Our cat has gotten a lot more affectionate over the past couple years. He used to come on to our laps only if we gave his favourite brush a shake. The brush has a loose metal cap on the wooden handle and it rattles a bit when you shake it.

A few years back he would come to me and meow, waiting for me to pick up the brush, and I’d just pat my lap and wait. Most days he’d just leave, but sometimes he’d jump up and sit on my lap and I’d give him a good scratching.

Sometimes, like this morning, he sits facing away from me, and after a couple scratches he settles in. Other times he wants the full massage, faces me, and even gives me an affectionate nose bump.

He’s slowly gone from a cat that had to be coaxed onto our laps to a full time lap cat, jumping on our laps a few times a day. Honestly, I think I enjoy his lap time more than he does.