"Michael M." <hfrargspam@msbx.net> wrote in message

I agree with this idea. My 18 yearold formerly feral cat will come to
me as i sit watching TV, stare at me with those huge ver yellow eyes
and wait for an invite to get on my lap and if she doesn't get one,
will sadly either lay down at my feet or on the couch next to my
chair. She very very very seldom meows. If she is invited, she will
jump up and slowly walk up my lap ( she is slow as frozen molasses!)
and look at me out of the top of her eyes, kneed my leg and expect me
to scratch the jaws and throat. She will lay there for as long as i am
there and after the petting, go sound asleep. She always sleeps on my
bed if i leave the door open. She never gets on the "man of the
house's" lap, but will follow both of us around if her food is getting
a bit low, or if she is thinking that we are going somewhere. She
likes to keep track of both of us, likes the Man-O-T-H to rub her
back, but more as a very good friend. I am the mother figure.
 The new, 6 month old feral, Lucky, who we just adopted three months
ago, talks to me but does not do the  loud meowing bit, wants to
suckle my arms... which I can't tolerate... along with the kneeding,
but never tried to suckle the Man-o-t-h. He, too, keeps track of us
both like a child would his parents.  Being young, he is quite active,
but will not get really rough with me, but will get rough with the
older cat who has developed a love hate relationship. The old cat is
very jealous, and will not tolerate the little one near me if she is
on my lap, but I am getting her to be a bit more lenient. She will
agravate the little one with her tail lashing knowing full well the
little cat can't resist trying to catch that tail! They will fight,
the little one the instigator, but finally after about 2 months, they
have taken to grooming each other, ..never kneeding...but still with
the mischievious rough play by the young cat  and the older cat very
irritated, hissing, growling, low moaning growl... and having to run
and hide a lot. The little one thinks he is playing.

Like any child, the little one will somewhat mind a sterner father
figure but will take advantage of a more compliant mother figure. I
think the little cat grovels on the floor to get his tummy ruffled and
let us know he really wants a lot of attention and wants to play. He
will run and jump up my jeans legs and slide down, run at me and hit
my leg and bounce off, run and jump into one of his baskets, curl up
inside and pop his head up and coyly blink at me wanting to play....or
just curl up and immediately go to sleep... or jump up and run lickety
split through the house and in and out of the kitty door into the
garage. But he always ends up several a few times a day on my
(momma's)lap, worn out and after a good rub down, a good totally
relaxed nap.
Lee/leo