On a humorous note... Invite somebody to your house who doesn't like cats, and sit that person down in a first floor chair. That cat will be RIGHT there!

My youngest sister is not a cat fan (she is a dog person). When she would come to visit, my former cat, Magic, would always jump in her lap which she did not like too much. I think my sister would like Molly, my new cat more. Molly has not jumped on my lap (yet). When I pick Molly up and put her on the sofa or on my bed, she will stay next to me for a couple of minutes, then jump back down again to lay on the floor.

In my long life I have had dozens of cats. Some cats are lap cats, some are lap cats to the point that you can't sit down without the cat in your lap, Some cats just like to be near you, some just like to be near enough to keep an eye on you. Most all cats like to be petted, but some don't.
Always remember: Dogs have masters. Cats have servants.