Lap Cats

Shortly after our cat Min died and I had brought home the litter I found outside my laboratory window at the University, J. said to me, "I want the gold tabby to be my cat. That means he prefers me to you and will sleep on top of me in the easy chair in the winter to keep me warm. I want my own lap cat!" Well, I guess he told me. You know what? Goldie is a lap cat, and he really favors J. How did we manage this? Magic!

Not really. Just about any cat can be turned into a lap cat with the right training. Males are usually more amenable to this behavior than females, though there are certainly females who will cuddle up with you at any time, and on short notice. The majority, however, are lap cats when they are in the mood. Depending on the animal, this can be often or occasional. It is my experience, though, that females are much more insistent than males when they do want attention. They'll hound you until you sit down (in their preferred chair, of course) and invite them up into your lap. Isn't it great to be so popular?

The first step to creating a lap cats is lots of handling when they are young. Hold them on your lap and cuddle them. Crazy as kittens are, they will grow to love this attention, and associate affection with being very close to you, i.e., in your lap. When you know that you'll be settling in for a while, say, to watch a movie or read the paper, invite a particular cat to jump into your lap. If you've been paying lots of attention to them, the passel of kittens will certainly be in the same room with you already, since they'll want to be around you. Of course, they'll probably be tearing the room apart, but grab your favorite and put him in your lap. Pet him as long as he'll take it, then let him go. Repeat the process with another one. As the kittens get older, they will start jumping on your lap, even without being invited to do so.

As you can see, it is not difficult to make your very own lap cat out of any that is available. Even if you adopt an adult, the same measures will work just as well. As a matter of fact, it may take less time because he or she won't be so kitten-crazy anymore! The lesson here is simple: If you want to be loved, be loving. It really works, and not only with cats!
Chat later!

Why Gold Cats Are Special

When you've had cats around as long as I have, you tend to notice subtle differences between certain types. I don't say "breeds", because all of my cats have been the Heinz 57 variety. That said, I do feel very secure saying that gold tabbies have some characteristics that set them apart from all other cats.

One thing I noticed a long time ago is that the majority of gold cats tend to be male. Not to say that there are not females in this group. They're just less common. I think others know this, as well, hence the term, "marmalade tom". Despite the fact that the color scheme can run the gamut from an almost cinnamon hue to more of a buff color, they do seem to fall into two categories: Tough Guys and Big Babies (these are my terms). Whichever one you have in your life, though, be assured that underneath, they have a common trait of being very mellow cats.

The Tough Guys are often the alpha cat in a multi-cat household. If they are outdoor cats, they prevail in cat fights more often than not. With people, though, they are very loving and even-tempered. They love attention, and lean toward being lap cats. My first gold guy came to us from an abusive household. Despite this history, the only thing that made him nervous was seeing a pair of men's shoes. Luckily, he got over this quickly and became a very mellow fellow.

Currently, we have one of the Big Baby types, as does our pal, Miss P. Both our Goldie and her Punkin are indoor cats, so there are no worries about them getting into scrapes with other males. The first inkling I had that Goldie was not a Tough Guy was when the Bear became the top cat. Goldie is just fine with being number two! This type is also very mellow, but seem to retain their kittenish ways into old age. Goldie still gallops around, playing happily by himself if the others are napping. Their faces also seem to retain the big-eyed, kitten look all their lives, and they seem more capable than other cats of making funny faces. This probably accounts for the fact that you see photos of gold cats on cards and calendars more often than other color cats!

Gold guys also seem be better hunters than other male cats. Every now and then, a mouse finds its way into Miss P.'s old home, and Punkin is right on it (her other cat, Molly, is content to watch). In our house, we call Goldie the "spider hunter". They are his favorite snack, and he can spot one at 500 paces. Try as I might to rescue the poor creatures, Goldie usually has wolfed down his prey by the time I get there!

But don't take my word for it. Visit your neighborhood shelter and pick one out for yourself. Believe me, you'll never regret it!

Movie of the Week: The Taking of Pelham, 123 starring John Travolta and Denzel Washington. As good as the original, and much better than the remake of the 1970s. Really edge-of-your-seat stuff. Enjoy!
Chat later!