Q How can I encourage my cat to enjoy sitting on my lap?

AWhile some cats crave affection and would do anything to sit on your lap, others can be timid and appear aloof. Most of the time, this just comes down to individual personality differences, but sometimes it can be a result of a lack of socialisation.

Limit interactions to very short, planned sessions.

Never force your cat on to your lap. That will only make your cat more anxious. Some cats will never be lap cats and you may have to accept that your cat enjoys your company in other ways.

Kittens that have not been handled by humans during their first 3 — 7 weeks of life may have less of an inclination to be affectionate and, indeed, venture on to your lap.

To have the best chance of success with your cat, it’s important the environment is conducive to relaxing and cuddly times.

Dim the lights and turn the television on to a low volume.Then, we are aiming to make your cat feel positive associations with touch and contact by pairing this with a reward, such as a special tasty treat!

Try to read your cat’s body language and predict when anxiety is increasing. For example, tail twitching, stiffening of the shoulders/legs, dilation of the pupils and rotating of the ears are signs of stress — if you notice any of these signs stop the session.

Using food can be a very powerful tool. It will act as a reward for being handled and then, hopefully, for taking that big step on to your lap.