Cat on a hot tin roof

I heard mutterings. Did the cat really like being drenched with water yesterday? Before you sick the RSPCA onto me, let me assure you that it’s true.

Artur loves water.

His favourite thing is to sit on my lap when I water and get a bit of misty spray on his fur.  Life isn’t as fun anymore now that I have installed an automatic watering system in the main potager.  But I’ll be using the hose tonight.

In this weather he cools down by standing in water and will visit the blue box of water in the potting shed three times a day.

And I find myself cleaning it out and refreshing his paddling pool almost as often.

Here he is about to climb in.

And speaking of climbing. He hasn’t tired of his current snoozing spot. He is still on the potting shed roof.

Early in the morning he makes his way up the ladder to find some early sun. And then as the day and the sun starts blazing down, he works his way over the roof, deeper and deeper into the shade.

Aren’t I kind to have situated the potting shed underneath two chestnut trees?

Most days I can coax him down the ladder for a lap sit and a chat. And then he will stagger indoors to his water ‘bowl’. Play about a bit and then climb back up.

Actually today I went up to find out if he had tired of the spot – and he was so happy up there that he didn’t even bother climbing down for a chat.

I had to climb the steep ladder and wake him up.  

He did his usual winsome thing of looking adorable and purring with delight. But the message was clear. You are interrupting my sleep.

Miffed, I climbed back down and got on with my intended chores of sowing more lettuce seeds – only red leafed varieties as they seem slower to bolt.  The red lolllo rosso is holding up the best in the relentless heat.

And I potted on the two basil plants I bought at La Voulte, and gave more space for the latest in my embarrassingly large collection of lemon verbena plants.

Job done, I casually looked up at the ceiling and got the shock of my life.

He looks revolting from underneath. A squished taxidermy experiment. Or if you tilt your head a wallaby lying prone on my polycarbonate roof.

I dashed indoors to get my camera. But I needn’t have hurried. This cat is not going anywhere until sunset at least.