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If you’re someone who has been working from home during the last year, you might have been spending a lot more time with your pets. Maybe you’re also someone who has decided that now is the perfect time to get a cat. You’re at home more often, so you have the time to dedicate to helping a new cat settle in. While it can be lovely to spend more time with your cat, it can also be a little inconvenient when you’re trying to work. Your cat wants your attention or at least the warmth of your office chair, but how can you balance your cat and your work?
Set Aside Time for Attention
If your cat knows that you’re around, it’s likely that they will want your attention at some point. Whether it’s begging for food just after being fed or asking for scritches, when your cat wants attention, it’s hard to ignore them. If you want to be able to get your work done, it’s important to set aside time for play, cuddles, and anything else your cat might need. It’s not always easy to ask a cat to follow a schedule that you set, but if you can feed them at set times, you can play and cuddle at set times too.
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Let Them Come and Go
Cats are famously independent. Some want more of their human’s attention than others, and some may wander more, but they want to be able to have their own space. If your cat is an outdoor cat, you don’t want to have to let them in and out of the house all the time. A microchip cat flap lets your cat come and go but can be programmed so only your own cats can get in the house. You can even use cat flaps indoors so that you can, for example, have the office door closed but still allow your cat to go in and out.
Help Them Be Near You
Cats will often simply want to be near you. They don’t necessarily need your undivided attention, but they might want to lie close to you while you’re working. If you find that your cat often tries to come and lie on your lap or across your keyboard, you might want to consider other ways to let them be close to you. A bed, cat tree, or somewhere else for them to lie while you’re working can give them somewhere to sit and watch you or sleep while you work.
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Create Safety
Making sure your home is safe is something that you should be doing anyway. But if you’ve recently set up a home office, you might need to consider some new issues. Make sure any cables are tidied away and can’t be chewed on by curious teeth. If you’re making extra noise or moving around a lot, your cat might also appreciate a quiet space to retreat to, where they can feel safe.
Working at home with cats comes with its challenges, but it can also be enjoyable. Let your cats be your assistants and you’ll all be happy.
