Pets and Crochet

[Hooked]

It just occurred to me how many people post pics of their work when their cat or dog has made him or herself at home on top of it.

 

When I was a kid, my mom made a scrapghan that was one big granny square. For some odd reason, it quickly became the dog's blanket. He always slept wrapped up in that afghan. It was his and no one else used it.

 

A couple of years ago, I had a few skeins of royal blue Jiffy that I used to learn a new stitch and made a small afghan for my niece, who is always wrapping up in something. Her cat appropriated it and it now lines his basket. When I saw this, I told her I wasn't going to make her anything else since she clearly didn't appreciate my efforts!

 

Then I got to thinking, the cat adores my niece and he adores me. Whenever I spent weekends there, he was always making himself comfortable in my suitcase, on my coat, rubbing against my book bag.

 

So, should we be flattered or insulted when our hard work is taken over by the furry ones?

[chrissyf]

I would say flattered. there must be something about what we make that they enjoy. My furbabies( well the cats anyway) will try out everything I make i even caught one trying to steal the half finished mini care bear i made forDH to put in his truck.

[alibra]

Definetly flattered...our animals pick only the very best things to sleep on!

[squeakygirl]

Oh, flattered I think. My moggy has just stolen an afghan I made. It used to be my watching TV snuggle up blanket, but I left it on the sofa a few days ago and she's taken up occupancy. It's definitely hers now. But she looks so cute all curled up on it, I can't be cross! Interestingly, it's purple. Someone on another thread was saying that cats seem to like purple....

 

Jo

[Erskinelake]

Definitely flattered. Animals only like who they like. My girlfriend had a cat that would run away when people came to the house. She warned me not to be offended since she knows my love of all animals.

When I went to visit the first time Yukon wouldn't leave me alone. Jump up and was rubbing up against me...I could barely walk since he was doing figure 8's between my legs as I tried. She was shocked.

That blanket has your scent on it and the cat loves you therefore it treasures it.

[RoseRed]

I made a blankie for my dad's dog and my step mother stole it. Is that almost the same? lol

 

If it was a simple pattern - I really wouldn't mind. If it was intricate and hard work I'd be upset.

 

If this little girl is anything like my daughter - her pet is the most important, wonderful, coddled and loved spoiled critter in the world.

 

Have you explained to your neice the amount of work that goes into a blankie? She may not know. The mother should, tho.

 

She was probably just as upset that you'll never make her anything again as you were that your hard work went to the furbaby.

 

Here's an idea - when you make your niece something you could always make a 14" swatch for the cat.

[LeslieG]

I'm never upset about the pets. I just take it as a complement. Boo and Fidget approve every ghan I make. I've just gott en used to cat hair. I make sure I launder every thing I give away really well. http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u169/LeslieG_photos/BooFidgeonthebed.jpg

[losingmymind2]

Definately flattered. If your niece loves her cat, I'm sure her generous heart only wants the best for kitty, and to her, your blanket is the softest, warmest place for the cat next to being in her arms.

[Elvee]

I would make another special afghan for the child. If the cat stole her blankie, the cat wanted it. You said it wasn't anything special you were just trying out a new stitch.....

 

My daughter's dog, Barker, swiped an afghan I made her. He lays on it on the couch whenever it is put out. I took the afghan to her and he was all excited. lol. Our fur babies know what (and who!) they like!

 

Leslie G....I loved the photo of your cats!!!

 

,

 

Lorry

[Hooked]

I'm not upset with my niece or the cat. Tux does adore her and I can see why he would appropriate the blanket. But the cat does have a 16X16 square that I made specifically for cat use. LOL I call it a catghan and made it for my mom's cat before he passed away. Mom's cat loved it, but tolerated me!

 

Great stories and pix!

[LittleJadeFrog]

Here's an idea - when you make your niece something you could always make a 14" swatch for the cat.

 

Animals are scent oriented. If I make beds or blankets for my cat I have to let my hubby spend some time with it first. Sammy only wants what daddy has. He will sleep in our bed only when I am not in it curled in my blanket next to my hubby. If you make something for someones pet, tell the owner to use it for a little while. Specially if the person spends time away from the animal...the animal now has a comfortable blanket that smells like their fav owner.

[rainbowridergrma]

I adore cats, but having been around them all my life, I will wager that if you make something especially for the cat, it will have nothing to do with it. Would like to mention what I made for my big cat that had very long claws. I called it a cat-ghan. Just several squares of thick yarn sewed together and put in my lap when he wanted there. That kept us both happy

 

Glenda

[artemis]

Not only should we be flattered, but we should make afghans especially for our pets! My cat has a small afghan with an open pattern. On cold winter days we throw it on top of him when he sleeps. When he wakes up, he can peer through the holes and see all is well and doze off again. Sometimes we come home hours later and find him still asleep under it.

[LaurieE]

Definitely flattered. I've made several afghans this year. Of all the afghans I've laid on the floor (in various stages of completion) to photograph for the CAL progress reports, only 1 was claimed by my dachshund from the first time I put a 6" strip on the floor. He immediately came over and laid down right in the middle of it.

 

It never failed, if I put that particular afghan on the floor, he would somehow know, even if he was asleep somewhere else, and he had to come over to claim it again.

 

All the other afghans he completely ignored. The one he chose was a ripple-type and made with browns and sage green.

[crochetluvknot]

all of my :cats have their own blankies but of course they want where mom is and are always in or under what im working on but i agree we should be flattered

[Mom w/a Motif]

I made my husband an afghan for our wedding anniversary~ That was his afghan. (Of course he shared it with us.) But every time our dog would lay on it, it would make him so mad! (It didn't bother me, and I made it.) But... I can see both sides.

 

Tina

[eebrs]

My dogs and cat have always sought out the most comfortable places to sleep. I think one dog had a built in pillow radar. Any time a pillow was within her reach, she would immediately curl up on it. Pets can be pretty particular about things, so I would take it as a compliment!

[frogbeer]

I would definitely say flattered! My husband loves to see me, but my animals are different. No matter how bad my hair looks, or how rotten of customers I had at work that day, or if I gained 5 pounds that week, NO ONE loves you like your critters. They forgive everything, expect nothing, and adore you for no specific reason at all. They just love ya. I vote make them their own blankies too! After all, they're probably some of the best friends you'll ever have, they don't lie, and they would probably die for you. Also, it's a great way to get rid of all that extra yarn you can't make a full project out of, since most animals don't care how ugly something snuggly is.

[Elle]

Mine don't even wait for something to be finished before appropriating it for themselves! My couch is butted right up against the wall, and because they love to lay on it, I have it covered with a king-sized quilted cotton bedspread to spare the couch from becoming innundated with their hair. The bedspread can easily be tossed into the washer and freshened up. But when I'm crocheting, they invariably line up along the back of the couch to sleep, and that also happens to be where I put my skeins that I'm working from so that I can pull the yarn from them without a problem as I go. They love to use the yarn skeins as pillows, even the skein I'm working from! Of course, I only allow this when the item I'm making is for me or DH. If I have plans to give it to someone, I don't let them lay on the yarn because not everyone wants cat hair with their afghan or whatever it is I'm crocheting.

 

Elle

[LeslieG]

Elvee, those two lay like that all the time. When they are not belting each other. They are like two brothers. I got them both from the SPCA two years ago when they were each about a year old.

[clocke]

I had a double stranded queen sized afghan that I had been using for myself. When I got my cat, he decided that it was going to be his own personal space. I tried arguing with him but it didn't help at all. Finally I gave up and frogged 2/3 of it to re-use the yarn; there was no way that he was going to have all of that. I did give him two strips of it to do with as he would and we both ended up moderately pleased with the deal. Stubborn cat.

[chrisdfriend]

We just got a new kitten, Tiggy, and he made himself comfy in my yarn basket!

[rainbowridergrma]

That is just adorable! (And, boy, are you in trouble!) ROFL.

 

Glenda

[paperflowers]

Flattered, of course . My three cats are absolute TEDDY BEARS. Every time I sit down on the couch, I wind up with a pile of bodies and a cacophony of purrs. I call it "kitty assistance" because, well...they're helping. Kinda .

 

This is my personal quality control team:

http://paperflowerscrochet.blogspot.com/2007/03/sumo-piggies.html

[LeslieG]

Christa, your kitty is adorable.

 

Laurie, your guys are gorgeous. Boris reminds me of my old guy, Pud. I lost him at 22. He was a great cat.