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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The cat in the lap

10 replies

Gumbo · 10/11/2020 13:25

My cat is 5 years old. She's fit and healthy and goes hunting daily. the only way to get in and out of our garden is over a 6-foot wall, which she manages to deftly do - often with some or other prey in her mouth.

Why then, when she wants to be cuddled and sit on my lap normally while I'm on a Zoom call won't she jump up? It starts by her sitting beside me purring loudly, is then followed by her standing up and patting me - and culminates in her climbing - yes, not jumping, but climbing - up the side of the chair/my leg to get onto my lap! Which generally draws blood and good deal of swearing from me. She flatly refuses to jump. Why?? She is physically able to do so, she just won't.

The same goes for getting onto the bed - she climbs up the bloody thing. How do I get her to jump like a normal cat when she's indoors?

The cat in the lap
OP posts:
Fluffycloudland77 · 10/11/2020 13:34

It’s more fun that way. You cannot tell a tortoiseshell cat what to do anyway.

Gumbo · 10/11/2020 13:38

So she's doing it just to be an arse? That's entirely possible I suppose Grin

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MutteringDarkly · 14/11/2020 13:54

Sympathies, mine will also jump up and down from windowsills, but will only climb up my leg to get a cuddle (fortunately only 6m old currently but my legs look like a pincushion and she's learning some very bad language!)

Gumbo · 14/11/2020 14:47

So is there a way I can actually make her jump? She's perfectly capable and isn't stupid, I just can't work out why she wont - nor can I figure out how to make her do so.

OP posts:
MutteringDarkly · 14/11/2020 18:08

Wrap lower legs in Teflon Grin?

Fluffycloudland77 · 14/11/2020 18:10

You can’t make her do anything. If Torties were human they’d run pubs the hells angels would be scared to go into.

TheLongRider · 14/11/2020 19:29

Do you invite her up when she starts the behaviour? Or have you tried just picking her up and plonking her on your lap?

She is a Tortie so she will know what she's doing and not GAF.

Gumbo · 14/11/2020 20:04

I've tried repeatedly telling her 'no' and pushing her away but she just keeps returning happily, purring the whole time Hmm
So instead, I now turn and pick her up and plonk her on my lap where she settles down happily... but it's annoying and distracting when I'm working. For context, I have another soppy ginger boy cat who regularly sneaks onto my lap when I'm working and I barely notice he's appeared

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TheLongRider · 14/11/2020 20:42

Can you put a box or cat nest (comfy blanket, newspaper, stack of important receipts Grin) beside you so she has somewhere to supervise you from while you work. One of our cats has appointed himself office supervisor while DH works from home.

I appreciate how annoying it is when you're working, no-one wants to see cat butt on screen!

Gumbo · 14/11/2020 20:49

@TheLongRider
[Grin] good idea about the important documents. If I can distract her with something else perhaps she'll forget to deliberately shred my leg climb up onto me.

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