answer:You, my friend have an excess of electrons! When you or other items move about in your house they can accumulate an eletrostatic charge due to friction. When you come in to contact with another object that is positively or neutrally charged the charge will attempt to balance itself and thus you get shocked. You can reduce it by humidifying your house (which can be very difficult in a cold, dry winter and because of the furnace drying things up) or spraying fabrics and carpets with fabric softener. You can also wear some rubber-soled shoes or slippers – rubber is an insulator. If you want to get rid of a static charge on yourself you can hold a conductive item (fork, keys, something metal) and touch something that is grounded. Usually a plugged in metal appliance will work. The charge will jump from the object you’re holding to the grounded object and shouldn’t cause you any pain. It is also worth noting that cat hair can hold and dispense a lot of electrostatic charge – so I suggest wrapping your cat in a large amount of rubber leaving holes for the eyes, nose, mouth and unmentionables. Blue rubber works best for this. Suspending the cat in midair can also help reduce friction. Be sure to discharge before and after petting kitty. Also be sure to ground yourself before using your computer – there’s a chance you could damage it with a shock.