Cat in a hot wood sauna

The other weekend we went to a home show and there was a company selling dry heat saunas.  They had a little sign that said the floor models would be sold for any reasonable offer.  Long story shortened (because this a blog about cats after all) I ended up with a nice hot sauna.

I LOVE it.  Each day since it has been working I've been in it, and it is freaking the cats right out because they can see me but can't get to me.  The first two days they lined up by the front door and cried for me to come out, pawing at the glass, etc.  Since then they have come to accept the fact that mommy is weird and sit and wait for me to come out.  Originally I would open the door but the hot air coming out would cause them to turn away, but Sunday I did that to Ollie and he walked right in.

He investigated the floor that has two heaters, then looked up at me on the bench and jumped up and stood next to me.  I laughed at him and patted him, watching him for any signs of distress.  140 degrees is not ideal for cats, but he likes to lay in the sun and bake so I figured he would be OK for a short time.  I thought he'd look at me, call me insane and then leave, but instead he started purring, head bumping me, and digging his head into the walls of the sauna.  He eventually laid down and purred and actually started making biscuits.

Now I have always known Ollie COULD purr.  He did when he was a kitten, but I haven't heard it in a very long time.  He's always so crotchety, that I feel he's swearing at me even as he is asking to be patted.  This was the happiest I have EVER seen him. 

After a few minutes, the timer went off and the sauna shut off.  I could hear Ollie say "this better not be over!!" and when I stood up to leave I could feel his disappointment.  I told him he could stay in there, but he left with me, and stuck to my side for the next hour.  When I walked toward the sauna a few minutes after leaving to hang the towel I was using back up, he got very excited.  I opened the door for him to go back in, and he jumped right in.  He didn't want to be in there with out me though and came right back out when I didn't come in.

I found him later in the day baking in the sun.  Guess he's really loving the heat.

Unfortunately I did find a third lump up near his spine.  We are going to make an appointment with an oncologist to get more info, and we still have the appointment next week with the holistic vet.