Why does he do this? The 1 minute lap cat

My quest for a lap cat is going a little better (sort of). My kitten (6 mos) will come to me and sit on my lap now -- for about one whole minute, then climb off and lay near me (on a table, desk, etc...). This happens at least 3-4 times per day. The only time he will stay for any length of time is at 5:30-6:00am in the morning when he wakes me up.

This happens whether I pet him or not while he is on my lap.

I wonder if he is just skittish? Sometimes just walking toward him sends him darting away. I always though he was just playing. Sometimes he ducks his head down when you pet him. I would call him skittish but he literally sits next to the vacuum cleaner when it is running so that is strange.

Anyone have experience with a 1 minute lap cat?

Some cats just arent lap cats. It's all the luck of the draw lol.

Lilly is queen of the one-minute lap cats! It's always on her terms, and always brief. This is an improvement, though, as she used to bolt immediately. She's about a year and a half now... many cats "mellow" with age and become more likely to perch on a lap. Patience is key!

I was never on a "quest for a lap cat" but Ruby (a stray) and her baby Shannon are the consummate lap cats. Some days I try to snooze on the couch with my children, but end up so hot because Ruby and Shannon are laying on my legs. If we sit still for even a minute, you can guarantee there will be a cat on you lap in my house.

I have the exact opposite problem. My Chynna has always been a cuddle bug, but as she's gotten older it's become obsessive, and now that she's 14 years (15 in January), she wants to be on me literally all of the time! I love to cuddle her and I'm so happy that she wants to be with me , but it's come to a point where it's become annoying because she just keeps insisting by tapping me on the leg demanding for me to pick her up (bathroom, living room, kitchen..just everywhere). Once she's up she wants to sit high up by my neck/head, and she's an interactive cuddler which means she wants attention with both hands and knows when you are trying to cheat and use only one hand

I know she's older and my time with her is limited and I do give her lots and lots of cuddle time, but I'm trying to wean down the amount to something more reasonable where she gets her cuddles and I can still get things done. However it's not going very well I tried ignoring her sometimes when she tapped my leg, and other times I would pick her up. I guess she didn't like being ignored sometimes so she took to ignoring me completely for about 3 days, and even when I went to her for cuddles, she snubbed me Now we're back to her routine again... taps my leg and gets picked up *sigh*

Persi always nudges right between us at night when we watch TV on the love sofa. He does not get on either of our laps but wants right in between. I guess he thinks this will keep each other from getting jealous! When I work on the computer during the day, he nudges right between the side of the chair and my side, it is a tight fit. But he does not get on my lap. Yet he is always right there by my side. This works great for me, in fact, I have had three surgies of the abdomen this year and perhaps he can even sense this and sticks to my side rather than on my lap.

Shadow isn't a lap cat, neither was Midnight but she would lay down and cuddle into my side when I was in bed. Both of the kittens appear to be lap cats. Everest will climb up on my lap, put his front paws on my chest and rub his face against mine. Fuzzy kitty love.

Bryan

It's kind of funny... my feral cat Patches wouldnt let me touch her for a year.. and now she is the biggest LOVE ever. She HAS to jump in my lap every time I go outside and sit on my patio chair. She kneads and purrs and meows and rubs.. lol its really amazing. What just gets me is my two domestic indoor cats dont do anything like that!!!

Some times there is of course a reason in the cats background but often I think it's just personality. We have to red little brothers on 15 weeks now. They are born feral bur was only two weeks when we took them in. Their mama is with them but I had to bottle feed Wesley for five days and Ice for one day before we trapped the mother. I kept support feeding.
Wesley who really is my bottle-baby, is not a lap cat. He loves to be close to me and calls me all the time just to check where I am and if something is scary he runs to me for protection. He can lay close to me for a long time but if I pet him he walks away. He can also appear to be skittish but I think it's most play. He is constantly with me but never in my lap for more then a few seconds. His brother Ice, who spent a lot more time with the feral mama, start purring when I enter the room. He can hang over my shoulder and purr when I am doing the dishes. He has been like this since the day I found him and gave him the bottle the first time. He is almost the same with my husband and if we don't have the time he will find another cat to take care of him.