Knitters are a passionate lot. We love to spread the love of our craft. But there is a whole new population out there just ripe for conversion, our pets. Today I will explore that age old question: How can you tell if your cat is a knitter?
Now spotting a knitting cat is harder than it looks because all cats love yarn, but a true knitting cat respects the yarn. He won't chase, chew or otherwise abuse yarn (unless you roll up a special ball of leftovers specifically for him to play with). A true knitting cat, like my friend's cat Hildegaard, will happily sit on their owner's lap during knitting, watching the clicking of the needles but leaving the yarn unmolested.
Our cat Gus started showing signs of knitting at an early age. Here he is as a kitten enjoying the company of a sheepskin, showing an early love of wool (for those of you that know him, that's Sheepy III):
As he got older, Gus' knitting tendencies became more obvious. He never wrestles random balls of yarn, but has developed a habit of lying, fast asleep, with his front paws in my knitting bag, enjoying the feel of the yarn. He seems particularly fond of alpaca, possibly inspired by the two alpacas who live down the road. He also enjoys sitting on clean jumpers (sweaters) which are being blocked and dried near the heater. He tells me that he is adding a vital layer of tabby fur before the piece is finished, but I suspect that's just an excuse.
I'm glad that Gus has found a creative outlet in knitting, as his older brother Gummy is a well known sculptor. You may be familiar with his installations, Scratching Post of Joy (below, pictured with the artist), Muddy Foot Prints in the Bath, Death to the Old Brown Couch and of course his famous performance art piece Solo Wrestlemania in the Sandpile.
So keep your eyes open and you may discover hidden talents in your pets. You might have a dancing canary, a singing goldfish or a crocheting puppy in your lounge room right now.
