# Sun Puddles ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 21, 2015, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-puddles/720506 "2015-05-21T12:28:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-puddles/720506/1 "2015-05-21T12:28:32Z")
I’ve recently taken to referring to the patches of sunlit carpet that our cat likes to bask in as “sun puddles”. Just the name is new for me, I’ve known cats like to recharge their solar batteries for years now. After all, sleeping and keeping a bed from floating away take a lot of energy. But I digress. Is “sun puddles” a new name for these? I suspect I’m just late on the bandwagon. How long ago did you come across this phrase? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-puddles/720506/2 "2015-05-21T14:15:47Z")
Just now… 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-puddles/720506/3 "2015-05-21T14:26:35Z")
I once saw a reference to puddles of cats, but not puddles of sun. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-puddles/720506/4 "2015-05-21T14:28:10Z")
I won’t laugh at yours if you don’t laugh at this: As a kid, my dad called an oil-slick rainbow a “summerset” (or possibly “somerset”). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-puddles/720506/5 "2015-05-21T14:38:26Z")
AFAIK, you are the first to use the term “sun puddles”. Take it, run with it, and rejoice! You might want to read Robin Wood’s Theory of Cat Gravity, just to know what your cats are doing with those Sun Puddles: [http://www.robinwood.com/Catalog/Prints/PrintPages/CatGravPoster.html](http://www.robinwood.com/Catalog/Prints/PrintPages/CatGravPoster.html) [http://www.robinwood.com/Catalog/Books/BookPages/CGBBook.html](http://www.robinwood.com/Catalog/Books/BookPages/CGBBook.html) > **[The Theory of Cat Gravity: (Being Robin's Pet Theory): Wood, Robin, Stein, Diana...](https://www.amazon.com/Theory-Cat-Gravity-Being-Robins/dp/0965298434)** > > The Theory of Cat Gravity: (Being Robin's Pet Theory) \[Wood, Robin, Stein, Diana Harlan\] on Amazon.com. \*FREE\* shipping on qualifying offers. The Theory of Cat Gravity: (Being Robin's Pet Theory) ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-puddles/720506/6 "2015-05-21T20:15:03Z")
I hadn’t heard it before either. [According to Urban Dictionary](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=sun+puddle), though, it goes back at least a while. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-puddles/720506/7 "2015-05-21T20:41:41Z")
Google ngram doesn’t return any hits, but Googlng the phrase brings up seveal hits, and the images usually seem to include cats! [https://www.google.com/search?q="sun+puddles"&noj=1&site=webhp&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=xUJeVc-sB-bIsATNy4PIAQ&ved=0CDAQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=932](https://www.google.com/search?q=%22sun+puddles%22&noj=1&site=webhp&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=xUJeVc-sB-bIsATNy4PIAQ&ved=0CDAQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=932) ---
**Author:** ![rsat3acr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@rsat3acr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rsat3acr)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-puddles/720506/8 "2015-05-21T23:00:05Z")
I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2015, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-puddles/720506/9 "2015-05-21T23:02:11Z")
I haven’t heard it, but dogs also like to lay in sun puddles. ---
**Author:** ![Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ba8739/32.png) [@Backwater\_Under\_Duck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Backwater_Under_Duck)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2015, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sun-puddles/720506/10 "2015-05-22T00:03:53Z")
I like to use the term _shade pool_ when walking the dog through the park on a hot, sunny day. _Come on dog, let’s head for that next shade pool._