We cat-people of course know that cats are capable of as much affection as dogs, humans, or any other animal. Yet it still sometimes surprises me as to how these beasts of mine show that they like me.
The most common expression is coming over to me and rubbing up against me. Now, one mustn’t be naive: mine do that at meal-times, which is hardly, shall we say, an impartial time to show affection. Yet they do this at other times, as well. My late friend Tucker was a good one for doing this. He would jump down from a chair where he was relaxing, just to walk over and rub up against me. Or not, since he was such a timid soul that he sometimes was startled and turned before he reached me.
Others will want to spend time with me. Indigo is not friendly right now with her fellow felines. Yet, when I am sitting at my computer in the bedroom, Indie will jump down from her armchair and come over to sit next to me. She rarely jumps onto my lap, but will consent to be picked up and put there. Once rather awkwardly settled there, she will purr contentedly for ten or fifteen minutes, before she leaves.
Valkyrie will see me and call out, reaching one of her long forelegs to stop me as I walk past. Her purring is instant as I start stroking her head, and she leans into my palm.
Most demonstrably affectionate is Imogen, who has taken to lying on my lap on the sitting room couch after dinner. She will sit facing me, slowly kneading my thighs, and then lean forward to bump my face with her head. Then she will curl up on my lap. I will scratch under her chin and if I stop, she will grab my hand with her paw, to urge me to continue.
Each of my cats has a certain spot or two in which he or she will be most comfortable: a heated cat-bed, a corner of my bed, the tallest cat-tree or another cat-bed in the corner. Yet each will, in his or her own way, forsake a warm and most comfy spot to come and spend time with me. A human lap cannot really be that well-made for a cat’s relaxation, even if a cat is a most flexible and flowable creature. Yet from time to time, one will want to spend time there, just to show the human that he or she likes him. Whenever one wants to do this, I try to accommodate him or her. After all, it’s like being given the most loving gift every day.
And is that not the best feeling in the world, to have a cat curled up in one's lap? Nothing calms me more than sitting with a cat unless, of course, I need to get up to do something.
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