Ever left a piece of paper on the floor only to find your kitty sitting on a few minutes later when there are plenty of more comfortable places for them to sit?
I thought so. It’s happened to almost all cat owners, me included.
But, why do cats lay on paper? – Or just about anything else out of the ordinary left on the floor even when it doesn’t look comfortable.
There are a few reasons for this behavior as I will explain:
Why Do Cats Lay on Paper? (Here Are 5 Reasons)
To Satisfy Their Curiosity
Cats are curious animals, which is why they will investigate anything new in the home. Climb in boxes, sit on pieces of paper…. And so on.
A piece of paper will catch their eye as even a standard piece of A4 is quite big for them. You will typically see them sniff it first and act with a little caution, before prompting sitting or laying on it.
They Want Your Attention
Cats do a wide range of things to get the attention of their owners. Such as zig-zagging in front of you, licking you, nudging you, meowing, and so on.
Laying on a piece of paper is the perfect way to get your attention. They just seem to know that the more important the paper to you, the quicker they go and lay on it, right?
Is it Warmer Than the Floor?
Do you have a wooden or tiled floor? Maybe that piece of paper is providing your cat with something a little warmer to sit on.
I know this works for my cats and our heated floor in the conservatory. There are certain spots on the floor that are warmer than others and I know I will find one of my cats on one of the spots.
They Are Leaving Their Scent
Cats are always marking items with their scent, we just don’t notice most of the time. They do this to mark objects as ‘theirs’, and let other cats know they have been there.
Something new like a piece of paper or newspaper turning up that they haven’t marked yet is perfect, and they might as well stay put on it while there are there!
They Like the Sound and Feel of Paper
Almost all cats will investigate something new, that’s just their curious nature. Some will like the feel and noise paper makes and this will be reason enough for them to sit or lay on it.
I had a cat that was attracted to scrunched up paper, he liked the noise it made as he walked on it. He would always jump straight into a box with that brown paper packing you get with some parcels.
Should You Provide Your Cat with Some Paper to Lay On?
If your cat really enjoys laying on paper I think it’s the least you can do to lay some out for them.
Especially if one of the reasons is because they are trying to find something that is warmer than the floor as you want them to be comfy.
Obviously, you’re wondering why your cat wouldn’t just choose their lovely warm bed to sleep in.
But that’s cats, right? They do their own thing and we’re here to help in any way we can.
If it’s the noise they like, keep that scrunched up paper coming. Have a listen and see if your cat is purring while kneading and stepping on it too, that’s always a good sign they are having a great time.
