Friday, July 22, 2016

I Load Sixteen Pounds, and What Do I Get?

Tungsten used to be my lap-cat. She enjoyed curling up and snoozing. The orange one was certainly no trouble and felt very light. Her six, and in later days, five pounds, made it seem as if there was no one on my lap at all.

After she died, I didn’t have a lap-cat. I still don’t, but now and then, some of the beasts who still live with me decide to try it. Josie rarely, Renn now and then, Cammie less than Josie. The one who most often settles down for a slumber on my legs is Tucker. He doesn’t do it every day, and when he does, he doesn’t always stay for long. Sometimes, he does.


I find a cat lying on a person’s lap to be a sure sign of comfort - on the cat’s part - with, and affection for, the human. There are many other places a cat can lie that are more comfortable. Even a carpeted floor would be less undulating than a lap. It must be like resting on an assembly line made of rollers. Even taking into account the feline capacity for nearly boneless contortion, the human lap cannot be the most convenient of locations. And yet, there they lie, sometimes falling into a deep sleep, they are that much at ease.

So I will put up with Tucker’s fourteen pounds (I know what amount is in the title; it made the reference to the song better) and be glad of it. He’s telling me that he likes me, and likes being near me; that I make him feel good and secure. For that, I’d load sixteen tons.

11 comments:

  1. Fourteen pounds is no light weight, if he chooses to stay a long time. In winter time I'm sure it can be quite cosy -- not so in the dead heat of summer! :-D

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  2. My Joey and Alex are both lap cats. Joey is only 9 pounds and Alex is 16 pounds. But that notwithstanding, Alex is still able to fit into my lap. The other four cats enjoy sitting next to me on the sofa. Even though it gets crowded at times, I wouldn't have it any other way.

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  3. Abby was my lap cat. She loved being near me. She always leaned into me when I picked her up, and these days my cats especially Annabelle lean away pull away, unless I am showing her something that interests her and then she forgets she is being held. Since some adjustments around our home she has taken to sitting in my lap at the late evening news time for an hour or so and I so enjoy that because I miss that. I miss a lot about my Abby.

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  4. Nothing feels as good as a cat sleeping on your lap. I miss it very much!

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  5. Some cats really do like to sit in laps. We only have a few around here that like to do that. You all have a great week end.

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  6. Eric was our lap cat. Even though he weighed 23 pounds he never felt that weight. I think it is because he would spread himself out. It meant I was almost covered by him but at least there was even weight distribution. Flynn may sit on my lap for 2 or 3 minutes, but prefers a cuddle.

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  7. Miss Pops has phases of wanting to cuddle and will come and make a big deal about sitting on my lap, but will seldom stay longer than 10 minutes. At the moment she prefers to perch on the arm of the couch and sit beside me.

    I have had lap cats in the past though, and as you say they seem to just relax and settle into a deep slumber. I always find though that once they settle, you feel the need to get something done and have to get up and disturb them.

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  8. None of my cats have been lap cats until recently. Sasha prefers to lie next to me in the chair, Sami will sit on the edge of the chair, and Saku, he preferred to climb on my chest and tuck his head into my neck.

    Now, however, Saku has started to curl up on my lap. He'll not stay very long, maybe 10 minutes or so, and he hasn't yet taken a nap. But I'm hopeful that over time he'll get more comfortable because I love it.

    Tucker looks very content, enjoy!

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  9. I love having a lap cat, Lucy was mine and I miss her very much. Now Joanie and Brody have stepped in, I never thought about it not being as comfortable as other places for them.

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  10. Jack, Muffin and Fleurp - my three biggest cats - all like to pile on me at once.. they think my breathing is optional.

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  11. He does look content =) Oscar used to cuddle before his arthritis got too bad. I must admit that I miss it.

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