Why Does My Cat Sit In My Chair? 5 Vet-Approved Likely Reasons & Prevention Ideas

Have you recently noticed that your furry companion has hijacked your chair? Every time you walk into a room, they are sitting in the seat of your chair or up on the back. This might be an odd behavior to you, and you could be wondering why they're doing it.

Perhaps you just want to decode cat language, or you want to prevent them from taking your spot. In this article, we will explore the different reasons your cat might find your chair to be the most relaxing spot in the house, and ways you can protect your furniture.

The 5 Likely Reasons Why Your Cat Sits on Your Chair

1. It Smells Like You

Keep in mind that our cats’ sense of smell is so much stronger than ours. They are well aware of our personal scent. This is one of the ways cats connect with us and get to know us better.

If our chair is covered in our scent because it is a place we sit very frequently, it’s only natural that your cat would want to feel closer to you by being surrounded by your smell. This is also why many cats like to sleep on your pillows, laundry, and blankets.

2. They’re “Claiming” You

It's no secret that our cats are obsessed with claiming us. The action of bunting, where our cats press their forehead into us, is also a form of scent marking. They are sending their scent to you so that other cats or animals around know that you are already taken.

Similarly, your cat might be hijacking your chair because they want any other animal in the house to know that you are their human.

3. It Feels Safe

If your chair smells like you, they might feel totally safe inside. The reason is pretty simple—you make them feel safe! So, it's only natural that this could turn into a totally stress-free zone for your little pal.

4. It’s Comfortable

If you have a big, plush La-Z-Boy, you might have the coziest spot in the house. It’s no wonder that your cat would want to test out your impeccable fabric structure. After all, they love lounging in royalty.

So, it could simply be that your cat finds a spot extremely relaxing, using it for a top-notch napping spot.

5. They Feel Protected

If your chair has a back and arms around it, your cat might feel cradled inside of the chair. Mini cats love to hide in boxes, use cat caves, and hide underneath beds. They love protection and coverage around them, especially when they're sleeping, and your chair could give them that same feeling of protection.

Ways to Protect Your Chair from Your Cat

It can be totally fine sharing your chair with your buddy. But what if they claw it up or leave fur all over the fabric? Here are some ideas on how to protect this beloved piece of furniture.

Get a Chair Cover

If you are cool and compatible, you can get a special chair cover to fit over the top of the fabric. That way, it provides a good layer between your cat and the material. You won't have to worry about cat hair, debris, litter tracking, or anything else that might come with your cat sleeping in your spot.

Chair covers are relatively inexpensive, and you can get many designs and fabrics. If you don't want to buy an official cover, you can always cover up your seat with a large enough blanket.

Place a Blanket in the Seat

If you don’t feel the need to cover the entire chair, you can always fold up a blanket and put it on the seat. That way, when your cat is napping, any of her fur material will go onto the blanket, and not into the cracks of your seats.

Put a Cat Bed in the Seat

If you have an extra cat bed, or your kitty has one that is super portable, you can always place it into the seat when you get up to go to other things. That way, they can come to take little naps whenever they want.

Put Guards Up to Prevent Scratches

If your cat is frequently hanging out on your chair, they might be causing other damage. If they decide to sharpen their claws on your fabric, it can be costly to clean and sometimes impossible to repair.

Companies make products that explicitly protect our belongings from damage by pets, protecting cat owners from destruction. Also, you can make some DIY protections or buy some and put them around the house to create restricted areas for your cat. You simply have to find what works best for you!

Conclusion

If you need to battle for true ownership of the chair, you two will have to rock-paper-scissors for it. But the reality is, your cat probably wants to share it with you because it’s a way to bond. This is your chair, so naturally it’s where they want to be. Some cats might want to have a duel to see who the champion of the chair is, but most of the time, they’re there because of your smells and the safety and comfort that you provide.

Featured Image Credit: Daria Minaeva, Shutterstock