A follower on my Facebook Page asked me about training his new adopted cat to be a lap kitty. He wrote:

"I have a question? I have a new cat. She is 3 years old [and I] saved her from the shelter. She is so sweet. But is there a way to train a cat to be a lap kitty? She is ok when you hold her but does not like sitting on my lap. How do you make a kitty a lap kitty?"

I'll expand on my reply: "It's not easy to train an adult cat to do something she's reluctant to do.

Just as some cats are not comfortable being hugged, some just don't like to sit on laps. You don't know what her history is with her former caregivers. It's possible she wasn't allowed to jump on laps, perhaps because of allergies, or simply because some people don't want cat hair all over their clothes and furniture. The plus side is that since she allows you to hold her, she isn't afraid of you. One thing came to mind though, since you're a guy. I wear jeans or long slacks in lieu of skirts and dresses most of the year. My Joey, pictured here, loves to lie on my lap, but when I'm wearing jeans, he doesn't want to - I think because the "lap surface" is uneven and it makes him afraid of falling. I've found that if I put a folded blanket (one of those lightweight velour ones) on my lap, he'll climb right on, and curl up there. Treats could help too, with a reluctant cat.
Image © Franny Syufy

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