Z")
[QUOTE=sandra\_nz] Slight hijack, but speaking of weird cat behaviour… if anyone can explain to me why my cat, having spent several agreeable hours with me downstairs, decides to go upstairs on her own volition and then, 30 minutes later, goes into a yowling frenzy which is only alleviated when I myself go upstairs and show her my face, I’d be most grateful. [/QUOTE] Well, they _are_ weird, if that helps. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/22 "2008-02-18T18:34:47Z")
I’ve read, somewhere, that it’s not sitting ON the paper or whatever, it’s sitting on a boundary between one thing and another. Notice that they are rarely in the middle of the paper. This supposedly has an increased camouflage effect in the wild, and is thus hard-wired, like the compulsion to chase small moving objects. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/23 "2008-02-18T19:10:34Z")
I’m afraid you are ALL wrong. Cats do not just sit on paper, they sit on paper that they believe is important to YOU, in order to divert attention back to themselves. Try this one at home: put a piece of paper in the middle of the living room floor and ignore it. Most cats will ignore it too. Now sit down and act like you are reading this paper: BAM, instant cat magnet. This also works for other items that humans pay attention to when they could be paying attention to cats, such as laptop computers. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/24 "2008-02-18T19:14:23Z")
[QUOTE=MLS] I’ve read, somewhere, that it’s not sitting ON the paper or whatever, it’s sitting on a boundary between one thing and another. Notice that they are rarely in the middle of the paper. This supposedly has an increased camouflage effect in the wild, and is thus hard-wired, like the compulsion to chase small moving objects. [/QUOTE] Every cat I’ve ever known, has had to sit _exactly_ in the center of the paper. Not at the edge. This, I can only presume, is because the cat realizes that this will be most disruptive to the biped’s efforts to _read_ the paper, thus making the cat the center of the biped’s attention, and to the cat, restoring the natural order to the universe. It is also why they find computer monitors so attractive. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/25 "2008-02-18T19:15:46Z")
[QUOTE=CynicalGabe] I’m afraid you are ALL wrong. Cats do not just sit on paper, they sit on paper that they believe is important to YOU, in order to divert attention back to themselves. Try this one at home: put a piece of paper in the middle of the living room floor and ignore it. Most cats will ignore it too. Now sit down and act like you are reading this paper: BAM, instant cat magnet. This also works for other items that humans pay attention to when they could be paying attention to cats, such as laptop computers. [/QUOTE] [Chris Griffin] Get out of my head! [/CG] ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/26 "2008-02-18T19:24:09Z")
Dewey and Eddles sit in the middle of the paper or plastic bag, and it makes no difference if it’s important to me or not. Last night Eddles dragged a plastic bag out from under a chair to sit on it. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/27 "2008-02-18T19:38:40Z")
[QUOTE=CynicalGabe] I’m afraid you are ALL wrong. Cats do not just sit on paper, they sit on paper that they believe is important to YOU, in order to divert attention back to themselves. Try this one at home: put a piece of paper in the middle of the living room floor and ignore it. Most cats will ignore it too. Now sit down and act like you are reading this paper: BAM, instant cat magnet. This also works for other items that humans pay attention to when they could be paying attention to cats, such as laptop computers. [/QUOTE] I’m with this; cats like to lay on whatever you’re currently focusing your attention on. I can leave a book open or papers strewn on the table all day, but as soon as I try to read said book or work on said papers, the cats absolutely have to lay on them. Same goes for the laptop. ---
**Author:** ![Pullet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Pullet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pullet)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/28 "2008-02-18T19:50:11Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] My girl cat is a fiend for bag-licking too. I asked about it a while back and consensus around here was that she was attracted to the beef tallow used in the manufacturing process. [/quote] Nah, it’s just something to do. I have a cat who **loves** to lick towels that have rubbing alcohol. The other cats think it’s poison. [QUOTE=Otto] Recently the girl has gotten very interested in the apartment door. She sits at it and yowls and _yowls_ and **yowls** until I open it so she can go into the hallway for three seconds and then come back in. [/QUOTE] Cool! She taught you to do a trick! Cats are weird. Any deeper inquiries will attract the attention of the Fuzz Butt Overlords. You have been warned. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/29 "2008-02-18T20:40:27Z")
[QUOTE=sandra\_nz] Slight hijack, but speaking of weird cat behaviour… if anyone can explain to me why my cat, having spent several agreeable hours with me downstairs, decides to go upstairs on her own volition and then, 30 minutes later, goes into a yowling frenzy which is only alleviated when I myself go upstairs and show her my face, I’d be most grateful. [/QUOTE] My cat has this problem v.bad, will go into yowling fits all the time. My cat is quite old (almost 17 yrs old), but otherwise in good health. Took her to the vets today, who thinks it might be to do with a thyroid problem. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/30 "2008-02-18T20:43:21Z")
FTR my cat isn’t obsessed with paper, but will sit on it if it’s the floor in preference to the floor itself. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/31 "2008-02-18T20:46:44Z")
[QUOTE=These are my own pants] My cat has this problem v.bad, will go into yowling fits all the time. My cat is quite old (almost 17 yrs old), but otherwise in good health. Took her to the vets today, who thinks it might be to do with a thyroid problem. [/QUOTE] Our 15-year old started getting very restless, and started vomiting up her food on a daily basis. Sure enough, it’s a thyroid problem. On the plus side, though, the medicine they give you nowadays is dispensed as a gel from a dosage pen and rubbed inside the cat’s ear. Cured the problem very quickly. Just avoid getting it on you. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/32 "2008-02-18T20:51:13Z")
[QUOTE=Chefguy] Our 15-year old started getting very restless, and started vomiting up her food on a daily basis. Sure enough, it’s a thyroid problem. On the plus side, though, the medicine they give you nowadays is dispensed as a gel from a dosage pen and rubbed inside the cat’s ear. Cured the problem very quickly. Just avoid getting it on you. [/QUOTE] That is good to know, my cat has been driving everyone crazy recently. We had attributed it to old age. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/33 "2008-02-18T21:54:09Z")
[QUOTE=These are my own pants] That is good to know, my cat has been driving everyone crazy recently. We had attributed it to old age. [/QUOTE] Your vet should have taken a blood sample. Hyperthyroidism can lead to worse problems if not treated. Of course, it can also just be a symptom of something more serious. ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2008, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/34 "2008-02-18T23:58:10Z")
i think it is the crinkly noise of the paper and plastic. cats love the crinkly prey noise. ---
**Author:** ![ulpilotrmh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f14d63/32.png) [@ulpilotrmh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ulpilotrmh)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/35 "2008-02-19T00:37:23Z")
[QUOTE=WF Tomba] Though they sometimes seem particularly drawn to papers that people are trying to read, cats seem to enjoy sitting on any kind of paper. Why? [/QUOTE] Hobbes, a boy cat will sit on any paper or plastic, so long as it’s on a hard surface. like the tile floor or counter top. Put the paper on the sofa or carpet, he’ll ignore it, unless it’s something I’m reading or working with. Then he’s all over it. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/36 "2008-02-19T00:54:21Z")
My cat also loves paper, but even more weirdly… he appears to have a leather fetish. Evidence: • If you’re wearing leather shoes, especially anything in the beach sandal/birkenstock family, he will patiently wait for you to take your shoes off so he can jam his head into the toes and roll around in your foot stank. When he’s got all your foot sweat rubbed all up in his face, he will sit on your shoes, “kneading biscuits” with his feets, purring like a lawnmower. • If you wear anything leather, like a jacket, take it off and lay it down, it will immediately become his BFF. See, “biscuit kneading” and “lawnmower purring.” • I bought a leather chair from Target. It’s his now. • My leather portfolio thingy? Shredded to leathery bits from all the kneading. Seriously, I think my cat is hiding his mask, whip and trapeze and he dominates the dogz while I’m at work. They do seem to do what he tells them to do… ---
**Author:** ![hotcoldhot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/58f4c7/32.png) [@hotcoldhot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hotcoldhot)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/37 "2008-02-19T01:31:52Z")
I think it’s the noise, my kitty won’t give a hoot about paper, but if I crumple it or step on it, or flip the cat runs over to investigate. She loves to play hockey with crumpled up paper. Or play hockey with Lincoln Logs in the utility room. That is why cat’s like keyboards, they make noise and move ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/38 "2008-02-19T01:39:42Z")
[QUOTE=Dogzilla] My cat also loves paper, but even more weirdly… he appears to have a leather fetish. Evidence: • If you’re wearing leather shoes, especially anything in the beach sandal/birkenstock family, he will patiently wait for you to take your shoes off so he can jam his head into the toes and roll around in your foot stank. When he’s got all your foot sweat rubbed all up in his face, he will sit on your shoes, “kneading biscuits” with his feets, purring like a lawnmower. • If you wear anything leather, like a jacket, take it off and lay it down, it will immediately become his BFF. See, “biscuit kneading” and “lawnmower purring.” • I bought a leather chair from Target. It’s his now. • My leather portfolio thingy? Shredded to leathery bits from all the kneading. Seriously, I think my cat is hiding his mask, whip and trapeze and he dominates the dogz while I’m at work. They do seem to do what he tells them to do… [/QUOTE] I’m going to need a video for um… national security… er… reference er… damnit I just want to see a kittycat doing happy playful things like that! ---
**Author:** ![lizardling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f4b2a3/32.png) [@lizardling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lizardling)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/39 "2008-02-19T02:42:21Z")
[QUOTE=MLS] I’ve read, somewhere, that it’s not sitting ON the paper or whatever, it’s sitting on a boundary between one thing and another. Notice that they are rarely in the middle of the paper. This supposedly has an increased camouflage effect in the wild, and is thus hard-wired, like the compulsion to chase small moving objects. [/QUOTE] That works for me. My boy likes sitting on the boundary between carpet and tile in my condo. And they both like sitting on things – books, arms, toys, legs, what have you. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066/40 "2008-02-19T02:51:23Z")
[QUOTE=Dogzilla] My cat also loves paper, but even more weirdly… he appears to have a leather fetish. Evidence: • If you’re wearing leather shoes, especially anything in the beach sandal/birkenstock family, he will patiently wait for you to take your shoes off so he can jam his head into the toes and roll around in your foot stank. When he’s got all your foot sweat rubbed all up in his face, he will sit on your shoes, “kneading biscuits” with his feets, purring like a lawnmower. • If you wear anything leather, like a jacket, take it off and lay it down, it will immediately become his BFF. See, “biscuit kneading” and “lawnmower purring.” • I bought a leather chair from Target. It’s his now. • My leather portfolio thingy? Shredded to leathery bits from all the kneading. Seriously, I think my cat is hiding his mask, whip and trapeze and he dominates the dogz while I’m at work. They do seem to do what he tells them to do… [/QUOTE] [http://www.twolumps.net/d/20080116.html](http://www.twolumps.net/d/20080116.html) \<– Your mention of your cat’s leather fetish reminded me of this comic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-cats-like-to-sit-on-paper/438066.md?page=3)