Finding the sweet spot

August is Pippi’s ‘gotcha’ month. Five years ago, on the last day of the month, he became ours forever. His sunshine personality has meant there’s never a dull day in our lives: his expressive eyes, adventurous spirit, ever-wagging tail and cute-as-a-button face always brings a smile to our faces. This past weekend, my husband and I were reminiscing about our first meeting with Pippi on our street, how he found his way into our home chasing kittens and eventually decided to win over our hearts. The stockpile of photos on our phones served as a guiding light in our journey down memory lane.  

Pippi’s first photo on my phone captures him lying on the foot mat at our front door, tilting his head and looking at us with his love-oozing eyes. That was in February of 2018. He’d jump over the compound wall every day, perch at the front door snagging the right spot to catch our attention as we opened the door and wait there looking at us as though asking for him to be let in. How could we say no to those puppy eyes?

Over the next few days, he picked his favourite slumber spot — at the foot of the verandah stairs with his head resting on the first step — so it was easy to keep a tab on us as we went up and down the stairs. As time went on, he lounged in the living room, bedroom and the kitchen — every time positioned aptly to catch the fan’s cool breeze, snuggle on the carpet for some warmth or catch the aroma of his most-liked food from the kitchen. 

After he became ours, the entire house was his kingdom. He’d crawl under the bed to lie down on the cold floor or jump up for a cosy sleep. The couch in the living room had the perfect view out of the window and was big enough to snuggle and curl up into a ball. The armrest served as a stand to put his head on. Sometimes, he’d bury his six-inch snout under the cushion or place it awkwardly revealing his pearly canine or his pink tongue. 

Ask any pet parent, they’d be happy to share a long list of their pets’ favourite spots. For most pets, it’s often the couch, a perch next to the window, a sunny spot on the floor or the snuggly sheet on the bed. Some introverted pets, especially cats, may get adventurous and find a sweet spot in the attic or another forlorn corner, causing some temporary panic in the house. One of my uncle’s cats was ‘lost’ in the attic for two days! Whatever they choose, it’s always intriguing to find out why it’s the perfect spot in their worldview!

In our homes, pets are often restricted to their own pet beds or crates because not everyone likes to deal with the mess of fur scattered everywhere. Pet stores these days are stacked with the newest accessories in the market: orthopaedic pet beds, cosy dog sofas, towering cat trees, snuggly dog crates and such. All of them promise to be the most comfortable choice for our furry friends. In the guise of providing the best life, we push our pets to use some of these products even when they don’t like to.

If you ask around, you'll hear stories from pet parents about how their pets refused to use many of these fancy accessories and stuck to the basics — a spot with enough cool breeze or warm sun where they aren’t perturbed by the everyday din.  

I believe that given the choice, our pets can choose the cosiest spot that gives them enough sleep and reinvigorates their senses to be their bubbly selves. So, why shouldn't we let them have the front row and join them while they enjoy their perfect world? If five years of our life with Pippi has taught us something, it’s about the power of surrendering to their choices. After all, our pets know best where they are the most comfortable, don't they?

Tailspin is your monthly column on everything that’s heartwarming and annoying about pet parenting.

The writer is a science communicator and mom to Pippi, a five-year-old rescued Indie, who is behind her drive to understand dogs better. She tweets @RamanSpoorthy

Whose couch is it?

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