Stay away from my yarn!!

callista

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I crochet. A lot. Like, two afghans a month. It's mostly to keep my hands busy while I study, because otherwise I fidget like crazy, and I'd prefer my fidgeting to be productive. Helps me think. I can do it by touch. Nothing complex, not like what some of you guys are doing... I forget who, but somebody actually crocheted a stuffed kitty that was the spitting image of one of the TCS cats a few months ago. Absolutely cute.

To get to the point: Yarn is irresistible to my cats. They ignore it when I'm not using it, but when I'm using it, it moves so enticingly that they can't help but bat, lick, chew, chase, and generally play with it. With the result that more than a few times I've had to yank the yarn out of the paws of an intrigued cat, only to realize there's kitty spit on it when I go to use it. I've resorted to washing my afghans before I give them away now, to prevent any possible allergic reactions.

I think to myself: Hey, at least they don't play with it when it's not moving; if a cat eats yarn, it often means an expensive trip to the vet, or worse. So, not actually dangerous, especially since I leave the yarn in the big plastic tubs where I keep it, and not lying around where the cats can use it as a plaything. But this is still annoying--and I can't even be angry with them for it, because I know very well their instinct says "Moving! Prey! Chase! Catch! Bite it! Bat it!" And they can't resist, no matter how much I tell them no.

Me versus kitty instincts... kitty instincts win, hands down.

Anybody solved this problem?
 
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catwithmycoffee

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My yarn problem is a bit of the opposite with my cat, Bazinga.  If I leave any yarn out, she will pick it up and carry it around the house!  One morning Husband woke up to find that she had transported at least 5 wound yarn balls into the bedroom...When I'm actually crocheting, Bazinga will sit and watch the yarn moving quite intently, then attempt to crawl into the yarn bag!

Perhaps try distracting your cats when it looks like they are about to attack your yarn?  Toys or a laser pointer, perhaps.  Maybe a well-timed spritz from a water bottle might help.
 

smitten4kittens

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Craft stores sell plastic yarn holders that have a lid with a small hole on top. You place the ball of yarn inside and pull the strand through the hole. Hold it on your lap while you crochet and there will only be a few inches out of the container. My cats don't even notice the yarn when I knit this way. It also keeps your yarn perfectly clean inside the container. Great for knitting outside. I get mine at AC Moore craft stores.
 
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callista

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I have to try that. I bet I could make my own out of an old tupperware container; I use balls of yarn from a yarn winder and they're just the same size as some of the worn-out tubs I have sitting around.
 

smitten4kittens

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Great ideas to make our own. If you use tupperware you could put duct tape around the edges of the hole to keep the yarn from snagging. The Quaker oats container might be the best because the cats won't even see the yarn ball at all.
 

catapault

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I keep my yarn in a sturdy, freezer type ziplock plastic bag. Keeps it clean, prevents tangling, and easy to just zip closed when done working.

I started doing this when the two younger cats discovered what fun it was to grab a ball of yarn (only the more expensive kind, never a WalMart special, of course) and run upstairs, downstairs, under chairs and out another side so yarn wrapped around the legs. Cute? Not!
 
 

pariscat

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Oh dear !!

I knit - a LOT !  I knit socks with stripes, so I have 2-3 clews of yarn working at the same time, while watching TV.  Can't keep my hands idle.  Will have to think of a way to keep the kittens out of the knitwork, it appears ! The Quaker oats box (or similar) sounds like a good idea. If you place it horisontally you can have the number of holes in the box you need for the different clews.
 
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