“Goth” Pierced Kittens Rescued From Home

December 18, 2008January 23, 2010

“Goth” Pierced Kittens Rescued From Home

I don’t even know what to say about this story—the mind just reels. This started when a man in one state noticed kittens in another state with piercings in their ears, neck, & tail were being sold as “goth” kittens on eBay. This compassionate man drove to Pennsylvania, saw the kittens at the woman’s home, and then called the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Luzerne County.

Humane officers and state police found three kittens with piercings, an adult cat, and a dog who also had pierced ears. I hope authorities look into the welfare of the child living there. Other than swearing, I’m pretty much speechless. I do not understand how anyone would think this was ok.

The ad also ran on a pets classified ad site. It looks like she docked their tails too.

Unfortunately, Pennsylvania only rates average when it comes to their state laws concerning animal protection. How does your state rate?

December 17, 2008December 17, 2008

Socks The Cat Terminally Ill

socks2 Sad news about Socks The Cat, who used to be the Clinton’s cat. At 19, Socks is terminally ill with cancer. He has been battling several illnesses not unusual for cats—thyroid and kidney problems.

Socks was adopted in 1991, when the Clintons were still in Arkansas and has lived with Betty Currie, Bill Clinton’s personal secretary, since 2001 when the Clintons left the White House. Socks has had a good life with Currie and is clearly much loved. He has even helped raise awarenes of the St. Mary’s County Animal Welfare League, his local animal rescue organization.

December 15, 2008October 17, 2011

DIY: 2 Tutorials To Knit & Felt A Pet Bed

Here are two different tutorials for knitting a pet bed for a cat or small dog. I suppose if you know how to alter patterns, you could knit a big bed for a large dog too. I just love that people take the time to make these tutorials and are happy to share their patterns. Very generous!

The KittyPi bed is knitted and then felted. This makes a great, durable bed that’s shaped like a flat-bottomed bowl. The felting gives it some structure, but it’s still soft and comfy. Love it! Don’t miss the two page gallery of beds people have made—lots of inspiration. The pattern is from Wendy at WendyKnits and since she’s generously shared this pattern, I want to let you know she has written two books—Wendy Knits: My Never-Ending Adventures In Yarn and Socks From The Toe Up.

The Dotty Cat Bed pattern is another lovely knitted and felted pet bed. (via craftzine) It has a wonderful polka dot pattern and it too makes a flat-bottomed bowl when it’s felted. Those dots are a nice touch. You can see what the bed looks like before felting. This great pattern is from Kelly over at Kelp!Knits. You can see some of her gorgeous sock patterns too—Interlocking Leaves, Oak Leaf, & Hanging Vines.

You’ll need to use a natural fiber yarn to get it to felt. Here are a few tutorials on felting, in case you need them: this one covers both hand & machine felting, here is a printable one on machine felting, and another on hand felting.

December 12, 2008June 26, 2009

Friday Fun: DIY Papercraft Japanese Bobtail Model

Need something to do today at work? Make a paper Japanese Bobtail for your desk. Don’t worry, your boss will be too impressed with your cutting & gluing skills to lay you off.

Canon has a nifty model of a Japanese Bobtail that you can print and instructions on how to construct it. Now, go dazzle your co-workers!

December 11, 2008

DIY: Sew A Hooded Pet Bed

Hanna in Sweden has a good tutorial for sewing a hooded pet bed—perfect for a cat or small dog. This project will be easier with some sewing experience, but is still pretty straightforward. She gives details for how to size your pattern, but you’ll have to make your own. Don’t let that scare you though. The tutorial combines machine and hand sewing. I would machine sew as much as I could and hide the seams in the folds on the inner part of the bed where the sides attach to the bottom and to the hood.

Hanna used an old curtain, which is a great and very thrifty idea. Material used for drapes is heavier and more durable. You’ll also need foam rubber. She used thinner foam—one layer for the sides and multiple layers for a cushy bottom. You could do that, but buying a thin piece for the sides and a thick piece for the bottom means less cutting and that the foam in the bottom will be easier to manage.