Mischievous Kitties

Sunny_Singer · 09-09-2007, 03:30 AM

I have noticed a number of people on here mention cats in one way or another.

Any time I am knitting, my cat is at my feet, pawing at my yarn, sometimes stealing the skein or ball.

Tonight I suddenly had kitty paws digging into my leg, while she tried to grab the end of the project I am working on.

I am just wondering if any owners of playful kitties out there have found solutions to their cat's mischief?

She has all ready dug up snags in the afghan I finished on Aug 31. She has claimed it, as if she really needs an 84 inch wide by 72 inch long afghan - she weighs less than five pounds!

GiddyKnitter · 09-09-2007, 12:19 PM

Aww bless her...I have a cat but she is OK with my knitting.
I used to have a cat who would sit on my lap and suck the yarn!!!!
I tried giving him his own ball of yarn but no way he always wanted
the one I was using!

LilHuskiesFootBallMom · 09-09-2007, 04:23 PM

I bought a couple of those plastic containers with the holes in the top at AC Moore to put my yarn in (very handy for transporting my project too).

As for how to get them to stop trying to paw the project, i keep it balled or folded (depending on the size) in my lap under a pillow and feed what i'm working on between the pillow and my stomach so that they can't get to it.

Jan in CA · 09-09-2007, 04:38 PM

We have two cats here and one ignores my knitting and the other isn't bad. We discovered that the younger one loves my dishcloths though.

Here's my video of her playing with it!

http://picasaweb.google.com/purrcat1/Videos

CTbarb · 09-09-2007, 04:43 PM

I'm lucky, our four cats only swat at my knitting occasionally. I let them get away with it I guess, I just get up and move, lol.

AnnaT · 09-09-2007, 05:08 PM

Of COURSE she needs that size of afghan! What could you be thinking?

About your problem: First, I would give her her own ball of yarn. You can offer this to her when she attacks yours.

My cat Miki was already 15 when I started knitting, so he just wanted to rake whatever I was working on out of my lap and dig in it.

So I knitted him the Royal Pet Afghan from Lionbrand out of 100% scratchy wool. This tends to distract him. Sort of.

The pattern is here (needs free registration): Free Knitting Pattern: Homespun� Royal Pet Afghan

I also made him Wendy's cabled catnip mouse. Miki cares nothing for the mouse, but your kitty sounds like the right age. Link to her pattern: Catnip Mouse Pattern

Another solution is just to go ahead and bind off now and give the afghan to your kitty.

Ingrid · 09-09-2007, 05:12 PM

My older cat was a demon when we got her, but enough pssting her away got her to stop. At least when I'm around. She's one to lay on any UFO I leave on the couch, or any sweater I'm laying out to dry.

The little one is getting better. She, too, will grab the moving end, usually when it's on my legs. Ouch! She used to try to chew on the cable, but learned that it's a no-no.

Jan in CA · 09-09-2007, 05:15 PM

Originally Posted by AnnaT

About your problem: First, I would give her her own ball of yarn. You can offer this to her when she attacks yours.

Be VERY careful giving a cat yarn. They can ingest it and it can bind up their system often requiring surgery. Our young cat has gotten it caught in her throat twice now and I had to pull out several inches of it.

I realize this may be not be a problem for all cats, but do watch them closely.

Ingrid · 09-09-2007, 05:17 PM

I also think that giving a ball of yarn is like giving an old shoe to a dog to chew on.

All yarn (or shoes) are fair game after that.

Sunny_Singer · 09-09-2007, 05:28 PM

I have given her "her own ball" and "extra yarn that can move" lol
Like someone else says, she doesn't want those, she wants the one I am using ... LOL.
This morning she yanked the project out of my hands in her exuberance to help me! lol.