2023-02-27
Working from home-something many of us could barely imagine a few years ago... Our working routine drastically changed during the last 2–3 years, as a consequence of the events that took place worldwide. All these changes have affected not only our lives but the lives of our pets as well, since changing our schedule means changing their schedule as well.
Being a pet parent, and a cat parent in particular can easily become a challenge if you need to work from home. You may find yourself in a situation, where your feline friend seems to intentionally try to hinder you from doing your job. Losing our temper and making our busy and hectic daily life even more hectic, is something we all want to avoid.
Today we will give you several tips on how to make the process of working from home more pleasant for yourself and your kitty.
Despite all the love and affection our paw friends have for us, they tend to be independent creatures, who enjoy their freedom. Preventing your cat from exploring his/her surroundings, may not end well for you-cats tend to ignore many of the rules we try to set for them. Of course, preventing your feline friend from going to potentially dangerous areas or having access to potentially dangerous food, is necessary.
Creating a cat-friendly environment means ensuring that your cat has his/her own spot to go and feel comfortable in. Cats often choose a location that is a bit higher and provides them with a good view of the entire room. Plush cloths, blankets, towels, or any soft items are likely to be preferred by your kitty as their favorite place to curl up and relax.
Scratching posts, pads, mats, or any items that your cat can use to scratch his/her crawls, are among the supplies you may want to have at home for your paw friend.
Provide your kitty with toys to play with when you are busy or engaged in some activity. Balls, mice or other animal toys, treat-dispensing toys, puzzles...there are many toys available online and in pet stores, that will keep your cat busy and entertained.
Making your home cat-friendly will motivate your feline friend to spend more time in his/her area and less time obstructing the working process.
In the same way, your cat should have his/her own personal area at home, you should have your own personal working space. Sharing it with your feline friend might seem a bit tempting, but you should not forget that putting some boundaries can be useful for both of you.
Regardless of how busy you are, you should never neglect your cat’s primary needs. Here are some tips:
Sticking to a schedule is usually recommended for different types of activities, including for the process of raising and/or training a pet. Some days can be really busy, so you may be unable to find time to have lunch, not to mention play with your cat. However, when time allows it, you may want to pay attention to your paw friend, so he/she does not feel isolated. Sometimes, cats can easily get jealous or feel neglected when they do not get the attention they need.
Also, it can be helpful for your well-being and working process, if you take small breaks, so you can relax and let your brain recharge. Playing with your cat will help you gain energy and will definitely boost your mood!
This, of course, does not mean giving your feline friend access to your computer, working files, or other work-related stuff at home... It means that you can let your cat sniff around for a few minutes, see what is going on there, and get his/her natural curiosity satisfied. Once he/she got the opportunity to investigate the surrounding, he/she is more likely to settle and let you work.
As we already mentioned in the first point, providing your cat with interesting toys is likely to keep him/her engaged during the day. Cats who are mentally and physically stimulated are less likely to become clingy and show unwanted behaviors.
If your work is related to video conferences, online meetings, and phone calls, your cat might be attracted to the different sounds that come from your working area. By putting headphones on, you will prevent your paw friend from hearing all the talking and various sounds and having the desire to explore.
As funny as it may sound, as helpful it may be... Just like with humans, sounds have a different impact on our pets as well. Certain sounds can be irritating to your cat so he/she may start misbehaving when he/she hears them. Consider using sounds for the notifications/messages you receive while you are working, that have a calming effect on your kitty. This will help both of you be calmer during working hours.
If you live in a house, your cat might start behaving disruptively when he/she wants to go outside. Make sure that your garden/backyard is cat-safe and -friendly and let your paw friend investigate. You should not forget to remove any potentially dangerous items from the garden, such as garden tools, that your kitty may get injured if trying to play with, fertilizers, chemicals, or small plastic parts that can easily get ingested by your cat (especially valid for greedy and very curious cats).
Do not let your kitty distract you. Yes, it is easy to say it compared to actually doing it... However, be realistic in your expectations of how working with your cat at home is likely to be. Instead of yelling at your kitty, and becoming angry and distracted, try to remain calm and take small breaks to give him/her attention.
It is much better to remain patient and calm, and prepare an area at home where your cat will feel comfortable and will have the opportunity to play with and chase toys, instead of losing your temper.
Also, you should keep in mind that many of your colleagues are likely to be in your situation, so they are likely to show understanding. For some people, it could be even more challenging to work from home while their children and pets are around.
Do not forget that there can always be distractions both at home and/or in your working space. Learning how to deal with these will help you remain calm and take rational decisions in various situations in your life.
