Why Do Cats Like To Lay On Your Lap?

Have you ever noticed when you get home from a long day of work or being out for the day, and you go to sit down and relax, and almost instantly your cat decides to jump on your lap and lie down?

Cats lay on your lap as a form of bonding with their owner. For some cats, it does mean they want scratches, most likely on the rump. Or for others, it’s simply a sign of affection and they are happy to see you. Your cat can also be signifying to you that they are feeling unwell.

But why the lap? Why cant they just come lay next to you? For cats being able to have that closeness to you is much more valuable than being relaxed and next to you curled up sleeping.

What Does It Mean When A Cat Kneads On Your Lap?

Cat kneading is a sign of admiration, it’s comforting and pleasurable to the cat, it can be a soothing experience for both owner and cat. They also do it as a way to release pheromones and are marking their territory, and yes they see you as their territory when they do this.

This is not always the case though for some cats it’s a way for them to connect and can become a habit. Some ways to know if it becomes a habit is to be on the lookout for if your cat starts drooling while doing so or they start wanting to suckle items.

When to be concerned, when you see the suckling it is a cat being still emotionally attached to its mother. As it is a natural thing for kittens to do when nursing. If you notice drooling, and your cat is a female, your cat may be in heat. Meaning she is ready to mate to start a litter of their own.

Now of course just because they drool does not necessarily mean your cat is in heat. There are other reasons for the drooling, drooling can be the cat being in an extremely relaxed state and therefore they start to drool.

Just as some people can be found to drool when having a massage, your cats’ drooling can mean they are really appreciating the back rub.

Why Does My Cat Reach Out His Paw To Me?

Some other traits you may notice your cat displaying while they are laying and or sitting on your lap is them stretching out their paw to you. Now they may do this to either your face, leg, or arm. This is not something that’s unusual.

Just as a cat will nudge into you or rub their face on you, it’s nearly the same when they reach out to you. They simply are trying to get your attention, as they are seeking out more affection from you and physical touch.

You may not think that your cat is of the physical type with you if they seem most of the time distant from you. But regardless of your cats day to day characteristics, at some point once they’ve made a connection with you, they will seek out more from you.

They will do this by reaching out to you or trying any means possible until they have achieved their goal.

Cats are very determined creatures, such as a dog can be when wanting a tasty treat, a cat can do exactly the same. Although it may be in a different form than a dog, regardless cats do want to be near you as well.

Why Does My Cat Bite Me Gently?

When it comes to cat biting you it does not mean a form of aggression, but there can be several reasons as to why they display this type of behavior. It can mean anywhere from they are ready to play, or if you have a male cat that they are ready to mate.

Generally, you find this behavior with male cats when they are still intact, meaning they have not been neutered yet. When a male cat gently bites you and proceeds to knead at you and usually straddle you, it means they are practicing how to mate with a female.

It is not advised to allow your cat to do this, as it can cause long-term bad habits that are hard to correct. When they do this simply remove them off of you, or it will be a continued behavior.

Another way to remedy this is if your cat is not a male stud for breeding purposes (usually left to registered breeders only), then it is best to have your cat fixed.

It’s right to have your cat fixed from 4 months of age from that point of their young adolescence they are at the age of breeding. Females at this point can become pregnant, and males can breed with females. The sooner you are able to have your cat fixed the better for the animal and owner.

Another meaning to your cats gentle biting could mean a warning sign to you. For example, it could mean you are petting them too hard or to signify pain in that area. It can also mean that they have had enough playing and they would like you to stop.

Generally, when they want you to stop they will also reach out their paw to you. Sometimes you will even find that they have had enough of someone in their face, you will generally find they do this with children as a way of teaching them boundaries.

Cats will also bite you gently as a form to say, “Hey, I’m ready to play.” If this is the case enjoy that time of play with your feline friend. This would be the best time to get out one of their favorite toys and help them as they practice their hunting mode all the while enjoying quality time with you.

How Do I Know My Cat Is Done Being Pet?

All in all, this is a straightforward answer, although they can show several signs, generally, a cat will simply get up and walk away. As cats can either be anti-social, in between, or extremely social, there’s no way really of knowing when your pet is going to have had enough of your love and affection.

Although they can display in other ways that they’ve had enough, so to speak, your cat may show you differently. So its best to watch your cats behaviours to learn about there different traits.

For example, you may have the type of cat that puts its paw on you to say that’s enough. Or they may be the type that gives you that gentle bite, sometimes can be even harder, depending on the cat. Or in most cases, they just get up and leave.

Whatever way they choose to do so, knowing your cat is always best, there may be times that your cat simply wants to just sit in your lap for comfort and bonding. While not necessarily being pet, and this can happen in some cases. Two ways to know if that’s what they want is by watching their ears and tail.

Yes, these two body parts can tell you a lot. When your cats’ ears are relaxed, meaning in normal position, not forward or backward, means they are content. When they place their ears forward it usually means they are alert. When the ears are back, it means they are annoyed or mad and you need to stop.

The tail can show some of these signs as well. For example, if your cats’ tail is still or gently gliding back and forth, they are relaxed. If your cats’ tail starts to flick the tip of the tail, this is a warning to you that they are starting to get annoyed. Although the tail-flick can also mean that they are in hunting mode.

So as a guide if you see both tail and ears working simultaneously with each other, it usually means you should step back or therefore take your hands off your feline pet. This way they can go back to a relaxed state.

In Conclusion

When a cat comes to sit on your lap it is generally for the bonding experience that they want to share with you, and there is no reason why you should not allow this to happen. Enjoying your happy cat through this experience is rewarding and enjoyable for all cat owners.