If you’ve ever been owned by a cat, you’ll know what a charming pest a cat can be. Bored cats and the desks of busy people are (a) inevitably going to come together at some point, if there’s a cat in the house, and (b) not always a wonderful thing for productivity.
My own habit of obsessively hitting the Save button comes directly from an Important Life Lesson taught to me years ago by a fluffy grey tom named Jasper: A quick trip to the loo, then I stepped back into my home office to see Jasper bathing himself elegantly on my keyboard, one fluffy paw planted firmly on the Delete key. Amazing, how fast that cursor raced backwards and up the screen. And simple astounding, how quickly the screen went blank when the cat shifted round at my yell, successfully quitting the program before I could lunge across the room. Gone, the work of a hard three hours — all gone!
Ever since, and to this very day (although this is currently a dogs-only household, and the desk is my own once more) I save-save-save-save-save as if racking up high score on some Video Game of Life. So, a bad cat incident gave me a good habit, I guess… but something like this Cat Perch box (at The Refined Feline, via a comment at Matt Cutts‘ blog) would have come in handy. Apparently it works for chihuahuas and other tiny dogs (under 20 lbs.) too.
Maine Coon cat don’t like such improvement as a special bought desk for him. It’s more easily and comfortable to him just to lay on carpet or try to jump on top of bed…
But, he is going to eat on that desk. Changed everything :-(
@Ken, isn’t there a charity that sells paintings by a horse or a chimpanzee or something? Why not turn your talented (and motivated) Girls onto PhotoShop? A touch of catnip on the ‘puter mouse, and you never know what kitty treats might be inspired!
I had a short deadline-induced fantasy one day of dressing up the computer mouse look like a toy mouse so that the Girls could make art by playing with their toy…
Cat’s are amazing, two sisters are currently running our house. Claudia is right on… somehow kitties fancy themselves literary lions and wish to create on the keyboard. Jen- I wonder about giving them a keyboard that’s not in use as a toy. I think the Girls might find it patronizing and be forced to teach me a lesson…
What a great idea! I am constantly having to tell my female cat no to getting in my lap while at the computer and my very overweight male has to plant himself right on top of the pile of paperwork I am dealing with next to my monitor…this could come in very handy!
@Simonne – sounds like you have one of those contrary critters who will do the exact opposite of what you want, every time. We had one cat who was determined to ignore all comfy cushions in favour of sleeping in the dish drainer rack. Go figure.
@Claudia, great! Finally – something to do with an oldl busted keyboard. Cat toy!
@Mary Emma, you bring up a good point: do you suppose someone makes desktop seats for small helpful children?
@Blaine, you’ve done it now! – you’ve *almost* made me want to adopt another cat. I have fond memories of a certain Maine Cooon Cat I knew many many years ago… a great huge Guard Cat full of personality… Of course, my erhem fondness for the cat’s owner may have swayed my judgment on it just a tad! ;) And by the way, are you sure your mother’s cat isn’t actually a bobcat? Or possibly a tiger in tabby disguise?
@Celine, ouch! I feel your computer-crash pain!
@kayellen – ah, this is how we Live And Learn! :)
Oh so sorry to hear your work was deleted. My cat loves to lay on my keyboard also.
Great idea about the perch…Don’t know if my cat Napoleon would stay in it…worth a try!
Thanks for sharing!
KayEllen
My husband will love your cat story! I installed a keyboard holder that slides underneath the desk when I am not around. I also have a cozy glider/rocker in my home office that my cat prefers to the keyboard.
I learned to save as I go after I lost a bunch of files at another job.
I save constantly at this job because my work computer has crashed twice since I have been at this job. What I had not planned for was the loss of my outlook address book and messages. I am getting up to speed on how to back up these files.
What I have learned: you can never overdo back ups!
I sent a link to this article to my mother, who constantly has to fight with her cat to get any work done. I doubt that the company makes beds large enough for her cat though – she’s a pure bred Maine Coon and is a little overweight – nose to tail she is about 5 feet long.
Good idea. I’ve had small children sitting on my lap, reach out and hit buttons that deleted my work. But not a pet. There’s something about computer keyboards that attracts them all!
Why don’t they make a cat keyboard, since that’s where MY cats seem to want to lay. ;)
(the captcha for today is streetlady, what do you think they are trying to tell me??)
This is a great idea. However, I very much doubt that the little monster will just sit there, without anymore unfinished e-mails sending. My cat loves to sit in front of the monitor, so I’m obliged to look at her, and not at the screen. And of course, stepping on the keyboard is the greatest fun ever, when you’re a cat.