While posing conjectures explaining sleeping statue-esque cats and shooting them down one by one is indeed an entertaining way to kill time or make conversation, the judicious use of Occam’s Razor is called for when one must cut to the chase. “Occam’s Razor” is is a problem-solving principle devised by the medieval English Franciscan friar, theologian and scholastic philosopher William of Ockham. When applied to two or more competing hypotheses (even those concerning cats getting up-close-and-personal with Buddha statues), the principle shifts preference to the simplest one.

In the case of cats sleeping on statues of Buddha, the simplest theory postulates that large statues of stone or metal heat up during the day and hold that warmth while other surfaces cool. cats, who enjoy settling themselves on warm places (like your lap), will naturally rest on such a comparatively warm, level and unmoving space.