cat sitting on keyboard during work meetings

My cat found a way to sit in the middle of the keyboard during a video call. He just looked at the camera and blinked slowly while I was trying to explain a quarterly report.

I have tried moving him, but he just waits for me to look away and hops back up. I need a data-driven solution. What is the best way to keep a cat off the desk during work calls without being mean to him?

This is exactly what I am dealing with right now with Pip. He is only six months old, so his energy levels are off the charts. I think it is more about redirection than punishment. We used to have this issue with him on the couch, but now we just play with a wand toy for ten minutes before I sit down. If he is tired, he sleeps. If he is awake, he attacks. See if you can burn off some energy first? kitten keeps attacking my ankles and the couch

You cannot just remove the behavior without offering an alternative. Skye is ten, so she is less energetic than your cat, but she is deaf in one ear and relies on sight. She sits on the highest point she can find because it gives her a view of the room. Your cat is likely doing the same. He wants to be near you, but he also wants to be high up. why my cat insists on being the highest point in the room

I suggest installing a shelf on the wall behind you. If he can sit on the shelf and look at you, he gets the attention and the vantage point, but he is not on your keyboard.

I am worried that moving him or making him wait might cause stress, especially since I have to work long hours. Bella is asthmatic, so I am very careful about anything that involves scents or sprays. Are there any physical barriers that are safe? I heard about double-sided tape, but I am not sure if it is effective. Also, how do you handle the fact that he might just get used to the shelf and then move back to the keyboard? keeping cats out of the home office

Honestly, I just give in and let them sit on my lap if they want. Biscuit and Whiskers both do this. It is not like they are typing, just sitting. But if you really need to type, try the static spray. I used it on my desk and it worked for a week, then they got used to it. natural deterrents that actually work

I think the real issue is that you are working in their space. Have you tried exhausting my indoor cats before work? Play with them hard for fifteen minutes right before your call. If they are not tired, they are going to be annoying.