tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post148544280889942640..comments2023-10-21T11:44:45.588+01:00Comments on ResidentAlien: Writer's Lap CatsMary Witzlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-65080800157665575522012-12-08T18:14:00.544+00:002012-12-08T18:14:00.544+00:00I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. D...I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create <br />this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for <br />you? Plz respond as I'm looking to design my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. thanks<br /><i>Look into my web site</i> :: <b><a href="http://info.edus.si/projekti/user/view.php?id=6920" rel="nofollow">click the next website</a></b>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-77307269675729478382011-07-11T02:10:44.340+01:002011-07-11T02:10:44.340+01:00Training cats? I agree with Charles. Just go for...Training cats? I agree with Charles. Just go for world peace.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03828426520214270655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-56480597636108475122011-07-01T01:08:40.994+01:002011-07-01T01:08:40.994+01:00A challenge. Since I have trained cats, I think i...A challenge. Since I have <a href="http://veach-glines.blogspot.com/2009/09/train-your-house-cat-to-hike-with-you.html" rel="nofollow">trained cats</a>, I think it is doable. Might I suggest:<br /><br />1 - An electric heating pad in your lap, turned up high, in a cold room, where the cat is trapped with you.<br /><br />2 - If the cat chooses a different place to lie, remove that item (cushion, blanket, etc) from the room.<br /> <br />3 - Last resort: shear the cat's torso hair with electric shears (not head, tail, or leg hair) and repeat 1 and 2. Drastic, I know, but it'll grow back.<br /><br />4 - When the cat "chooses" to lie on your heating-padded lap, don't fuss or overly praise it.<br /><br />5 - Repeat this for weeks (gradually turning the pad temperature down). After about two the three weeks you should be able to remove the heating pad.veach glineshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09858630502888259101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-85142162044079630472011-06-28T10:40:30.832+01:002011-06-28T10:40:30.832+01:00I don't have a cat but a bunny. He is very swe...I don't have a cat but a bunny. He is very sweet and likes spending time sitting just very close to my feet while I'm working. Occasionally, he will try to call for attention by pulling my trousers with his teeth or pushing me with the flat of his head. <br />I've tried to train him to jump and sit close to me or on my lap but he just seems to panic when I pick him up. <br />Good luck with your cats - I just hope that you don't get both used to sitting on your lap at the same time and then you get them fighting for the best spot while you're trying to do some work! :DAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06923613028048879472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-22712004633403894742011-06-28T10:23:20.346+01:002011-06-28T10:23:20.346+01:00Now Mary - are you sure this isn't just a ploy...Now Mary - are you sure this isn't just a ploy to get out of actually doing the writing?<br />As a great procrastinator myself it sounds a tad familiar - and I do it without the aid of dumb animals:)Pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01529798893653033970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-71488748842105753872011-06-26T16:37:24.305+01:002011-06-26T16:37:24.305+01:00Vijaya -- Training a lap cat is a good way to hone...Vijaya -- Training a lap cat is a good way to hone patience, and it helps keep me humble too. I hope my next cats will be quiet ones who know how to curl up on someone's lap, purr, and KEEP STILL. But in the meantime I've got these two irritating cats, and I just have to keep trying. I've got my fingers crossed for your trainee kitten!<br /><br />Angelina -- I like your use of the word 'accommodated': any kind of cat affection ought to be accommodated as a general rule. Personally, I can never resist the belly displaying ploy. No matter what I'm doing, once my cats roll over and give me that come-hither look, I have to acknowledge the gesture. <br /><br />Chocolatesa -- My cats prefer the keyboard to my lap too. I think they figure that's where the action is: my fingers are moving all over it, so they want to get in on the digital input. <br /><br />Angela -- I know, I'm crazy! But I love tilting at windmills and dreaming the impossible dream. After all, I'm also trying to get an MG book published ;o).<br /><br />KLM -- Someone has to climb the towering mountains, don't they? Someone has to lasso the moon and paint the stars gold and put a silver collar around the sun. People who are trying to publish books know all about doomed, crazy, reckless hope.<br /><br />Robin -- What I do is keep the treats at hand and offer them randomly after a few minutes of quality lap sitting. So far I've only had to shell out a couple of times, so you can see how well my training isn't going. The female jumps up on my lap, feigns affection for up to two minutes, then, unable to bear it any longer, starts making a noisy, in-your-face, irritating bid for treats. She is driving me INSANE, but I'll keep at it (cue in theme music for Chariots of Fire & Man of La Mancha). <br /><br />Robert -- I've got an Angelina-type cat right now. She gets into everything, talks non-stop, and is about to get herself chucked out of this room even as I write this. But I will persevere! <br /><br />Kim -- It wouldn't be the same. No human can simulate the purring long enough. Plus, he weighs too much.Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-1826314945328822011-06-26T16:16:59.225+01:002011-06-26T16:16:59.225+01:00Linnhe -- Lap dogs need walking, right? Unfortunat...Linnhe -- Lap dogs need walking, right? Unfortunately, that's a deal breaker, though I can see the value of it.<br /><br />Charles -- If it works, I'll definitely try the peace thing -- right after recording my achievement with the Guinness World Records people.<br /><br />MG -- That's pretty much the stage mine are at. When they know treats are forthcoming, they tolerate the odd couple of minutes on my lap. Then, duty accomplished -- and treat consumed -- they jump down. But if we wanted dogs, we'd have gotten dogs, right? Sigh.<br /><br />Dale -- Thank you! I need all the luck I can get. They're putting up steady resistance.<br /><br />Anne -- I have no luck keeping them off the table or getting them NOT to scratch the furniture, so yes, you're right. Wish I knew how to make them think my lap is as delightful a place for them to sit as the top of the stove or the kitchen table.<br /><br />Chocolatesa -- I'm less than eager about them jumping on my bed in the morning, because they tend to bring their prey with them, or have muddy paws. But perhaps because I try to get them to sit on my lap, they're suspicious and resist doing this. I keep those treats handy and hope for the best. I want at least one functional, practising lap cat.<br /><br />AP -- I was spoiled with my last cat. I knew it at the time, but each time I try and fail to get one of my selfish, entitled ingrate cats to sit on my lap I am reminded afresh. <br /><br />Your daughter's keyboard hamster sounds great! When these cats eventually go back to the person they belong to, I may replace them with a rodent.Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-15988848783143249612011-06-26T13:20:53.299+01:002011-06-26T13:20:53.299+01:00Just train Mr Witzl to sit with his head on your l...Just train Mr Witzl to sit with his head on your lap while you're typing... ;)Kim Ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02656677501116622953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-26902489846994887972011-06-26T02:13:23.993+01:002011-06-26T02:13:23.993+01:00Angelina would never work as a lap cat, she demand...Angelina would never work as a lap cat, she demanded too much attention. For a cat, she was pretty high maintenance.Robert the Skeptichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10863488312604865183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-71394931430665273692011-06-26T01:44:24.310+01:002011-06-26T01:44:24.310+01:00That sounds really difficult. I didn't even k...That sounds really difficult. I didn't even know cats could be trained. My cat seemed to know what to do automatically, but she only really did what she wanted, so that doesn't quite count.<br /><br />My dogs would be perfect for you, except for the intelligent and knowing looks. They have vapidly happy looks. It would make you smile, but not be very comforting.Robinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12396540555696283171noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-4558176362329724162011-06-24T22:17:15.701+01:002011-06-24T22:17:15.701+01:00Herding cats.
Writing books.
It takes the same l...Herding cats.<br /><br />Writing books.<br /><br />It takes the same level of hard-headedness to undertake these crazy, doomed-to-fail sorts of things. <br /><br />I pity you, Mary. I do.<br /><br />I completely understand you as well.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17704845146768729518noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-79481688634433875192011-06-24T20:17:42.547+01:002011-06-24T20:17:42.547+01:00Training a cat! It might be easier to lasso the mo...Training a cat! It might be easier to lasso the moon...lol<br /><br />Angela @ The Bookshelf MuseAngela Ackermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01808259088625142389noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-69198005538186702352011-06-24T02:47:06.415+01:002011-06-24T02:47:06.415+01:00As my boyfriend says, we have a keyboard cat, not ...As my boyfriend says, we have a keyboard cat, not a lap cat lol. Here's a picture I just took with my phone, sorry for the bad quality: http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa228/chocolatesa/269441_10150656197860128_570440127_19309496_2538205_n.jpgChocolatesahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08493321160124151967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-49647595795399803252011-06-24T01:23:43.560+01:002011-06-24T01:23:43.560+01:00My lapcat competes with the laptop. Right now, lap...My lapcat competes with the laptop. Right now, lapcat is purring away, working hard to make himself comfortable (and me uncomfortable but of course, he must be accomomdated, right). Best wishes with that training.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00769602845843608247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-9371707049260251242011-06-24T00:06:48.681+01:002011-06-24T00:06:48.681+01:00Oh, how I miss my old cat ... he was true lap cat....Oh, how I miss my old cat ... he was true lap cat. Sigh. But one of the new kittens may follow in his paws. He's attached to me and follows me around, but he's not quite learned to settle in my lap when I'm writing. Too playful still. Give them a couple of years, I'd say.<br /><br />You sure have a lot of irons in the fire. But the lap-cat is the best project of all.Vijayahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07876606729146077830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-53303528759349382012011-06-23T23:29:58.682+01:002011-06-23T23:29:58.682+01:00Oh My, Good Luck with that !
Son had a beautiful ...Oh My, Good Luck with that !<br /><br />Son had a beautiful small snake that would curl up in and around his hand when he read a book before computers. Daughter had a tiny Hamster that sat on the keyboard when she worked on the computer. I have dogs who love to sleep on and by my feet when work. I had a cat who sat on my worktable but no cats who sat on my lap while I worked for hours.<br />You had a very lovely cat !<br /><br />cheers, parsnipangryparsniphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17236094827257446781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-62472624038402407282011-06-23T22:01:25.078+01:002011-06-23T22:01:25.078+01:00I think I have ignored and shoved away my cat to t...I think I have ignored and shoved away my cat to the point where she doesn't even jump up in my lap any more when I'm in front of the computer lol. But she always does if I'm on the couch. I prefer this to her doing the "look how unclean my butt is!" thing like yours and walking/lying on the mouse/keyboard.Chocolatesahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08493321160124151967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-76624899115932377232011-06-23T18:21:44.384+01:002011-06-23T18:21:44.384+01:00Ah, the old "positive reinforcement" tec...Ah, the old "positive reinforcement" technique (aka post-facto bribe). It <i>might</i> work, but then again, based on my experience with cats, trying to train them NOT to sit on your lap might be a more efficient way to get them to do it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-62235382618516554832011-06-23T18:13:43.680+01:002011-06-23T18:13:43.680+01:00:-) good luck, dear!:-) good luck, dear!Dalehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14523194846272870013noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-72413173391858684322011-06-23T15:32:34.122+01:002011-06-23T15:32:34.122+01:00Yes, the treats will definitely help. Although I&#...Yes, the treats will definitely help. Although I'm with Charles a bit on this one. One of our cats sits on our laps but only when we're in certain chairs and at certain times of the day. The other won't voluntarily jump on our laps, but tolerates sitting there for a few minutes when we lift him up and plop him down. Sigh.MG Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03584010470283038023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-32732951564089123542011-06-23T15:02:14.631+01:002011-06-23T15:02:14.631+01:00egads, why not try to create world peace while you...egads, why not try to create world peace while you're at it? :)Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-965824120120454342.post-75848631352098468302011-06-23T11:14:59.166+01:002011-06-23T11:14:59.166+01:00Have you considered a lap dog? Easier to train and...Have you considered a lap dog? Easier to train and infinitely more loyal, though not so good with the purring.Linnhe Marahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17960310077208873662noreply@blogger.com