$(document).ready(function(){
    //other stuff
    $(".active_item").click(function() {
        $("body").css("cursor", "progress"); //tried wait instead of progress as well
        window.setTimeout(someLength,4000);//just to make sure we do switch back at some point
        $('#list tbody tr').each(function(i) {
            $(this).removeClass('invisible_row');
        });
        $("#list tbody tr").show();
        $('.catnav').each(function(i) {
            $(this).removeClass('current_category');
        });
        $("body").css("cursor", "default");
    });
});
I've checked other questions like Changing cursor to waiting in javascript/jquery
but in my code it doesn't work (the cursor does not change to "progress", or "wait" if I choose that one).