Cat toys!

[tinkerpuppet]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/tinkerpuppet/Crochet/th_Cattoys.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/tinkerpuppet/Crochet/Cattoys.jpg)


We just adopted a new kitty from the local college Animal Health Technology department. They take in strays and overflow from shelters and do full bloodwork, deworm/deflea, vacinnate, tattoo and spay/neuter the cats. When the kitties are in tiptop shape, they are then adopted out. Meet Grissom, he gets to come home tomorrow!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/tinkerpuppet/th_Picture161.jpg (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v642/tinkerpuppet/Picture161.jpg)

When we were finalizing the paperwork for him, I asked if we could also have the stuffy toy that was in his pen so that he had something familiar. They hesitated and only agreed when I quickly followed up that I would replace it with more. That's when I noticed that not every kitty had a toy. It would appear that there isn't money in the budget for such little things :( So I have made some! I used the mouse and fish pattern from the Crochet Pattern-A-Day 2007 Calendar, this (http://*****************/web/20011230155705/pages.ivillage.com/debbilynnc/animalitems/id1.html) pattern for the curly toys and I made the other ones up myself. My mom also adopted a cat from there that gets to go home on Friday, so she is on board with this too and will also have a bag to donate. Our plan is to continually make these so that every kitty they get has a new toy that can then go home with them when their adopted. I just used scrap ww, and stuffed them with catnip marinated cottonballs. Easy-peasy!! They work up in no time at all, so it shouldn't be difficult to keep a supply going :)

[Pumpkinmouse]

awwwwwww too cute :manyheart ... I have an orange cat named Pumpkin... Great idea about the cat toys good for you..

[Nevermore]

That's a great idea! My cats' favorite toys are the ones I crochet for them... and they last much longer than the store-bought ones too.

(cute kitty, too!)

[IWANTSMORE]

My cats' new favorite toy is the Sock Monkey Bookmark!! On the tail I did sc instead of dc causing the tail to curl. My cats take their turns dragging the thing around. I think making cat toys for the local shelter is a wonderful idea!!!

[crafterjackie]

Congratulations on your new kitty! It is a great idea that you have to make toys for them.

[unicorn37757]

Congratulations on the new kitty:clap Great idea about the toys:cheer

[crochetsal]

Congrats on the new kitty, sounds like he'll be spoiled!
I've been through the humane society in Windsor when our younger cat went missing for a few days (she did show up after two weeks!). It just about broke my heart seeing all those cats, there were a LOT, and obviously some had been there a while and figured they weren't getting out. Toys are a great idea!
Sally

[lhasaapsolady]

Grissom is adorable, and he'll love the toys you made.

[Riohnna]

Congratulations!!

[yarncat]

Cute toys!

[theworm]

your new kittie is beautiful and the cats at the shelter will just love those toys!!

[tinkerpuppet]

Thanks everyone! We leave in just a couple hours to go pick Grissom up, I'm so excited! And I really hope the other kitties enjoy their new toys :D

[DesertCrocheter]

Very cute toys! And may I oh-so-subtly point out (ahem :blush) that there's a new swap next month for pets, and that cute little cat toys like these would be perfect for that? Patty

[01buckler15]

What a great idea! Cute toys too.

[moomooo]

Your kitty is beautiful and I think its a great idea to donate toys for the kitties at the shelter.
When I took my parrot to the new vet I thought about the same thing. My baby came out of there with out truama nor stress that I decided this will be his new vet clinic and I had taught about doing the same. Making toys for the kitties and putting them in a basket to donate it the the clinic so when a kitty comes in he can go home with a new toy...
So i guess many of us here have the same kind of heart...LOVING...

Say does any one know what we could crochet for doggies to play with? Any patterns on line for toys for doggies??

[fiddleyarn]

My orange tabby, Thomas O'Malley, says, "Hi Grissom, you've found a good home". Thomas likes the toys I crochet for him, especially with catnip.
Alice

[moomooo]

Hi to all:

Well I decided to make some curly toys from all my scraps of yarns and I've made like 6 or 8 in no time..

I want to make some of the mouse and fishes from the 2007 calendar but I would like to know what is catnip?
I ask cause I have no cats nor dogs.... And if the toys would be more interesting to the kitties with catnip I'd like to get some to put in the stuffed toys like tinkerpuppet did for the donation she said she marinated cotton balls with catnip..

Also there is no pet shops around here so does Walmart sell that catnip stuff?

[Chanti]

they are wonderful, our cat is a rescue kitty and she loved yarn.... gets it in her paw and bolts so i spend a lot of time rerolling or chopping and tossing, depending on how long she had it for, I think she would love something like that, oooohhh will have to get crocheting.

[unicorn37757]

Here's an explaination of what catnip is: our Wal-mart use to carry it in small packages (haven't checked in awhile) & most pet stores will, or you can grow & dry your own
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-catnip.htm

[Misa]

Great toys! Aww and what a pretty kitty :manyheart Fantastic idea about donating toys to the shelter...think I'll borrow that idea :D

[parisjem]

Congratulations Jennifer on allowing yourself to be adopted by the totally gorgeous Grissom. It's a big responsibility being adopted by a kitten/cat. It is a lifetime committment. But don't worry I'm sure he will have you swearing eternal devotion in no time at all! Great idea - making toys for the college.
:cat :cat :cat :cat :cat :cat :cat :cat :cat :cat :cat :cat

[Stitchinpick]

Making toys with catnip in them is difficult. The dried catnip is very fine and works its way out of the toy. However, if it is too sealed up the kitty doesn't really smell the catnip...If you rub the catnip all over the toy it looks dirty but works. Try buying the catnip spray if you can find it. Pet shops like Petco usually have it. Lay all the new toys out and spray them heavily at once. Works nicely.

My cats love catnip. It makes them wild for about 10 minutes and then the thrill is over, but they are still enamored with the toy.

P.S. -- A funny story about catnip. I went to a cat show once to buy a cat tree. The cat tree company gave me a little baggy of catnip to rub into the tree when I got it home. On the way home I stopped at the grocery store and bought some supplies. When I was writing my check, the baggy of catnip fell out onto the counter. The checker grabbed the catnip and shoved it into my purse and said, "I didn't see anything!" I was so embarrassed! I said, "It is catnip." She said, "Whatever you say."

Don't carry catnip in your purse! Grin.

Stitchinpick
Linda

[parisjem]

LOL Funny story Linda.
Jennifer, could you please post the link for the Curly Toy again? I can't get it to work. My two babies would love them! Many thanks. How's Grissom? :)

[tinkerpuppet]

Thanks again everyone! Stitchnpick, that's a hilarious story! Once I was walking around with a small baggy of catnip in my purse, and very similar, I dropped it in public. I scooped it up, but not before some strangers saw it. They all smirked then laughed when I tried explaining 'just catnip'. I also had a friends cat attack my purse when I was visiting.

Moomoo, I pm'd you, but catnip is very inexpensive and easy to find. I have bought catnip at Walmart and pet stores. I also tried growing my own this year in a big container pot in my garden. I didn't think that one through as I had several cats constantly rolling around in my container pot!

Here's the link for the curly toy again http://*****************/web/20011230155705/pages.ivillage.com/debbilynnc/animalitems/id1.html

If it doesn't work, I found it in the pet section of CPC called "Curly Cat Toy".

Our new kitty is fitting in really well at our place. Made friends with our dog, and our other cat will tolerate him (they even had a nap on the foot of our bed at the same time!). My husband veto'd the name 'Grissom', now we're trying out the name Ceasar. But whatever his name will be, he's just a doll and we're so happy he came into our lives!

[Elle]

Congrations on your new family member! Grissom is just adorable! :cat

That's such a great idea you had about taking cat toys to the shelter! I know they will appreciate it, and it is sad that most shelters don't have the budget to give every kitty a toy of their own. I did cat rescue for many years, that's how I ended up with 8 of my own. Right now, all of the kitties that I have were bottle babies when they came to me, and now they are all beautiful, lovable cats. I am now disabled and no longer actively foster cats, but I still do a lot of legwork for rescues, finding places for homeless kitties to go and finding great homes for kitties wno need them. Bless you for helping and for giving Grissom a great home! You will never regret it :hug

Elle

[R3n331]

cool

[mysonsmommy]

Those are so cute, and thats a great idea. I love that. We got a kitten from a shelter and we didnt even think of toys.

[moomooo]

Hi again tinkerbell thank you for the tip and letting me know where i might find the catnip. If i have no luck i'll just make the toys plain no biggie...
I just want to make the toys and let the kitties have a new toy for home after a doctors visit

[Danygirl]

Congratulations on your new family member! Making toys for a kitty shelter...what a great idea. We have an excellent shelter here that does the same type of thing as yours does... I should make some toys to donate to the cause.

[fiddleyarn]

More on catnip. I have grown it and as the website mentioned above says, I put a barrier around it until it got established. Thomas loved to rolled around on it. Another cat we had wasn't attracted to catnip, but this one just goes sort of crazy. It's so funny to watch a big 13 pound 7 year old cat acting like a kitten.

[jadyn05]

I think the toys are cute, the kitty is precious, but I LOVE THE NAME GRISSOM!!!!

[Mel2nsluvsCrochet]

Well congratulations on adopting a furbaby and those cat toys are just the right idea! Thanks for sharing the adorable pictures