Rewards
Whether of not you are a cat person, you are no doubt familiar with the timeless duo of cats and yarn. The tendency of our feline friends to make yarn and string their favorite playthings has been a widely recognized phenomenon for decades.
If you are both a cat owner and a knitter, your attitude towards the relationship between cats and yarn is probably a mix of adoration and frustration. Although it is undeniably cute to watch our cats chase and play with our yarn, it becomes a problem when they damage yarn that was meant to be used for a project, or when they even destroy a knitting project that has already been started. Much like you (if you're an avid knitter), cats are prone to pounce on every ball of yarn they see! Why is it that cats are so interested in our yarn anyway? How can we keep them from playing with it and messing up the products of our hard work?
To answer the first question above, we have turned to the wonderful world of science! According to zoologists, the reason for a cat's strong affinity for yarn seems to be rooted in its natural hunting instincts. In the wild, cats survive by catching their own prey and by defending their territory from other predators that might be after the same prey. Anything that moves or dangles, like rolling string or yarn, activates the same predatory instincts that a cat has when it sees a mouse or bird nearby. If you have watched your cat play in the yard from the back window, you know what I'm talking about. Experts have also theorized that the movement that yarn has when rolling, dangling, or unwinding reminds cats of snakes, which would be one of their top competitors for prey in the wild. This is why cats often attack yarn in a seemingly defensive manner.
Be assured that your cat is never messing up your yarn or project out of malicious intent (as far as we know). In their line of thinking, they are hunting their food, or perhaps even defending their territory from things that would limit their chances of survival (like snakes). While you and I know that your pampered kitty has no reason to fear for its life or to worry about catching its next meal, its natural inclinations prevent your cat from understanding this logic. Therefore, it continues to hunt things that are not food or attack things that are not threats, like your yarn.
Now that we understand why our cats find our yarn so irresistible, it probably seems unlikely that there is anything we can do to stop them from going after it. No matter how hard we try to fully domesticate our pets, their natural instincts will always remain. However, it is still possible to provide your yarn with some protection and shelter from cats on the prowl! We're here to help you protect your yarn from your favorite feline.
Here are a few things we offer here at Darn Good Yarn that will help you guard your fibers from curious kitties!
If you haven't gotten a chance to try one out yet, a yarn bowl is a great way to keep your yarn protected from pets and to keep it from tangling as you knit or crochet! If you're a true cat lover, you might want to check out our adorable Cat Ceramic Yarn Bowl.
If you're trying to protect those balls and skeins of yarn that you're saving for future projects, or the ones that you're taking on the go, our Knitting and Crochet Yarn Storage Bag is a great solution! These canvas bags feature secure zippers that are certain to keep your feline friends out.
If you love cats and crafting with yarn, you deserve to have the best of both worlds! A life where your cat is safe and happy, and your yarn is secure and undamaged, is easily achievable. Try keeping your yarn out of reach from your cat's playful paws and your knitting projects will flourish!
