Just in time for his sixth birthday, Winston received a present from reader Rachael M.: the bed you see him lying in above that we call his banana bed, but that he'd probably call his banana hammock. Given his love of bananas, I thought this was a particularly thoughtful gift. You know people are really paying attention when they're paying attention to your cat's taste.

I was a little worried when Rachael told me she'd be sending this -- Winston typically doesn't like to be surrounded by fabric, especially in the humid summer months. I think part of the reason he hangs out in a bowl is that it feels cool on his fur (with a wiry layer on top, and a dense one immediately against his skin, he's essentially wearing two coats). I also like to tell myself this is why he avoids physical contact with me (I have to cope somehow). But for whatever reason (the bananas, obviously), he is super into this bed. It could be, as Rachael suggests, because it was made with love. It could also be the competition factor. See, Rudy immediately took to it:

He loves it so much, he shaped it into a heart!

He loves it so much, he uses it as his venue for a complete and utter freak out: