Creative cat lovers are being asked to get crafty this autumn as Cats Protection launches its annual festive knitting bee.
The UK’s largest cat charity will be launching its annual appeal for home-made toy mice and snuggly blankets when it visits the Knitting & Stitching Show at the Alexandra Palace in London (10-13 October).
Each year, knitters across the country donate scores of hand-crafted creations for cats being cared for by the charity while they wait to find new owners.
Cats Protection’s Events Manager Emma Osborne said: “We have a growing army of wonderful knitters who give up a few evenings of their year to create toys and blankets for cats in our care. We always love seeing the fun patterns they come up with, and it’s especially lovely to see them being enjoyed by the cats in our care.
“Creating a toy mouse or a blanket is a great way to while away the chilly evenings before Christmas, as well as use up leftover balls of wool. We hope more people than ever will join in our knitting bee this year so we can give even more cats an extra treat this Christmas.”
Donations of knitted blankets or mice can be brought along to the charity’s stand at the event, or dropped into any of its branches, shops or adoption centres across the UK.
Cats Protection is the UK’s largest cat charity and helps around 200,000 cats every year through a network of around 250 volunteer-led branches and 36 centres.
Knitters can use their own designs to make blankets and mice or follow a pattern for the popular Captain Cat-Battler knitted mouse – originally designed by Lauren O’Farrell (www.whodunnknit.com) – which will be available to pick up at the show, or by calling the charity’s helpline on 03000 12 12 12.
As well as finding out more about the knitting bee, visitors to the charity’s stand at the show will be able to stock up on festive gifts for cat-loving family and friends, with a range of feline-related merchandise available to buy.
Staff will also be on hand to help visitors find out about cats available for adoption in their area, or how to become a volunteer for the charity.
Cats Protection advises that when knitting a toy or blanket, it’s best to avoid the use of stretchy yarns or small plastic items – such as those that can be used for mouse eyes – to reduce the risk of injury to cats and kittens. Loose weave blanket patterns involving the use of large needles are best avoided too. The charity also suggests that cat owners regularly inspect cat toys for signs of wear or damage, not to leave cats unattended with knitted toys, and not to use knitted toys or blankets with cats that have wool-chewing habits.
