Office Cats: The Pros & Cons of Felines in the Workplace

Hi, I’m Christopher! Read my introduction to learn more about me and my silly Russian Blue cat, Olga.

Some companies allow employees to bring their dogs to work, but very few allow cats. Most remote workers, including my colleagues, enjoy having their felines around their home offices. Even though they leap on our keyboards, interrupt our video conferences, and attack inanimate objects, we’re lucky to spend the day with them.

Pros of Office Cats

Except for allergy sufferers, most office workers would benefit from their presence. Since cats can be unpredictable, they’ll make the workday more entertaining. Watching a cat disturb or attack everyone’s least favorite coworker will evoke laughter and improve morale.

It’s hard not to smile when you see a cat dive into the blinds or climb up a cubicle wall; you can’t have a bad day when cats run wild in the office. Sure, it might cause some to lose focus, but a few lost minutes are less detrimental to a business than a workforce of resentful, unhappy employees.

Before they can enter an office, the cats must be vaccinated, groomed, sterilized, and free of parasites, but their temperament shouldn’t disqualify them. Having a couple of aggressive or hyperactive cats can only make the office environment more intriguing.  Keeping the litter boxes clean and deciding who cleans may seem like a problem, but it’s simple to resolve.

The office manager or CEO can decide who cleans the litter boxes after they complete their employee evaluations. The worker with the lowest score can clean them every day and purchase more litter when needed. This will motivate them to work harder and eventually pass the litter scoop to another deserving caretaker.

Lastly, having cats in the office can be therapeutic. Before a big presentation, your nerves are shot, but all you need to do is grab one of the friendly cats and pet them. Their purring will relax you and give you the confidence to carry on.

Cons of Office Cats

I could write a lengthy article about the disadvantages of allowing cats in the office, but I am biased since Olga keeps me optimistic when I’m working. However, I will mention the less common reasons. Some cats enjoy attacking computer mice, and the vast number of mice in any modern office could lead to multiple injuries and worker’s comp claims.

The dress code would also cause problems. Cat owners who insist on dressing their cats up for work would eventually become resentful of the best-dressed felines, which could lead to more conflicts and meetings with the HR director. Employees may also get irritated when video chatting with clients and repeatedly hearing, “What a pretty kitty you have. What kind of cat is that?”

I would not be employed for long if I brought Olga to the office. She sleeps a lot in the morning, but her hunger pains make her impatient in the afternoon. Her Tasmanian Devil-like behavior would not be amusing to everyone.

After knocking family pictures and coffee cups off the desks, sharpening her claws on employees’ legs, and defiling the break room, she would be exiled, and I would be terminated. Luckily, I work at home and can tolerate Olga’s mischief.