Cats are naturally curious. They like to explore their surroundings to the point of knocking things off.
One machine that cats are fond of is the printer. When a cat vs printer starts, you’re in for an entertaining meet-up. The first-ever caught-on-cam encounter was from 2006 by a user, Azahara Carreras León, uploaded on YouTube. From then on, a fad of similar videos is on the rise.
This article will explore this dynamic and provide tips to keep your housemate’s paws off your things for good.
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Cat Behavior Toward Printers
As we all know, printers are important to print documents in the comfort of your home.
When this immovable beast meets an unstoppable feline force, an amusing encounter happens. Initially, cats will find the printer intriguing. They will observe printers like a hunter to their prey.
Additionally, cats’ reactions to printers range from curiosity to hostility. The cat will approach the printer with a curious mind, almost sizing up the printer.
Although there haven’t been any scenarios where cats successfully knocking over printers since those are pretty big, your printer is safe from their naughty acts.
But once the printer makes a noise, the cat hits the printer. This attack increases as the printer takes the paper and prints. Cats will peer and pounce the paper as it slides out on the output tray.
However, some cats can’t wait for the paper to come out. They will pounce on the paper while it prints, like in this video.
Cats also climb on top and sit on the printer, like the true royalty that they are. They will make a bed out of the printer.
Why Cats Are Fascinated by Printers
The whirring noises as the printer prints a document, for cats, is music to their ears. Since they are descendants of wild cats, the noises can resemble rustles, chirps, and squeaks they typically hear in their natural habitat.
Furthermore, this fascination is cats just being curious about the printer, especially when printers start to do their actions. They wonder where these sounds come from and why they move. Yet there are some underlying factors as to why they are drawn to the printers.
1. Your cat is bored and thinks of your printer as a toy.
Cats need attention and stimulation to keep them from boredom. Because if they don’t, they will resort to rascal behaviors, like knocking things off. One reason they are in close proximity to your printer is they see it as their new play toy.
With every sound and movement your printer makes, it catches the cat’s attention and sees the paper as their new toy as it slides out of the printer. They are eager to get it because they see that the printer is taunting them.
2. Your cat thinks your printer is a box.
Printers are rectangular in shape and resemble a cardboard box. And we all know cats love cardboard boxes. They see printers as a new place to climb into and stay comfy, like in this forum where the owner asks if their cat sleeps on top of their printer.
3. Your cat thinks the printer is another beast that needs to be tamed
In this funny doodle art, this cat takes us into its thought process. George the cat wants to tame their ‘purrinter’ through reiki healing. Due to the sounds and movements produced by the printer, it makes sense the cats see printers as a beast that needs to be put in place.
Entertaining Printer vs Cat Videos
There are countless video recordings where cats attack printers. Like in this video where the cat keeps on attacking the printer for not taking the paper.
Here are some of the cats attacking printers videos:
But what if the roles were reversed? Instead of the cat being the attacker, the printer succeeded in falling the cat off the table. Well, that’s what happened in this video. The cat was awakened from its slumber when the printer starts printing.
And feast your eyes with a compilation of cats vs printers video:
Another Cat vs Machine Scenario
You haven’t seen it all if you think cats stop at printers. These fluffy creatures also attack fax machines. Like in this video where the owner was printing their fax, the cat appears perplexed about the situation and attacks profusely.
How about a cat and copy machine? Well, they hit it the same way as the printer. Some printers nowadays offer all-in-one functions. So printers not only print but also acts as copying machine.
In this video where the cat was lounging on a copying machine, it suddenly starts. The scared cat attacks the paper as it comes out.
Tips for Preventing Cat-printer Mishaps
Some recommended tips on keeping your cat away from printers and knocking things off:
- Give play time to your feline housemate. This way you can keep them from getting bored and asking for your attention while printing a document.
- Build a “catio” space for them. To stimulate their instincts, building a safe space where they can watch their prey is ideal.
- Rotate their play toys. In this way, cats still find these toys entertaining and won’t be bored of them.
- Make your printer cat-proof. By using double-sided tape, you can keep their paws from the printer.
Conclusion
In a cat vs printer face-off, the printer will successfully scare the cat but no, it won’t kill them. They will be curious, trying to find the source of sound and movements coming from the printer.
It can be fun but annoying, especially when you print a hundred pages of PDF files. To keep this from happening, mental stimulation and playtime will help curb this behavior. Boredom can be the cause of why they attack printers.
If you have resources to spare, building a catio is beneficial. This way, they can hunt in the comforts of your home.
I am Amy Sawy, a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) graduate from the University of Kansas. y husband, Dr. Plummer, and I own a veterinary clinic in Phillipsburg, Kansas. In addition to my professional background, I am a devoted pet owner myself, with a household that includes dogs, rodents, and most notably, cats – a total of five felines in my home.
In 2020, I joined an organization as a professional writer, leveraging my experience and collaborating with my team to deliver the most valuable information for your cat’s care.
