Is Working From Home With a Cat Actually Harder Than With a Dog?

In my experience, yes, but for different reasons. A dog can be trained to stay off furniture or lie in a designated spot. Vino has been told "no" approximately 4,000 times in 4 years and has absorbed none of it. Cats don't disobey commands; they simply don't recognise the premise. The neighbour's Staffy barks itself hoarse at the fence while Vino lies a metre away, staring at nothing in particular, pretending the dog doesn't exist. That same selective awareness applies to every instruction I've ever given him indoors.

Does a Cat on Your Desk Actually Reduce Stress While Working From Home?

Honestly, it depends on whether you needed to type that sentence. When I'm between tasks and Vino curls up on my forearm, purring and drooling onto my wrist, there's something genuinely calming about it. When I'm on deadline and he's standing on the delete key, the effect is the opposite.

How Do You Cat-Proof a Home Office?

You don't, fully. You mitigate. Cable management clips, a silicone keyboard cover, no open water glasses on the desk, and a dedicated cat spot with a warm surface. I also moved a small cat tower into the office corner so Vino has a high perch option. He uses it about 30 percent of the time. The other 70 percent, he's on the desk, because the desk is where I am, and where I am is where he needs to be.

Working From Home With a Cat: Setting Boundaries (You'll Lose)