Engineering problem
 

I'm trying to figure out how to keep our "foster" cat off my legs during the night, especially when I'm in the recliner (which is most of the time). I don't want to shut him out of the room--he gets little enough "people time" as it is. And I don't mind a bit if he sleeps with and even ON me, but not on my legs!!

It's cool at night now, and I sleep with a pillow on my lap--that helps discourage him from sleeping/walking on my thighs, but he keeps trying to lie down on my lower legs. OW OW OW! Let the spasms begin! Poor guy, he doesn't understand what he's doing wrong.

I wonder what I could put over/around my legs to keep him off? Maybe I could make something out of a big cardboard box? A laundry basket? Egg cartons? Maybe I'm just so sleep-deprived that I'm missing the obvious.

I guess I could sprinkle catnip on my husband's legs...

Catnip on DH's legs is a great idea. That should work for one night..:D Make a soft little bed for the cat right beside you, where you can reach down and stroke him/her.

take a cardboard box and put a heating pad in it. Tuck it beside your chair and the little thing should want to cuddle down into that box instead of awkwardly perched on your legs. you can move the heating pad to the arm of the chair or off the chair. Cover it with a towel or something so it wont get to hot, just leave it on low, and the kitty will love it. Cats need trade offs. If you take away, you must giveth a trade. I am sure kitty just wants to be next to you (have you seen them sleep in pig piles as kittens?) and doesnt mind sharing your chair.

Lily my kitty would sleep wrapped around my legs at night, and it made me crazy. Then one day I pulled out a heated throw blanket for my angry back and when I got hot, I threw it on the floor in the middle of the night. it was her blanket ever since. She likes to be with me, but now she isnt on me.

Contac paper -- sticky side up!

Cats hate orange citrus scents.

You could squeeze some orange scent out of some peels and sprinkle it on your clothes over the legs. My cats won't let me pet them after I have an orange with breakfast!