“What Is Personal Space?”: 50 Funny Pets Who Know No Boundaries (New Pics)

"It’s not uncommon for pets to want to be close to their owners and spend time with them—some pets are social animals and being with their owners brings them joy. Often owners are their pet’s whole world and spending time with their owners is one of the key points of their life! Owners can bring pets a sense of happiness, making them feel secure and safe," Walsh, from the PDSA, said.

“Pets are often inquisitive creatures, wanting to know what you’re doing and be involved in anything exciting happening around them. Whilst we know we’re just popping into the bathroom—our pets don’t know that and don’t want to miss out on whatever exciting thing you are up to!" the vet nurse told Bored Panda.

"Some pets do take real comfort in being physically close to their owners, snuggling up to them or sitting on their laps," she said. "It can be equally comforting to owners to have the constant companionship of a pet, but sometimes pets can’t understand the ‘personal space’ that us humans might need!"

“It’s vital for owners to adequately meet their pets’ Five Welfare Needs, in order for them to be happy and healthy. Whilst some pets do simply just want to be near their owners, sometimes a pet may be ‘invading’ their owner’s personal space because they are actually trying to tell them something," PDSA Vet Nurse Walsh explained to Bored Panda.

"A pet might want attention, may be hungry or thirsty, may be bored and want to play or need reassurance from you if something has worried them. Or perhaps they need to go to the bathroom—the possibilities are endless but always remember your pet can’t speak, and is communicating using their body language. If your pet is crowding your personal space, especially if it’s a change in their behavior, have a think about what they might be trying to tell you."

According to Walsh, cats are quite independent when compared to other animals. "Spending time close to you is definitely on their terms, not something you can force! However, regardless of how much they like to be close to their owner, all pets need their own personal space that they can retreat to whenever they want," she said.

"It’s important owners provide their pets with their own area and activities to keep them entertained. Cats will need plenty of toys (bring different ones out every couple of days for variety), scratching posts, lots of different height levels for them to explore, and also quiet areas so they have somewhere to escape to if they do need a bit of alone time."

It’s absolutely fantastic when your pet acts affectionately toward you instead of ignoring your need for cuddles, playtime, and warm naps together. Depending on your pet’s character, it might spend far more time in your company than some other members of its species. But no matter how aloof a floof might be, they still enjoy the occasional snuggle (though perhaps on their own terms).

By being physically next to you, your pets show you that they appreciate and—dare we say it?—love you. Either that or they enjoy how warm you are. Being in contact with another living being is pleasant, calms us down, and can boost our mood. No animal and no human being can thrive for long without constant physical contact. 

However, no matter how much we might love our animal besties, it can be a bit difficult to get anything done if they always want to be close to us. Working from home can become next to impossible when all your cat wants to do is nap on your keyboard or sit on your shoulder.

Similarly, if you want to work out or have chores to do, your canine companion jumping on top of you all the time can make things very messy. Cuddles are great! But work projects, exercise, and housework don’t do themselves.

Don’t even get us started about pets who feel that it is their solemn duty to follow you into the bathroom every single time that nature calls. Some owners don’t mind the company. Others, however, wouldn’t mind a spot of privacy every now and then. Having some personal space is important, whether you’re talking about people or pets.

If your lovable catto or doggo keeps invading your personal space and making life extra hard (though undoubtedly wholesome) for you, you may need to start setting some gentle boundaries. You could start off by explaining to them why having at least a smidge of privacy is necessary, then listening to their side of things, and looking for some sort of compromise. However, the odds are that your message won’t get through to them, even if you have a whole slideshow presentation ready.

You’ll have to teach them what your boundaries are over a long period of time. You’ll need a lot of patience and consistency.

According to the ‘Dezi & Roo’ blog, setting boundaries with your cat might be difficult, but it’s not impossible. You should aim to create a routine in your life so that your pet knows what to expect.

For instance, when it’s time to eat and play. You should also make sure that the animal has something to do while you’re working or out of the house, so that they’re not bored. You should have at least a small collection of toys to keep them engaged and moving.

Similarly, if your cat’s always sitting on top of your head or your dog’s favorite activity is lying on your lap, you may want to consider setting up a dedicated area for them in a corner of your home. Alternatively, they might be bugging you because they’re not physically and mentally stimulated enough.

You’ve got to find the time to play with them and take them for walks. If they’re tired enough, they might behave differently. 

In the meantime, when you’re doing something important and can’t be distracted, you can ever-so-gently push your pet away and tell them “no” if they’re ignoring your personal space. The key here is to be friendly but firm. You still love them, but if you miss your work deadline, your pets might not have new toys and snacks next month.

Alternatively, you can distract your pet with a tasty treat or one of their toys or even set up a small gate in a part of your home.

If things get really out of hand and you find it difficult to enforce any boundaries, you might want to get in touch with an animal trainer or behavior specialist to help you figure out how to discipline the animal better. 

When you’re done enjoying this list to the fullest, Pandas, let us know which of these photos you loved the most! We’d also like to hear about your own pets and how much they completely ignore your own personal space.

For some more hilarious and goofy pics of pets ignoring boundaries, check out Bored Panda’s previous features.