Why does my cat jump on my shoulders

Some felines are born to be shoulder cats. They don’t always need your approval or an invitation. One “anonymous” cat owner wrote a blog post recently about her shoulder cat: “I have one cat that likes to ride on my shoulders occasionally. I didn’t train her. She, as many kittens do, liked to climb up there. I just didn’t discourage her. She’s ten now and still likes a shoulder ride once in a while. She solicits it. She meows and gets into a pre-jump position. If I’m agreeable, I bend over and she jumps up. If I’m not I walk away.”

Shoulder cats tend to have distinctive, big personalities, like Bob the Cat, who felt himself right at home on the shoulders of author James Bowen. They attract attention. Japanese grandmother Misao and her cat Fukumaru are famous around the world for their special bond. Then there was the stray cat who got lots of attention when he climbed up on the shoulders of HLN reporter Nicole Didonato while she was doing a live report on the street.

Some prefer to drape themselves on your shoulders, while others like to stand. Some even ride on their owners’ shoulders while they walk down the street or ride a bike.

And photos like this one, in which a wild cat drapes itself on the shoulders of his companion, an unidentified Aboriginal woman of Western Australia, suggests there’s something innate about this particular bonding behavior.

Shoulder cats tend to be outgoing and confident. They like a ride, and they may sometimes use you as a convenient perch to get a better look at the world. Most are profoundly affectionate. They love intimacy and can’t get enough of you; kitty Mary Jane is one of those. She likes to ride on Rudi Saldia’s shoulders while he works as a bike courier.

If you have a shoulder cat, consider yourself lucky. If your cat acts like it has shoulder cat tendencies and you want to encourage her, there are many sites that offer how-to tips for living with or training a shoulder cat. Most recommend you start when your cat is a kitten. But cats have a way of training we humans, so just go with the flow. Here’s what the anonymous blogger says about her relationship with her shoulder cat. “I never pick her up and put her on m;y shoulder. And I never show her off to visitors. I admit I tried once and she promptly jumped down and moved away. Except when it’s time for a vet visit for rabies and distemper shots, I don’t force my cats…it really doesn’t work and is a recipe for clawed hands. I invite them to sit on my lap or cuddle by patting my lap or the place near me where I’d like them to land. Sometimes, quite often they come, but sometimes they look away. In that case I don’t push it.”

If you have a photo of you and your shoulder cat, please share. We’d love to see it.

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Cats have several habits and gestures which indicate several things. Every cat owner must be well acquainted with their cat’s behavior of jumping on them once in a while. Have you ever wondered; why do cats jump on you?

Cats jump on you to gain your attention when they want to play. It can also be a sign of stress and anxiety, or it could be simply because jumping is in her nature. 

Below we have discussed the five main reasons why your cats jump on you, why does she do this at night, why do they jump on your back or your shoulders, and several other frequently searched questions like how to stop your cat from doing this, whether it is normal or not and many others. 

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Reasons Cats Jump on You

Here we have provided the five main reasons why your cat jumps on you and how you should interpret it to build a better relationship with your domesticated cat.

Cats are playful and active pets. They love to do mischievous activities throughout the day. One such habit is jumping on people, and here is why your cat does that.

For Playing

Your cat may leap at you from a distance or nearby to indicate that she feels playful, energetic, and wants to play with you. This could happen if she is hiding behind something, peeps a little, and then pounce over you so that you can understand that she wants to play with you. 

At times, she can do it with force, and her claws could dig into your skin, so you need to remain careful at that point in time. Cats can become hyperactive when they want to play with you, and it is natural. You need to keep in mind that their intention is not to hurt you but still, you need to be careful.

For Gaining Attention

Cats have this habit of gaining attention, and sometimes they can jump on you to have your attention. This is natural with cats and happens even if you pay enough attention to your cat. She will still jump on you at any given a chance to grab your glance.

Cats like their owner’s reactions when they jump on them. Some become happy and surprised at the same time; some try to chase them while others try to scold them. This all seems interesting to the cat, and she enjoys your reactions. That is the reason why she is doing all this.

For Petting

Sometimes cats tend to jump on you because they want you to pet them on their head or back. This relaxes the cat a lot. She wants to feel happy while you incessantly pet them all over and express your affection towards them.

Cats are intelligent creatures who want an ample amount of attention and petting from their owners. They can even jump on you if you have something edible in your hand which they want. 

As a Natural Habit

Your cat can jump on you just because this is an inherent characteristic, and she felt like jumping, so she did. This could be as simple as that at times. Naturally, cats used to hunt their prey by jumping over them in the wild, but since they are domesticated now, it is possible that she felt the urge to jump, and thus, she jumped on you.

It could be seen just as a jumping test by them to ensure they do not forget their inbuilt capacity. It is as funny as it sounds!

Stress and Anxiety

Your cat may seem restless and jump on you if she is stressed or anxious. This is common with older cats as compared to younger cats. Older cats face more problems of distress and anxiety as compared to younger ones.

She can jump on you if something in the surroundings has triggered her stress or agitation. It could be as simple as grinding something or opening the vacuum cleaner to clean the house. These loud sounds can make your cat pounce on you to get a cover and feel safer.

Why Does My Cat Jump On Me At Night

Your cat may be hungry, thirsty, wants attention, bored, or wants to be close to you, and that is why she jumps on you at night. Cats usually pounce over their owners at night if they need something like food, water or if they want to play with you. This is their way of giving you a message.

She can also jump if she is bored at night. One simple reason could be that she wants to be close to you. This mostly happens if you were out or too busy with something during the day and did not give them attention. Thus, the cat jumps on you when you are sleeping to shower her love over you.

Why Do Cats Jump On Your Back

If your cat leaps on your back to show her affection for you, to grab your attention, or just for a better view. Cats are super cool as pets. They can jump on your back to get your undivided attention and when they are playful.

They can also do this to show her love and affection towards you. Sometimes they also act like this when other cats or pets are around to mark you as their territory. Extremely possessive, right?

Cats can even do that to have a better view from your shoulder. It even shows her trust towards you that you’ll hold her while she is on your shoulder.

Why Does My Cat Jump On My Shoulders

Your cat might be seeking your attention or wants to be close to you, and thus, she jumps on your shoulders. Cats are affectionate animals. They leave no chance of getting your attention. Your cat might jump over your shoulders to interact with you and feel near to you.

They can do that anytime they feel like you are busy with something and ignoring them. Additionally, they also love to perch on high places; thus, they jump on your shoulders.

How Do You Stop My Cat From Jumping On Me

If you want to get rid of your cat’s habit of jumping on you, try getting cat trees, giving them ample food from time to time, or have a vigorous play session. You can purchase an automatic feeder so that your cat doesn’t need to jump over you for food and water. Invest in cat trees since cats love the view from a height. 

Involve them in vigorous playtime with toys so that they get tired and don’t try to jump over you. The simplest method is to put them down as soon as they jump over you.

Things To Consider

Naturally, cats have this habit of jumping over their owner. It happens if your cat is bored and wants to play, wants your attention, feels close to you, wants you to pet them or feed them, and even when they want to have a look from an elevated point. Jumping over you is a way of giving you an indication of what they want.

You can try getting her a comfy cat bed and a tiring playful session so that she lets you sleep at night. You can even try to move away from her as soon as she jumps over you. If your cat has recently shown increased pouncing over you, this might also relate to some underlying causes. 

It is also possible that your cat is agitated and stressed. It is better to take her to a vet for a complete examination and ensure that she is healthy.

My name is James, and welcome to FAQCats!

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