People in multi-cat homes: Ever notice one cat looking jealous while another is cuddling with you?

[charlie and algernon]

First thing, my cat Esther is NOT a lap cat nor that much of a cuddler. She'll sit next to you, but you definitely need to leave her an "out." She whines and growls if she feels you're confining her by holding her or whatnot.

The roommate's cat, Holly, is a BIG lap cat and cuddler. LOVES attention and will lay up against you all the time if you allow.

I'll be watching TV on the couch and Holly is curled up on my lap purring away. Occasionally, I'll catch Esther staring intently at me while all of this is going on. Even though Esther is NOT a lap cat, she seems to get really jealous that I would DARE let another cat on my lap. :rofl:

Anyone else in multi-cat households notice this?

[UTUSN]

1. Same with my 2 dogs.

One is an attention hound, the other is chilled. The former can't stop intruding when the other one is the center; the latter, while not touchy-feely, will do the pained staring thing.

[cherish44]

2. My cats like to cuddle but on their terms...

Basically if they want to cuddle and another cat is already there, they'll just jump on my lap too :)

[charlie and algernon]

3. these cats aren't at that part in their relationship

the cats have been together for a little over a year and they've just now gotten to the point where they can sit next to each other, but only slightly touching. Even if my cat was a lap cat, we're a long way off to where both cats are comfortable sharing a lap together.

[cherish44]

10. makes sense, my cats are siblings

They fight like siblings at times (it gets intense!) but eventually they're cuddling with each other again

[GoCubsGo]

8. That's how it was when I had multiple cats.

Two on the lap, one on the back of the sofa.

[freshwest]

4. I've had cats that way. In my mixed cat and dog days, they were jealous of each other and...

A lot like kids do, they also got jealous when I was on the phone and started to act up. I had a great time with them, though.

The cat started to 'talk' to get attention after years of not vocalizing, and I taught both the cat and the dog to wink at me.

The dog used to stand up to dance like my kid taught her and she was quite good at it. They've all passed away, those were great days.

[Trailrider1951]

5. Oh boy, not only jealous looks but outrageous behavior as well

I remember one time I had Rosie in my lap and was petting her for ten minutes or so. Rosie then jumps down, walks a few steps away, and sits there staring off into the kitchen. Shasta comes up to her and sits down beside her. Rosie doesn't notice Shasta yet, as she is still intent on what's going on in the kitchen. After about a minute, Rosie turns her head to look at Shasta, and BAM!!
Shasta slaps Rosie's face with her right front paw and then runs away! Rosie just sits there with this WTF look on her face..........:rofl:

[mikeytherat]

6. We use the phrase, "Did it just get greener in here?" One cat, Weird Harold, is notorious for this.

He'll often attack one our others, Charlie, if we give Charlie even the slightest amount of attention.

mikey_the_rat

[applegrove]

7. I noticed my little cat getting very frustrated being the low man on the totem pole. When

Twilight was a kitten she was dominant because, well, she was a kitten and Monster couldn't keep from getting lured into playing with her. As they aged Monster started moving her off the best places to sit, etc. She really did not like that. And she started being really, really unfriendly to outside cats at the window...obviously territorial... worried about her status. She was not a lap cat and was not jealous of Monster when he would cuddle with me.

[OhioBlue]

9. yes.

I currently have 3 cats... 2 by choice..

Kitty - my cat - she found me as a kitten. She was a rescue that was fostering at my neighbor's house. She found me and my neighbor gave her to me. He told me she was spayed. then she started acting weird like she was in heat. I took her to the vet - they told me she appeared spayed, but sometimes when they are too young to be spayed the vet misses an ovary and they can still act like they are in heat.

then.. she got fatter and fatter and ended up having kittens. Oh how I loved them... a friend took them all but one that we kept - Blackie. He is bigger, more aggressive and more rambunctious. Kitty is graceful, she can jump up on your lap when you are wearing shorts and never scratch you. She will sleep with you and never wake you up. Blackie - scratches the heck out of your legs and messes with you all night.

Then we have had several drop offs... adopted most of them out, took one to a shelter.. we kept one kitten (Lovie) that nobody wanted.. it is as aggressive and clumsy as blackie if not more so. And, much less of a lap cat.

We keep them outside during good weather as we live in a very rural area with a lot of acreage and a barn and we live in a trailer... Lovie and Blackie block Kitty out when they get fed, they push and sneak to come in and Blackie can even open the door at times. He is like the McGyver of Cats. Kitty is just graceful and sad looking... she sees them come in and looks to me for an "okay". She looks sad if either of them are being petted by me... I love her the most and I think she wishes we could go back to the days of a one cat household. The thing about kitty tho - she pretty much only loves me. She doesn't like my husband or 4 yr old son much (she seems intuitive, smart and particular) and will hiss at other people. Blackie and Lovie will be cool (they just seem dumb, clumsy and friendly) with other people and let my 4 yr old pick them up - He is such an animal person and loves them all so much - he has cried multiple times when we have adopted out strays or their babies and is still devastated that your adopted dog ran off several months ago. Kitty is better with him than other children... but I know what she is thinking and it is.. that she wishes it was just me and her again.