Sassy cats – They are not lap cats

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I have a lot of respect for rescues. They do a lot of hard work that carries an emotional toll. Sometimes it’s heart breaking and sometimes rewarding. They handle a lot of animals so I’ve learned to take their information on adoptables with a grain of salt. Animals are different in different environments.

Gus is the newest resident here. Adopted at three years old, he had lived at the rescue since he was 8 weeks old. He was a volunteer favorite, friendly but shy. When I came in to adopt him, they said that he was good with other cats (which he is) but that he didn’t like to be handled. He’d never be a lap cat. I was ok with that as I had cats fighting over my lap already. Here is how that turned out.

Yes, those are my legs sticking out.

Sasha was adopted because she wouldn’t come out so adopters could get a look at her or get to know her. She was a year old and spent all that time in a rescue. I already knew that first impressions with animals weren’t any more reliable than first impressions with people. Sometimes you have to get to know someone. She also would not be a lap cat. I’m still ok with that. She needed a home and my lap had enough takers but this is how that worked out.

That’s my sock sticking out from under the fleecy throw.

Gracie was next. She was a rescued from an overcrowding situation but clearly she was very comfortable being around people. She’s a bit of a loner (which they didn’t tell me) but she would also not be a lap cat. Not only is she a lap cat but she is a lap hussy hopping on anyone handy. I posted a photo of her on my lap recently but here is one with my brother, both napping.

My brother and Gracie taking a nap. This is from 2018.

We adopted Morgan because as a one-eyed cat I didn’t think the odds were in her favor for adoption. People have missed out on this marvel. She is our perfect cat. (By that I mean she eats anything you put in front of her and does not wake me up at 3 a.m.) She’s very friendly and the least likely to be a lap cat in our crew but it does happen.

By now you must recognize my legs.

Sometimes it gets congested, like here.

Morgan is on my lap but Sasha thinks it’s her turn. I need more lap. In the distance you can see my legs and sneakers.

None of these cats were advertised as being anything near a lap cat yet look what happened. Perhaps I should stop wearing pants that smell like bacon!

I apologize for the blurry pictures but getting pictures of a cat on my lap is not easy.

68 thoughts on “Sassy cats – They are not lap cats”

  1. That’s funny – all your cats set out to prove the shelter wrong. That is amazing. My cat friend Carol is fretting over her ferals as they got 18 inches of snow last week (near Rochester, NY) and it snowed more today. She has shelter boxes, battery-operated pads, straw and heated water and food dishes and prays a lot for them to stay safe.

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    • Strays are crafty and know about survival. We have three living next door. Our neighbor also has heated huts for them and puts out food. They survived the 26″ snowfall last year. They know where all the good spots are.

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      • Yes, they do know where to come and this Mama cat needs to be “fixed” as she brings each litter to Carol’s to be taken care off. She has the heated dishes for food and water and lives near a wooded area, so has to protect their food from raccoons, possums and also deer. Carol was really fretting over that bomb cyclone last week … she is in the Rochester, NY area, so the big storms are the norm there.

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  2. Yeah. I adopted Timmy instead of his sister because he wasn’t going to be an attention hog like his sister clearly was. And I already was taking care of an attention hog with Bijou. But. As it turns out… he is. However, much more polite about it. He comes up to my side and put his paw lightly on my arm. It Is, of course, impossible to resist.

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  5. What a beautiful family you have there! And, I think the bacon pants are a great idea! What better scent is there? Except for tuna. Stay warm guys, and nice job taking turns to keep your human warm and occupied. Wouldn’t want her to feel neglected!

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  7. The people at the rescues are also not meeting these cats at their best, even when they have lots of time to spend with the animals. You are a really caring and loving pet owner, and you are giving them a safe environment which is probably as close to ideal as a cat is going to get. And of course you are so wonderful with them. Of course they are their best selves – they are living their best lives there with you!

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    • I hope you are too. Sometimes having a feline sibling along helps. When I adopted Hazel she was from an outdoor litter that had no socialization. She spent 3 weeks under the bed. I sent Mollie in the room with her and Mollie had her out within a half hour. Everything changed then.

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  9. I find it heartwarming to recognize that these wonderful furry companions have such comfort with you, which has been obvious all along, but seeing that they want the warmth and companionship of physical closeness emphasizes that despite occasional mischief, they really are love bugs! You have your laps full! 🙂

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  11. What a great post ! Years ago I adopted “unadoptable and mean” Clover who had been at the (no-kill) shelter for a number of years. Within a couple of weeks she was sleeping on the bed with me and the other cats. Purrs to you and your crew !

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  12. Love the pictures! Your cats know who loves them and takes care of them.
    Teddy hid for a couple of weeks when he came here to live. He had been abused and didn’t trust humans. He still doesn’t trust anyone except me. Jack adapted quickly. Sophie…she came in and took over! This is her house, her brothers, and her human, and has been since the moment she came in.

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    • Mollie was like that. Her first night out of the room I was keeping her in to get accustomed to the house, she pushed Jake off of the bed and picked out her spot. She slept there every night for the next 16 years. Sasha is bossy but deferred to Mollie when she came. When Mollie passed, she stepped right into her shoes.

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  18. I think the only explanation is that you both have super comfy laps! Our first cat (Dexter) has lived with us since a being found as a stray kitten at 3 or 4 weeks old (11+ years ago). He is still not a lap cat. He will set next to me (sometimes), but never on my lap.

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    • Hazel (RIP) was like that. She was around 9 months when we got her but had been an outdoor litter with little people contact. After a while she would sit next to us or on top of the sofa if we were sitting there but never on our lap. Sasha will dump me if Gus comes into the room and gives her googly eyes. Clearly she prefers him to me.

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  19. How cute your lap gang is! I know what you mean about inaccurate traits of rescues. Norman’s foster emphatically said he never gets on the furniture. Within 10 minutes of bringing him in the house, he had made his bad little self quite comfortable on the sofa with his head laying on a tossed pillow. It’s still one of my all time favorite first memories of this big lunk head. Funny thing though, the sofa is the only piece of furniture he gets on, he’s never having tried to get up on my bed at night, preferring the dog beds on either side of the bed. 🤣

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  21. LOL, you are clearly the cat (lap) whisperers. “Lap hussy” made me snort coffee.

    Boss Cat went unadopted for a long time because she hissed at potential adopters when she was in her crate at adoption fairs. But she greets everyone who comes into our house, seeks affection, and loves curling up on warm humans (and dogs).

    Next time we adopt, I’m going to look for another brave, hissing cat. 🙂

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    • Yeah, you’re a lot like me. Next time (if there is a next time) I will ask for the most unadoptable in the group. It’s a challenge that I haven’t lost yet. My only criteria is that they have to get along with other cats.

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  26. You have the perfect home for cats. That’s all there is to it. And when they get truly comfortable, anything is possible! All of your feline family members are lucky to have landed with you!

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    • Right now we are lucky too. No chronic illnesses or wonky stuff going on. Even Sasha has gotten a tolerance for the contractors. She still hides but it’s her nap time anyway and she doesn’t act like they are going to kill her.

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  27. It’s been my experience that cats don’t get ‘comfortable’ with people’s bodies in any form until trust has been established. It’s obvious that these 4-legged children all trust you implicitly and are willing to let you know that!

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  29. I hear ya…..that’s the thing about cats – maybe the ones from rescues and shelters more than others you might adopt from a family whose cat had kittens, etc. Cats sometimes don’t like all that rushing around/confusion/talking/laughing/loud noises, etc. that are often what you find when you visit a shelter. Get them home and they are different cats – they relax – they gravitate towards laps and furniture and warm blankets…..not always but sometimes. Your gang obviously are Happy Campers. They’re proof positive that you just have to get to know a cat to make those calls and most shelters/rescues just don’t have the time to really know what each individual cat’s “lap potential” could be. Lucky you! By the way – can I get bacon pants on Amazon??????

    Hugs, Pam

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    • You are right. Many animals, dogs too, don’t do well in shelter warehousing. Too many noises and smells and living creatures all too close. As for bacon pants I haven’t seen them on Amazon. You have to make them yourself by frying the bacon. Everything including your hair smells like bacon!

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  30. you can do magic … and we are so happy that your cats found the best home ever. my friend had a feral boy once, he sadly never became a lap cat nor a cuddle kitty… he always attacked visitors as soon as she opened the door, sadly the witnesses were not much around that time ;O)

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    • I never had an attack cat but my old cat Hazel RIP, was not a traditional lap cat. She would sleep on the top of the chair rest when you were sitting in it but that was the closest. Most of my cats that were not people-oriented just hid rather than attacked.

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