When she's on the laptop, she constantly hits the power off button on the docking station. I'm thinking of getting a monitor shelf to put OVER the laptop, so she can't get to it. Any other suggestions?
A neighbor of mine had a little heated kitty bed in her garage for her outdoor cat. She loved it. Maybe your baby would like one!!
Your idea sounds good, too.
A monitor shelf! Why didn't I think of that? It's nice to know I'm not the only one struggling with this problem. Laptop heat is like crack to my cat. But he's so rough on it -- frustrating!
One other solution I've used before on my kitchen countertops is a product called Ssscat. I got it at Petsmart. It's a can of air with a motion detector on top. You'd have to turn it on whenever you leave the laptop but then when the cat walks up it triggers a harmless but annoying spray of air.
Probably a more expensive solution than the monitor shelf. But my cats got the point pretty quick and after awhile I could just leave the Ssscat out but not on and they would still avoid the counters. It was super effective at the time but now with three dogs and a toddler running around I don't think my house is "still" enough for me to try it on my laptop issue since it's always out on the coffee table or the kitchen table in the middle of everything.
Give her something else warm to lie on - like an electric throw blanket. My cat loves it!
Yep, cut off her access to the laptop with the kind of shelf you mention, and get her a heated kitty bed. Not only is her sleeping on the laptop bad for the laptop (cat hairs WILL get into the keyboard eventually and that is not good!) but possibly not great for her either, in the long run.
Does the laptop stay on all the time? Is it your primary computer and thus always on? My laptop is secondary and so I always turn it off when it's not in use. That would instantly end the laptop's appeal for your cat, if that's an option.
