"Absently"

You ever read stuff that talks about someone petting a cat "absently"?  Y'know, sorta like "Blofeld absently stroked the white fluffy cat in his lap."  (Younger readers may replace "Blofeld" with "Dr. Evil" and "white fluffy" with "hairless.")

I've had Jasmine for going on four years now.  Let me tell you:  there is no petting this cat absently.  I think it's just part of the demanding I-must-be-the-center-of-attention quality of cats, but petting Jasmine is something you've sorta got to devote some attention to.  (If for no other than reason, to move your hand quickly when she threatens to bite.)  Honestly, she's been snuggling with me in bed the past few nights, but even then, it's a very conscious: pet, pet, pet, pet, pet, pet ... ok, I'm done.  If I even try to leave my hand out of the covers just lazily wrapped around the cat, she'll nip at my fingers. 

That's my cat:  petting her is an all or nothing proposition.