Have you ever gone to sit down and when you pull out the chair, your cat lifts his head and looks up at you with sleepy eyes? Guess what! It looks like your favorite chair is his too. Why is that?
You picked your chair because it is comfy for you, but your cat is not your size at all. Maybe you like the chair because it is convenient to see the TV or close to a table that you can set your drink on. Your cat does not care as much about these conveniences, so these are probably less important reasons to him.
Your cat most likely prefers the chair that you routinely choose because it is filled with your scent. It might even have a depression in it where you and your family sit regularly that is just right for your cat to curl up into. Cats mark areas that are safe with their own scents when they rub their faces on things. This scent message is something your cat understands. Your favorite chair is covered in your own scent and your cat feels that you have personally marked it as “safe”. If you have recently been in your chair, it is still warm and cats love soft and warm places.
Why does your cat need to feel safe?
Cats know that they are relatively small and vulnerable in the scheme of things for the animal world. Though she is a hunter by nature, she knows that she could also be prey, so for her rest areas, she will choose spots that are defensible and safe. It is wise for animals to choose defensible spots when they rest and let down their guard. Chairs often have backs on them so that your cat knows that she only has to defend the front and sides and the chair “has her back”.
Feeling surrounded and safe allows your cat to relax. He does not have to worry about something sneaking up from behind. He can sleep in this familiar protected spot, secure that nothing will creep up from behind. Plus he knows from the scent that you and your family have deemed the area safe and it is an established part of your family territory.
We all know that once a cat is curled up in our chair, we must find a new spot to sit because no one wants to disturb a sleeping cat!
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