Saturday, July 9, 2011

Cat perch

Before I get too involved this has nothing to do with my scroll sawing, but it is our newest endeavour in woodworking,  
For those who are reading this and do not know me, I am not a cat person.  When my daughters were much younger we went to a friends house and his cat just had a litter of kittens, since my daughters asked me for one and I saw what a smile it put on their faces I could not say no.  The daughters argued for hours on which one, then in a fathers moment of weakness I said each of you pick one out so we can go home.  We picked the kittens up and brought them home to introduce them to my golden retriever, Sandy.  They all got along fine.  Now my first thought is just how long can 2 kittens last in the house.  The answer is way to long.  The kittens turned into cats and they moved with us for the next 16 years.  The kids grew up...and we still had the cats!  First the oldest one went to college and we took care of her cat. When the youngest was in her second year of high school, the cats both got sick within a few months of each other and I did the proper thing and I vowed NEVER to get another cat. 
Several years passed by with the wife and I living part time alone and our youngest daughter in college.  I was happy, just the wife and I, our youngest daughter part time, and my 2 dogs, a chocolate lab, Zoe and an old golden retriever, Jordan.  Life was good.  Then one day my wife saw a mouse... then she argued that we needed a cat.  She even dropped so low as to include my youngest daughter in the argument.  In a moment of insanity I said ok get a cat. 
A week before Thanksgiving my wife and youngest daughter informed me they found just the cat they were looking for.  The next day I came home to find my 70 pound chocolate lab in a corner afraid to move.  She was cornered by a pure black, fuzzy purring, fit in the palm of your hand spawn of Satan little kitten the wife name Fiyero.  There was just something about the eyes in this kitten that told you right away he is the devil in disguise and he has surely lived up to the devil I knew he was.

Every time I tried to take a nap on the couch this little monster decides to use the couch I am on as a race track.  I decided to build him his own little jungle gym and maybe, just maybe he would leave me alone during my much deserved naps.  His little jungle gym turned into a 6 feet tall by 24inch X 24 inch three level sanctuary.  Three carpeted layers and several cat toys keep him busy for a few minutes a day and he loves to sit and watch the outside when he is not tormenting me.  Approximately half of the posts are covered in rope for him to knit on.  Now the cat sits on the very top and walks around thinking he is the king.  I know the next nap I take on the couch, he will be jumping onto my head from 6 feet up.

Several friends have seen these perches and I have been in the cat perch business for the past few weeks. With a few sold already and several more folks inquiring about these.  I never thought my woodworking skill would turn into making cat perches.  Whatever works I guess.

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