Tuesday, May 16, 2017

Seasons in the Sun

I’ve mentioned before how my cats - like most cats - crave the sunshine. I’ve also mentioned my puzzlement over how animals who wear fur-coats and whose body temperature is about 100° Fahrenheit can not only stand, but enjoy, such heat. Some of my beasts even lie in heated cat-beds while the sunlight beats down upon them.

Be that as it may, there are any number of degrees to which cats may want to lie in the sunshine. Since five felines live with me, they present quite a diversity, significant of the cats themselves. My foster-cat, Parker, for instance, is a mild devotee of the rays. Though lying fully in the light, he is demure in his approach, lying sphinx-like, not drawing attention.



Josie, on the other hand, prefers the sun to fall upon her flanks. The whiteness of her fur may reflect much of the heat, and so she will gather as much of it as possible. And considering my Chubs, there is much of her with which to gather it.


Cammie doesn’t always like the direct beams. She will sometimes lie where she can feel the warmth along her length, but also will take the diffused rays, or allow the light to fall only upon a part of her body. She may savour the contrast between shine and shade.



The roly poly one is the least sunniest cat in the household, in terms of meteorology. He doesn’t often lie in the yellow light of our nearest star, wanting material comfort of soft cushions or folded blankets instead. Tucker has even more padding than Josie, so the extra temperatures afforded by the sun may not always be welcome.


And then there is Renn. My big boy, completely lacking in modesty, takes over any space to which he applies himself. He likes to feel the sun upon his furs, just as he likes to feel the texture of a rug or the deep massage of a hand. Life can be as large as he is himself, and he intends to enjoy it.


So, from shy to extroverted, attitudes in the apartment toward the sun and its light vary a great deal from cat to cat and, moreover, have little relation to the cats’ characters. While Parker is a rather outgoing fellow and Renn introspective, their reactions to the sun’s warmth are quite different. So is shown the hidden facets of an animal’s personality, as interesting and unexpected as any human’s.

16 comments:

  1. Renn is one for the joys and pleasures of life as he demonstrates in his sun bath position. Holly enjoys the sun too - although with her black fur I don't know why she doesn't overhear. Jessie always preferred cooler, shadier spots - I suppose all her fluff and extra poundage made the sun puddles a little uncomfortable.

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    1. I like the term 'sunbath'... It's redolent of summer beaches and lazy days. Holly and Jessica obviously had different attitudes to the sun.

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  2. Your observations about how each of your cats enjoy the sun was great. Mine love a good sunbath too. However, in the summer they will sit right in front of the air conditioner to keep cool.

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    1. When we lived in the house, Josie in the summer would set her bum over the vent when the air conditioning was on...

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  3. guyz...rather like TT ina way; with cuzin daiz'z coat; her avoidz de sun; boomer used ta follow it frum window ta window az de day mooved on; sauce N dude wood lay in de sun for hours N bee hot ta de touch...me tuna.....all dee pendz on me mood troo lee !! ~~~~ ♥♥☺☺

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  4. Sasha and Saku are the sun seeking kitties here, while Sami prefers to stay out of it. I understand Sasha as he is getting older and is quite thin but Saku is much like your Renn (without the floof). They all enjoy being in the sunroom but have their favorite spots.

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  5. The boys are half and half they enjoy the direct sun but only for short periods. They love to lay in the warm sunroom though and enjoy the warm where the Girls won't even venture on these warmer days.

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  6. I often think too how in the world do they tolerate that summer sun? But they bake and bake and bake some more and love it. Then they will turn and find a shady spot on the floor in the shade so I think that they must get to a certain temperature and then need a cool down!

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    1. Like the old days when an apple pie was put on the window sill to cool right after being taken from the oven.

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  7. Miss pops loves the sunbeams too. Not so many of these at this time of year.

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  8. I love all the photos of your cats, each enjoying the sunshine in their own way and to their preferred degree. (Of course I have a soft spot for Renn!)

    I remember that Annie would love to lie upstairs in the dead heat of summer (and I had no a/c), right in a sun puddle on the carpet. I never could fathom how she could stand it! The boys both are sun-seekers, obviously, but only to a point. When they're outside they'll lie in the sunshine for a while, then move to a shady spot. And when it's really hot and humid they do seek the shade beneath the hostas or beneath one of the lawn chairs.

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  9. I have marveled at the baking going on. It worried me regarding Admiral and I would deliberately rouse her up for her to move. Katie will stay in the direct late afternoon sun and then, use her elbows to scootch back out of it-- staying just at the border of the sunpuddle..

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  10. Each feline has their own sun bake preference =)
    I can't fathom how the temperatures might be scorching and Winston, a giant fluff ball, seems to enjoy the sun beams as well!

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  11. codd father; we noe yur dad said feel free ta use any oh yur fotoz; N manee thanx for it...but we like two let him noe when we R...coz itz de rite thing two due ~ ☺☺♥♥ this postz fotoz goes up next time on de saga ~~~~ happee day ☺☺♥♥

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    1. Thank you for the courtesy; it's appreciated. By all means, help yourself. We can't wait to see what you make of the picture.

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