CAT STAND

I've always wanted a decent piece of cat furniture that my cats could climb on, sit on, scratch, and hide in but they've always been a bit too large for my relatively small house. Then I decided to get rid of a wooden corner unit and began to think I might be able to squeeze something in its place. About the same time, Kings Road Vets put up a link to a cat furniture manufacturer and I saw something which might be suitable. When KRV actually started selling them I thought I'd I get one.

Here's the box.

Grey Girl couldn't wait to get started on it.

Checking the instructions, they informed me I needed a power screwdriver which I didn't have. Joanna, having some experience in putting up cat furniture offered to help and I accepted (nearly taking her arm off in the process) her kind offer.

J and Andrea arrived, did the flea and worming business with my cats, and then we (Joanna) set about putting it together and didn't get very far. I went next door to my nice neighbours and borrowed their power screwdriver. I was back a couple minutes later to tell them I er didn't actually know how to work it so Jack, the 19 year old son of the family, came round to show me and ended up putting it together while A & J (made their escape) went on to do something else.

Eventually, after nearly an hour and a half, Jack gave up and took it home to work on when he had the time and brought it back a day later. To say that I appreciate everything he did is an understatement. My previous experience of putting cat stuff together is that it's relatively straight forward with large rods that screw in and large bolts that screw on. This thing involved over fifty screws to screw in, umpteen things to slot in, it had to be put together from top to bottom (rather than the other way as you'd expect) and while instructions did show you what you needed to do they weren't exactly idiot-proof which they needed to be in my case.

However, now it's done, it's been worth it. It's small enough that I can have it in my living room without it overpowering everything else but big enough to accomodate at any one time, and should they wish which is debatable, up to four cats -in practice, two is not uncommon, three more unusual, but it's certainly been a hit with them.

First photo is of a cat bed I also bought from KRV which ended up me needed to hammer one end in and is also a success with the little monsters. Emma, sitting next to it, is currently curled asleep in it. In the next photo is Skye the recent fluffy black arrival who, for the first few days, threatened to strip flesh from my bones, but is now quite sweet.

 

Then the rest of the cats joined in.

 

Bits and Pieces.

The cat which broke out of my conservatory has been found, without anyone realising it until photos began to circulate, not that far from my house and is currently being fostered in an escape-proof home.

Burnside the tough old ginger boot of a cat is currently very happy on a long-term foster but has, alas, been diagnosed with a kidney problem and may not have too long.

I've just taken in this afternoon a 5 month old male black kitten-cat who was rescued from a family about to chuck him out -not a kitten any more.

Fifi, my eldest, now being prevented from chewing HDMI cables because they are properly protected, has started nibbling on the tip of the tail of my collectable Godzilla (2014) figurine. She is really pushing her luck.