Rebecca and Alex May have been working from home in their London apartment and have faced a dilemma that many pet owners are familiar with – a clingy cat.
Since the COVID pandemic began to spread around the world this year and more people were sent home from their offices, humans and pets alike have had to make some serious adjustments to all this time together.
And while many cats are unbothered and uninterested by the humans around them, suddenly having their space invaded all day every day has led to some anxiety issues. In fact, cats that weren’t previously clingy have grown to rely on their humans more than usual.
Of course, we love our pets, but having a furry creature attached to you while you’re trying to concentrate on something else (or while you already feel trapped) isn’t great for morale.
In order to cope, many of us have had to find creative ways to entertain our pets while we get some work done (or simply claim a moment to ourselves)!
But the Mays’ idea is one of the best we’ve seen – and now we’re scouring the house for a spare pair of pants!
The Mays certainly didn’t want Ziggy to feel unloved, but there were simply times when things needed to get done, and having a cat on their laps, in their arms, or nestled behind them was a real impediment to their work.
“Her ears go flat and her eyes go black when she thinks you’re about to sit,” May told The Dodo. “It’s almost like your lap is a target and she is straight on there whether you’re ready or not.”
And when there’s no lap to be found, she’ll improvise!
“She will sit squarely on your back or balance precariously on your arm or shoulder. She just has to be on you.”
Even when sweet Ziggy can’t find a human to be touching, she can find ways to be in the way. Cats are great like that.
Like many of us, the Mays found different ways to get Ziggy to lay on something nearby so she felt loved and secured but also allowed them a little room to breathe.
“She needs warmth and to feel protected, we think,” Rebecca May said.
Clearly, a lap was Ziggy’s favorite place to be.
That’s when Alex realized that Ziggy might not need a human lap, but just something that resembles one. So he built a fake heated lap for the cat.
When Rebecca posted his creation to Reddit, people went wild.
This isn’t a person. It’s a pair of pants stuffed with blankets with a heating pad in one of the legs above the stuffing.
He even added shoes for good effect and a pillow as a “stomach”!
We’re not sure if Ziggy thinks it’s a new friend, but she sure is willing to spend time there soaking up the warmth!
The pair had no idea their plan would work so well either – cats are unpredictable, after all.
“He thought that creating a decoy would be funny, but I don’t think he expected it to actually work,” May said of her husband’s creation. “Harley was totally uninterested, but Ziggy loved it.”
Of course, the fake lap is no stand-in for real love – and the couple admits they’re a bit creepy to leave laying around.
But when they both have busy days and need a break from being a cat bed, it’s a good option that keeps everyone happy.
What are your coping mechanisms for cat clinginess?
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