Why can't I get any work done with my pet around?
Pets demanding constant attention right next to your workspace make it impossible to accomplish anything. When family members or roommates also treat your room as a hangout space, the constant interruptions prevent you from focusing on your tasks.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 11.3× more often in r/cats than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1quitting the jobDid this help you?
- 2Taking time off work when first getting the puppyDid this help you?
- 3Trying to remove oneself from the situation when the puppy starts to get calmDid this help you?
- 4Using crate training to enforce naps during work meetingsDid this help you?
- 5Moving her onto the user's lapDid this help you?
- 6Moving her to another table just to the rightDid this help you?
- 7Trying a raised cat bed beside the deskDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Lately she has taken a liking to this spot here, that I need cat free because it's where I use the mouse.”source ↗
“Also, the lamp behind her is touch activated so she manages to turn it off every day with her head (I'm writing this in total darkness right now because she turned it off after I took the photo).”source ↗
“people in my house also treat my room as a hangout room”source ↗
“i can’t accomplish anything when this much perfection is happening right below me”source ↗
“I work from home full time every day and I was wondering if there's any advice you guys would have for keeping the dog in check while balancing work, especially when I have meetings.”source ↗
Where this came up
People with this problem also raised
- 2Dog always lying in the middle of the hallway
- 3What to do with a puppy while working 9-5
- 8How to stop a dog from escaping the crate while at work
- 4Why does my cat attack my book or phone when I read?
- 2How to play with multiple pets without one hogging all the toys
- 4How to handle a puppy while working and going to school alone