are lap cats born?...

...or are they made?

I have had 4 cats in my life, two were lap cats, one wasn't at all and my present cat is kind of in between, not consistently looking for a lap but
does from time to time (strangely always the minute the lights go out he jumps in my lap, during the day it's hit or miss)

Do some cats learn to be lap cats as they age? Or is it there or not?

Ah, nature vs. nurture.

I voted "sometimes" because I've seen some cats who could be living in a ghetto squalor and would still be trying to act like lapcats to the crack fiends.

And I've seen some cats who could be living in the most touchy-feely home in the world, and they still act aloof and stand apart from it all.

But usually, the affection level of a cat is a rough function of how lovingly the owner treats them.

Originally Posted by Nano

Ah, nature vs. nurture.

I voted "sometimes" because I've seen some cats who could be living in a ghetto squalor and would still be trying to act like lapcats to the crack fiends.

And I've seen some cats who could be living in the most touchy-feely home in the world, and they still act aloof and stand apart from it all.

But usually, the affection level of a cat is a rough function of how lovingly the owner treats them.

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I know what you mean about even the crack heads, I know cats like that. I housesat for someone and one of the cats was on me the minute I got there, no history or anything. And other cats seem to do it to show affection, one of my lap cats seemed to do it more out of neediness.

Rosie used to be but not so much now since i got Sophie

With Sophie, the minute i sit down she adopts her position on my lap, even if i'm on the computer

Used to be a lapcat the first two years after adopting him. Then suddenly NO MORE!

Originally Posted by ccoccocats

Used to be a lapcat the first two years after adopting him. Then suddenly NO MORE!

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That's really interesting, have you ever thought of talking to a pet communicator to find out why?

Mine was more of a lap cat when I got him, but with him I feel he is just so confident now he doens't need the reassurance anymore.

Interesting question. Annie was a retired show/cattery queen whom we adopted from her breeder at the age of 5 along with the only male in her last litter who became Melichus. She really didn't like laps although she wanted to be around people and as for picking her up --- no way! I often wondered how the heck she managed to complete a championship but her breeder said she actually came close to granding her (this was in TICA.) Now Melichus OTOH, would come and politely ask to get in my lap during my morning internet surfing (rather difficult typing with a 20# cat draped across your lap ) and would sit there as long as I was there. You could pick him up and he would knead and kind of cuddle with you just as long as you held him. He loved to be draped across a shoulder and held. Definitely a "touchy/feely" kind of a cat, almost 180 degrees from his mom. Melichus was 10-12 weeks old when he came home with his mom so was raised in a house atmosphere rather than a cattery atmosphere. I think this definitely had something to do with his pettable personality although he never did get over a certain skittishness.

Originally Posted by Marge

That's really interesting, have you ever thought of talking to a pet communicator to find out why?

Mine was more of a lap cat when I got him, but with him I feel he is just so confident now he doens't need the reassurance anymore.

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No, I never have. How do you find a pet communicator? I think when he was first adopted he too felt safe, safer, on my lap. As time went on and things in his room, house, became more familiar he no longer wanted to stay put on my lap.

It would be more interesting, to me, to find out how to get him to do it again! Believe me, I have tried everything.

Like people my cats have seemed to have changing needs and wants as they go through their lives, it's fascinating to watch how they develop. Jazzie is just too busy playing most of the time for anything more than a quick hug, although tired enough she likes to sleep on my lap. Mitz is very affectionate and demonstrative and needs a lot of petting and cuddling but can't settle at all with his feet off the floor- when a cuddle is done he gets straight down off your lap, and two minutes later will shout at you to pick him up quick he needs another hug. Jake is a lap cat when he has time and does crash right out and snuggle into you, but doesn't like being picked up, he likes to get on you himself- and Vicket spends hours each day on my lap or snuggled up against me and is here now as I type! She does however growl at me if I fidget.

I suppose it could be both although I certainly know, at least in all cases, it isn't necessarily how the owner treats him. Marcellus was and is so NOT a lap cat, although sweet in his own way. You wouldn't catch him dead enjoying a hug or a snuggle though and laps are totally out of the question. Got him at 8 weeks from the Humane Society (although who know those first 8 weeks so I guess I could never scientifically say whether cats are born or not born lap cats). He has always been treated lovingly and well. Lewis, who isn't a total lap cat (we have found it to be only certain times of the day) although always sweet and cuddly (unless he's in play or exploring mode as he's a an 8 month old kitten yet), was abandoned in the street at 8 weeks, had 2 homes before us....so who knows? I suppose it's both, kind of like kids....you can raise them perfectly and still not be what you hoped them to be....each with a unique personality, and then there are those who come horrible circumstances and are totally not at all what one would expect them to be, both in the cat world and the human world, there are never guarantees.

I think I'm seeing a pattern here. That black cats are not lap cats! Is this being seen by others?

I have a black cat and he's NOT a lap cat.

The only one of my cats that isn't so much a lap cat is Muffin, but they all love jumping in my lap!

Cheryl, my Louie was a lap cat and was solid black! He would also "spoon" with me - lie tight against me on his side so I could rub his tummy! I miss that boy...

Cheryl,

I have a Black cat and he is most definitly a lap cat! He's such a ham!

I am of the opinion that cats are like people -- they each have their own personality. Some are lap cats, some are not.

I had Comere (RB) for nearly 18 years and he was a great big mushy lap cat his whole life. Everyone that met him laughed at what a mushpot he was. You petted him once he'd be your buddy for life... not only up on your lap, but your chest and as close to your face as he could get (and he was a HUGE cat, so it was quite the sight!)
He was always looking for a soft lap to site on, or to be curled up to you as close as he could get.

Cosmo, on the other hand, is a friendly guy but not in the "I'm gonna jump in your lap" kinda way. He likes to plop on the floor just out of arms length and roll on his back for you. He wants you to come to HIM for a good petting. He does the same thing when he jumps into bed with me... plops and rolls, just out of arms lengths and starts kneading his little paws waiting for a pet, belly rub or chin scratch... on HIS terms (brat! LOL) -- He's only jumped on my lap a couple of times and once when he was scared to death of the vaccuum.

He also loves to give head-butts and kisses (little licks) if he's up at your level or you're down at his. Of course, he's also still very young (the vet guessed about a year old) and is more interested in playing than just about anything else.

My mom's cat, well she liked a good butt scratch and isn't much of a lap cat at all, though she's getting to be more of one the older she gets (she's about 15 now). Most of her life though, she's the type to sit near you but not on you. And she likes to curl up under the covers with my mom at night

I really do think they are like people... some people like to give and get hugs and are more openly affectionate than others... same with kitties

I think they are born that way. From the second I brought Char home, he never wanted to be put down. Always had to beheld or in my lap. The other ones though, you pick them up or cuddle them and they cry in protest.

Some cats just dont like to sit on laps and be petted. Elliot is one of those cats. Its ok if I pick him up and hold him and pet him, but if I try to sit down, woooah O_O Everyone in the house had better watch out :O I think this is mostly because he doesnt like his tummy touched. I think he had an unpleasant experience with tummy touching or something when he was little, because his momma was a stray and i adopted him from a shelter at 6 months. My kitten aerowyn though, will sit on your lap and be petted if you put her there, but she doesnt come up on her own all that often, usually she will sit beside me and be petted, but not crawl in my lap. I do think cats are born to either be lap cats or not to be, its just depends on their personality and their independance. Hey, did anyone ever think that if cats could read, they would be kicking our butts for telling stories about them and bragging about them online? I think Elliot would bite me ^_^

I have a black cat (altho he's more chocolate than black I think) and boy oh boy is he a definite lap cat!!! He's also a foot cat and a hand-cat. He loves to just BE with me, lay on me, sleep on me, snuggle with me. He is, and always was, the most affectionate cat I've ever known.

Snickers was just a kitten, a stray with a broken leg (so apparently had sort of a rough life before he found me) and even way back then ions ago, he was a lover who followed me around & was so affectionate. So I don't think the black cat stigma sticks with him, cuz he's such a lover!

My only other lapcat is Dusty... she melts with humans cuz she doesn't like the other cats. She was always like that, too... I didn't train them to be this way.

Two of my cats are black. Marcellus is totally not the lap cat and Lewis, for the most part is, at least I think, sort of middle of the road sort. Have we actaully defined a lap cat? There are some who live for the lap and others who like laps but it's not their main thing....like Lewis, he likes our laps at certain times, and loves scratches and cuddles, likes to be by you, but he does keep himself quite busy with other things....I would consider him a "middle of the road" lap cat.

My beloved Snoopy was a lap cat, and he liked to wrap his legs around my neck and just hug and hug and hug me. He was the sweetest most loving cat I've ever known. He was also very loving to other people who came to visit me.

Shane does get on my lap, but he stands up the entire time, he way lay down or get comfortable . He's a 30 poung huge boy, so it really isn't always pleasent for me when he gets on my lap and stands. It's actually somewhat painful.

Simba is not a lap cat. He's very affectionate, but he doesn't want to be on my lap. He'll curl up next to me, and sometimes he'll put his front feet on my lap, while his back feet stay on the floor or bed, or chair.

My new little girl SunLee seems like she is a lap cat, but she doesn't seem to like long term lap sessions, maybe that will change, when she gets more used to her new home.