The Cat Tower

Investigating their Christmas present

                The best Christmas present the cats ever received was a tower built by my dad.  Cats tend to fall into two categories—bush dwellers who like to hide under things and swipe at the world, and tree dwellers who sit up as high as possible and survey their kingdom.

                Frank is our main tree dweller.  He loves draping himself across the tower’s top shelf so he can monitor the area's enemies and prey.  The others seem to be bush dwellers but they still love the tower because when Frank falls asleep at the top, his tail hangs down and they can attack it and escape before Frank wakes enough to retaliate.  I’m ashamed to admit it, but we all cheer on Frank’s adversary—it doesn’t hurt him to be taken down a peg or two. The tower is also good for playing tag, because it adds a vertical path to their course.

Frank overseeing his kingdom

                On days when the clowder is at peace, three or four of them will sleep on the tower at the same time, but only if I sit on the loveseat near them.  If I leave for a different room, they have to follow and sleep there instead.

                So thanks, Dad, for the great cat tower.  I wish we had room for each cat to have its own, but we need people space too.