If you’ve read our blog for a while or follow us on Facebook, you’ve seen lots of pictures of me and Ruby on our window perch. It’s one of my favorite places to hang out, whether it’s for watching the world go by outside the window, or for a nice long snooze.
Last week, something bad happened to my window perch: Mom found a hole in it! It started out as a tiny little hole, and neither Mom nor I worried much about it, but it got a little bigger every day, and pretty soon, I could stick my hole paw through it. That’s when Mom decided we needed to get a new perch.
I wasn’t all that sure I wanted a new one. After all, I, and all the kitties who came before me, had molded it into a perfect hammock shape, as you can see in this photo. But Mom said that the hole could turn into a hazard. I guess that’s one of those big words humans like to use when they’re worried that something bad might happen to us kitties. Like we’d be silly enough to get our head stuck in that hole. Mom really worries too much.
Anyway, Mom put up the new window perch last week. At first, I wasn’t sure at all I was going to like this. I explored cautiously. It feels really different. But I got used to it pretty quickly, and now I really like it.
In case you’re wondering, Ruby gets to use the perch every once in a while, too, but she knows it’s really my perch. The picture above was taken a few days after she joined our family. You can tell I wasn’t too terribly thrilled about sharing it with her.
After a few days, the new perch is already starting to take on a little bit of a hammock shape, and I figure it won’t be long before I have it molded just right. Mom says it will take a little longer because I’m such a lightweight. The kitties who used it before me, especially Feebee and Amber, weighed much more than I do.
Ingrid’s note: I got the original perch for Feebee in 1984. I’d say I got my money’s worth from it. And of course, you can’t put a price on the endless hours of pleasure it brought Feebee, Amber, Buckley, Allegra and Ruby.
Hello Ingrid:
In addition to other cats that I have the privilege to live with, my latest addition having come from an abused and mostly neglected home, is terribly overweight. London is an orange & white male cat around 13 years old. I have read up on your latest recommendations, in particular also Weruva. The so called “BFF OMG series (with some gravy), has potato starch in it which truly surprised me as I thought that Weruva prided itself in not having any starches in their food. London is now 21 1/2 lbs., and I am now measuring his food and slowly give him daily a little less so that he can finally lose his weight. Is there any particular brand and/or type that you can recommend? He is constantly miauing for food which is upseting me as he appears to be hungry. I will now start him on Dr. Elsey’s Clean Protein. I have moved now to 3 times feeding him but much smaller portions, and still trying to reduce his daily intake on a very gradual basis. I would so very much appreciate your feedback. Many, many thanks. Barbara M. Mirbt
You can find my recommendations here: https://ingridking.com/2012/03/22/the-best-food-for-your-cat/ and tips to help a cat lose weight here https://ingridking.com/2019/11/18/weight-loss-tips-for-cats/
My cat has one and I wanted to get another one and they no longer sell them! What a shame!!!
I know! I’m hoping that ours will last forever!
I had 2 and they broke, just received one I ordered which I thought was it, but it’s a solid board not hammock style 🙁
I haven’t been able to find the hammock style ones anywhere, either. I hope your kitties like the one you bought anyway.
That’s a very nice looking perch! We are just now able to open our windows on some days. Scooter already tested the screens of our 4th floor hovel, and they do fall out. We had to explain the outside window sill is NOT a veranda. Staff got the vapors over that one.
THAT perch looks safe and secure…unlike the Sunny Seat 🙂
It has definitely held up well through all those years, Caren.
Allegra, molding that perch to the exact proper shape is very, very important! Just think if FeeBee all those years ago hadn’t been so attentive to the proper training of a cat perch, and Amber and Buckley hadn’t perfected it. So Ruby has learned a few things about respecting her “elders”…?
I have a cat bed that each of my cats has used from 1987, the foam falls apart and I reglue it, the cover is ripped and I patch it. All my cats have used it at one time or another and it just happens to be the bed where many spent time in their last year or so, and it has a little memento from each of my cats in it just by chance. I have photos of the Fantastic Four piled in it as tiny little beans, cuddled by all the cats who came before them.
I wish I could have repaired the old fleece, but there was not enough fabric left to really hold it together! It’s so nice to have something that holds memories of all the cats who have gone before.
Allegra, I am so happy you like your new perch but am sad your old one wore out. I love seeing pictures of Ruby and you. You both are adorable. Remember to share the perch with Ruby too. 🙂
Allegra you look very happy on your perch.
Ingrid, I love that you used the frame from the old perch! So many happy memories tied to it.
I’m so happy that I was able to reuse the frame, Debbie!
Hi Allegra,
You look as snug as a bug in your perch. I’m glad the new one is like the old one. You just have to get the smells just right.
Mom bought me a new perch/Scratchie for my window. But I just don’t like it. Its got a rounded top and is nice but I’m just not taken with it yet. I think mom may end up taking it back. I’m just a picky little stinker 🙂
Maybe mom will get one of those hammocks. But she worries cause we live in a apartment and can’t make a mess with the walls.
Enjoy the scenery!
Lil’ Rikki
Diana, this perch doesn’t damage the walls, since you don’t need any hardware to mount it. I’m not sure about the velcro part that goes on the window sill – I’m pretty sure if I ever tried to remove mine, it would probably take a thin layer of window sill with it after being attached to it securely all those years.
Yea, I know some of that stuff really sticks..lol. I have a hook that I stuck up and I’m completely afraid to remove it. Thanks for the info.
Allegra, you look so beautiful on your window perch! Enjoy your new one! I’m sure it will get perfect and molded right for you! 🙂
Note for Ingrid: the old perch must carry so many memories of beloved kitties for you…
Anna, it was really hard to throw away the old perch. What I actually wound up doing was just use the fleece part from the new perch, and reuse the frame of the old one. So in a way, we’re still using the old perch, and the memories are still a part of the new one.
Allegra, we bet you will have that new perch all broken in in no time at all. That does look like great fun sitting in your perch and keeping track of the outside world. Hope all of you have a great day.
She’s making good progress breaking it in, Marg. You have a great day, too!