Question about lap cats
Find a Conversation
Question about lap cats
| Sun, 11-21-2004 - 12:17am |
My cat Ginger is an almost 3 year old Calico, we found her on the streets at 6 months old. While she enjoys being petted and comes to us to rub against our legs, she dislikes being held. My DH is under the impression that he can train her to be more of a lap cat by holding her still for a few minutes at a time and rewarding her for staying with a few snacks. Is that OK? Will it work? I was always under the impression that this was something that age brought on, that is older cats enjoy lap time more.
TIA!
Lorraine

LOL... he can try but I doubt he'll be successful! My Allen is three and has never once sat in my lap. He swiggles and squirms and screams murder if you try to hold him. But he is also very loving and affectionate in his own way. You better believe that he demands his nightly love session!
Then I have year and half old Pouncer, who from day one was a lap cat, and even he goes through phases where he refuses to cuddle with me or sit on my lap... just a few weeks ago I brought in a foster kitten that he took a dislike to nad has refused to cuddle with me since then (though came to me for loving today -- yay!)
Then I have a 4 month old brother/sister pair that I've recently adopted. Abby is loving, but has yet to sit in my lap. Harry is loving and will sit NEXT to my lap, or occasionally onit, but I can't put him there - he flat-out refuses to sit if I put hm there... and yes, I tried treats to ebncourage him into being more lappy. It didn't work one bit. Treats also didn't work the past two weeks on Pouncer while he was "punishing" me for bringing in a "nasty" foster.
I thnk the cat either is or isn't a lap cat, and no amount of coaxing is going to change that. Its rather like humans... some are cuddlers, others like their space. Or morning person vs. night person. My DH is always trying to convince me that getting up at 5:30 in the morning is invigorating when I think 7:00 is too early! Even if he promised to do ANYTHING I wanted, I'm still not crawling out of bed before 7:00! LOL
I agree with the other poster... most cats do things on "their terms" and most cats can't or WON'T be trained.
I have to agree too.
That's kind of what I thought.
I honestly don't think a cat be be "trained" to become lap-friendly. Like the other poster said, some humans are cuddlers and some aren't.
If it's any consolation, my mom's cat suddenly became a lap cat when he was about 5 years old. However it may have been because his best friend in the whole world had died - the family dog. But you never know.
Powered by CGISpy.com