Hi Louise,
Well, if you have a jumbo kitty of your own, then you know what the secret is already! The secret, of course, is that the cat is the ruler of the universe and sits where he wants, when he wants (equally applicable if your kitty is a she!). I certainly haven't been able to make the cat lay there quietly beside me; in fact, it's a very recent choice for him, as he used to simply walk in front of my laptop and plop himself down on my chest, face inches away from mine. You actually have to respect such complete disdain for what his/her human is attempting to do at any given time.
Also, I am totally familiar with the "trying to type while a huge cat is draped over your arm" handicap! Pretty much every time I am in my computer room and at my desk using my main computer, the cat jumps up on the desk's wing and lays down right below where my hand is controlling the mouse. From there, he always inches forward until the front half of his body is draped completely over my right arm, making it a real chore to control the mouse, let alone type!
Brad
