Crochet for Cats
By A Guest Writer – 28 CommentsA Guest Post by Lolo.
I went to the pet store to buy some food for my cat Mickey. Like always, I go over to the cat adoption area to say “hello” to the cats. I was so surprised to see that the cats had crocheted blankets in their cages. Well, now that I think of it, I don’t think I should have been surprised to see the crocheted blankets. I know that people often crochet blankets and items for animals, especially for those in shelters and non-profit rescue organizations, which is where the pet store got their cats from.
So instead of saying I was surprised, I should say that I was more unexpectedly happy to see the cats and their crocheted blankets. I never though that seeing simple crocheted blankets at the store would put a smile on my face! I think it’s the crocheter in me that wants to see crochet everywhere.
Now that I’ve had a fun trip to the pet store and saw crocheted blankets for cats, I’m thinking of crocheting one for my darling Mickey. Maybe I’ll even make some of Rachel’s crocheted cat toys too!
Have you seen crochet for cats recently? Do you crochet for your cats? If you don’t have a cat, what about for your dog or other pet?
Lolo is a crochet and cat lover! Her favorite things to crochet are blankets, bags, and amigurumi. When she’s not crocheting or playing with her cat, she is out in the garden enjoying the air.
I belong to an Australian yahoo group called Knit4Charities and last year we knitted and crocheted 1,015 kitten blankets for the Canberra RSCPA. I was told that was how many kittens go through the shelter every year so we took it as a challenge to provide each kitten with a blanket to take to its ‘forever’ home when adopted. Our RSPCA has a ‘no kill’ policy so every kitten they have does indeed go to a loving home. It was a fun challenge and was supported by our members from all over Australia.
I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to crochet for my bunnies, they would just eat it!
lol wendy! mine too 🙂
I like to crochet catnip cat toys, but my cat HATES catnip, so the toys just sit on the floor while he ignores them. So I live vicariously through other people, and crochet catnip toys for their cats. I’ve also crocheted a bandana for a friend’s dog and some little balls for my dad’s dogs. Our other pets are a hamster and fish…don’t think either of them would appreciate anything crocheted.
I have 4 lovely fur babies (cat’s) and I haven’t made anything for them but, have thought about it. My list of to make is super long. LOL!
I crochet a little blanket for my gueina pig and she started eating it, so DON’T crochet for them
I freehand crochet mice from scrap yarn for my kitties all the time… they love them!
Yes! I’ve crochet a few toys for my sisters cat and she loves them!
I don’t have any cats at my house but I do have a dog. I’ve crocheted multiple upon multiple sweaters for her! She’s a miniature Greyhound and they do NOT have a lot of fur and HATE being cold.
I don’t own a cat, but my granddaughter’s cat lives with me. I crochet little yarn circles with a long tail that he loves to chase around the kitchen and carry around in his mouth.
I also have a miniature Schnoodle. He has hair instead of fur, so no undercoat to keep him warm. He doesn’t like ‘clothes’, but he LOVES crocheted blankets to sleep with.
That sounds like a fun and easy project. I am going to try this for my cat. And for my neighbours cat too, because when she knits he always starts pulling at the yarn.
I made my kitties “perogies” which were supposed to be fortune cookies from the Lion Brand website. When we brought home my littlest one, Leo from the shelter he immediately claimed them as his own and started growling at the other cat (imagine a tiny 6 week old kitten running around with said perogie in his mouth and growling at a much larger cat). He has since learned to play fetch with them and constantly is bothering us to play fetch with him by dropping numerous perogies on us until we throw it for him.
I’ve also been crocheting blankets for shelters but it’s been interupted by all this wedding knitting. Only a month and a half to go until the wedding so hopefully I can get back to making shelter blankets because I know they’re needed.
Sometimes my cat Christopher kneads projects when I lay them down. An afghan square I was making did not turn out properly and now it “belongs” to Christopher as a cat rug. I need to check out making cat things for shelters here in the Pittsburgh area!
My group, Yarn Projects from the Heart, makes cat blankets for the Pasadena Humane Society. Once the kitty gets adopted, the shelter allows a blanket to go home with the cat. Our members love making these cute little blankets. They help use up all of our leftover balls of yarn. Check us out, we are on Rachel’s charity list. If you are in our area, we would love to have to stitch with us.
I would like to make some blankets for animal rescue sites……can you give me any particulars for doing a kitten blanket and a cat blanket if there’s difference in the sizes….
Would greatly appreciate …..
Thanx, Mary Lou
Smartlady suggest 14′ square for a Siamese size adult cat.
My guess would be to make a kitten blanket half the size of an adult one. That way you can stitch two kitten blankets together to make an adult version when they grow up, so they can keep their ‘old’ blanket that they are used to.
I have crocheted several toys for my cats, a couple sweaters, and a pet bed. I have 7 cats. So far they have loved the bed and the toys…not so much the sweaters ^__^
When I adopted my 2 cats they came with very colorful blankets crocheted from scrap yarn. I still have the blankets and the cat that I still have, Emma, sleeps on it on the back of the couch almost every night 7 years later.
My granddaughter wants me to crochet a blanket for imaginary horse. 🙂
I’ve always wondered why this cause hasn’t attracted many more knitters and crocheters! It seems so obvious. The best known animal shelter in the UK, Battersea Dogs’ and Cats’ Home, appealed for cat toys through a national newspaper and got a good response.
Something I’ve meant to do as a result of personal experience is to provide blankets for pets who don’t come home with their owners that final time. We brought our lovely cat home afterwards because we knew in advance just how ill he was and had made plans but for others it comes as a terrible shock to know that there are no more options for their best friend. The vet very kindly offered us a towel to wrap him in which we didn’t need but it occurred to me that others might like a nice blanket for this purpose. It would, in effect, be a disposable item but I don’t think the effort would be a wasted one if the last sight someone had of their friend was of them wrapped in somethng special. Very difficult to write this even after three years because I miss him so much. Even if he did shed fur on every single thing I made…
What beautiful story, and an excellent idea.
Valorie: If you have the yarn and the time, go ahead and crochet the blanket for her imaginary horse. When my granddaughter was small, she was afraid there were snakes under her bed. I had to make a snake-eating ‘monster’ for her so she would feel comfortable going to sleep. Eventually your granddaughter will realize there is no horse, but the blanket will be a lasting reminder of how Grandma cared and believed.
I had crocheted a mini blanket for my old cat for two reasons 1. It was easier to wash than trying to clean the couch/furniture where she slept. 2. She would nest in my blankets and it kept her off mine and she was content with hers. She has since passed away and unfortunately the two cats I have now don’t care as much for blankets and will sleep where every they fancy 🙂
I love the idea of crocheting small blankets for cats – I wonder what materials others use for these: will acrylics or a wool/acrylic mix do?
do not use wool for cat toys. Some cats have a problem with eating wool, then getting a ball of it in their stomach and have to have surgery. Acrylic is great. I make tons of cat blankets. 14″ square for Va.SiameseRescue This eating of wool is called PICA.
Thank you for warning me about using wool. My cats love to lie on acrylic pullovers, but it often makes them static, so the poor things (and I, too) get a small shock when I try to give them a cuddle.
So, using acrylics has its problems too.
Yvonne: The cats don’t care. Kitten blankets are a great way to use up leftover bits of yarn, or that odd skein that doesn’t match anything else. Since cats and kittens have a tendency to ‘knead’ their blankets, I suggest using single crochet so the stitches aren’t big enough for their paws to get stuck.
Dear Jumasto,
Thank you so much for your comment and for your tip on using single crochet for the blankets! You really helped me with this and I shall definitely follow your advice.
I would like to wish you a Happy New Year and a Blessed 2012 for you and all the cats and kittens that may cross your path, or will find one of your blankets on theirs.
And the same of course to all other readers and Rachel and her team!
I make crochet toys all the time and my kitty battles it out daily with my roommates dog as to who gets to play with them! I guess that means they are a hit, right? 🙂