When good pets go bad

I'm going to be totally honest, I talk to my cat Cleo more than I talk to any human being; I talk to her constantly and in her own way she talks back. She's my constant companion and is one of the top three most important things I have in my life.

Last year in July I lost my other cat, Merlin. He was my best friend over the twenty two years I had him and when I realised I had to have him put down I was inconsolable; I've lost humans that didn't mean as much to me as Merlin. He was a big part of Cleo's life too, she was a stray kitten that came to me ten years ago, and he loved her so completely. I was worried she would fret, which she did, when he was gone but I managed it and with working from home due to the health issue currently going on I was able to ensure that she was ok as I was always there.

Now she's well, has taken over the household from Merlin, running it I mean, and has immeasurable value to me. She's a good cat; sleeps a lot, cuddly and snuggly and seems to always know what to say when I need her support. She's gentle, loving and a little playful when not sleeping...Which she does a lot. But she's a rascal too!

Cleo has taken to sitting on the top of my pay-TV box thingy; you know, the tuner thing. It generates heat and it vents at the top so she sits there and looks out the window for her friend Felix (A name I gave a cat that comes to say hello to Cleo now and then). Cleo isn't allowed outside so they make eyes at each other through the window - They're in love a bit I think.

The problem is that the heat can't escape the tuner-thingy when she sits on it and her fur gets inside it; I'm safety-conscious and so that's not acceptable. I've tried to dissuade her from doing it but she keeps sitting on it after pushing whatever I place on top of it onto the floor. She watches me when she does it too...Push. Slide. Push. Slide. Push...Fall.

At that point she looks at me with a yeah, so what of it sort of expression and settles down in her warm spot. I decided it was a battle I wasn't going to win and sought other solutions. Besides, she always gets her way around here anyway, no point in fighting it.

Today I decided to solve the situation with a false top.

I cut a piece of marine-ply sheet the same size as the unit, glued some 1.5 inch high runners to the left and right edges then used Velcro to secure it to the top of the box. This allows the vents to exit the hot air and permits Cleo to sit on it whenever she likes.

I'll be honest, she was a little indignant at first but then the need for sleep overcame her dislike of my handy-man efforts and she settled down to gaze out the window looking for Felix. She was soon asleep.

The French poet Anatole France has the right of it, the quote above. I love Cleo with all my heart; sure, she's a cat but to me she's far more valuable to me and my wellbeing than most humans and provides far more enjoyment and happiness for certain. Pets are a special part of life and I'm so blessed to have had several amazing ones including Merlin and Cleo. Yes it hurts when they leave but I'd suffer that pain a thousand times over just to have them in my life.

So tell me, have you ever made accommodations in your house to keep a pet happy? I'm betting many do. Feel free to tell me about it below, or simply tell me about a special pet you have had, or still have. And don't worry, Cleo didn't really go bad...I couldn't see her that way even if I tried!