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Author Topic: Cats attacking wool based items  (Read 3901 times)

Dans

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Spalding
    • Six Oaks
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Cats attacking wool based items
« on: January 09, 2018, 10:24:27 pm »
Hi

I'm hoping someone can help me here. I suspect that my problem is that I haven't washed it well enough but here is my dilemma.

I made some very rough and thick peg loom rugs. I worked with raw fleece and they are a good 2 inches thick, very comfy for sitting on. I washed them once made in the hopes that they would retain a bit of lanolin (little bit of water proofing for use outside) and that any felting would just hold it together more.

Unfortunately one of my cats seems intent on ripping the rugs to shreds. Each morning I wake up to find tufts pulled out, i pop them back in but it's going to affect the integrity of the rug soon and I'm hesitant to make more before I can find a solution.

Any ideas of how to deter her? Does it sound like I just haven't cleaned them well enough. Any tips on that or do I have to wash before starting?

My other two cats ignore the rugs entirely but this one has always been a bit different.

Dans
9 sheep, 24 chickens, 3 cats, a toddler and a baby on the way

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Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Cats attacking wool based items
« Reply #1 on: January 10, 2018, 12:51:45 am »
 :wave:


Is she 'sharpening her claws' on the mats or rubbing on them like catnip, or kicking them as in a play fight? Does she go for any other woolly things or just the mats?  Does she go for raw fleece?


All I can think of is to put the mats out of her reach when you're not sitting on them - a nuisance I know.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

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Dogwalker

  • Joined Nov 2011
Re: Cats attacking wool based items
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2018, 07:18:36 am »
I had a standard poodle staying who did similar, pulling mouthfuls of fleece out of thick fleece sleeping mat.

I'd washed the fleece before making so not sure that's the reason.

Sorry can't help more, don't know much about cats behaviour.

Dans

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Spalding
    • Six Oaks
    • Facebook
Re: Cats attacking wool based items
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2018, 10:58:34 am »
She just pulls tufts out with her mouth. She does have thing for ripping off chunks of cardboard and spitting them out though. She is an odd one.

Does the washing sound alright then? Washing after it has been made. I've been using the bath method but with more ecover and water not as hot too try and get rid of the dirt but not lanolin, then rinsing until the water is pretty clean, adding another wash if it's not getting clean.

I was hoping to try and sell them as people have been interested but was worried that people's cats/dogs would destroy them.

Dans
9 sheep, 24 chickens, 3 cats, a toddler and a baby on the way

www.sixoaks.co.uk

www.facebook.com/pg/sixoakssmallholding

www.goodlife.sixoaks.co.uk

Louise Gaunt

  • Joined May 2011
Re: Cats attacking wool based items
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2018, 11:15:15 am »
She might be deterred by citrus taste/ smell - you could try spraying the rug with a little oil of citronella to see if it puts her off. With regard to washing, either before or after construction is probably OK. If you give it a bit of agitation when washing after construction this could well felt things a bit and hold it together. Also, make clear to any buyers that this us a rug to be shaken not vacuumed, or they might pull tufts out!

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Cats attacking wool based items
« Reply #5 on: January 10, 2018, 11:23:37 am »
Ah, she's plucking her prey  :idea:   One of our dogs does that with crisp packets, empty or full, until there's nothing but small bits of foil all over the floor.   I suspect it's just the texture she likes.


Louise's idea of citronella sounds worth trying.


For selling them, say 'unsuitable as cat bedding'
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: Cats attacking wool based items
« Reply #6 on: January 10, 2018, 11:30:38 pm »
Maybe make them a bit bigger and sell to people for themselves not pets. When I was weaving as a living, I made and sold many many rugs that were woven with carded fleece and they were so popular.

waddy

  • Joined May 2012
Re: Cats attacking wool based items
« Reply #7 on: January 11, 2018, 09:01:37 pm »
Cats can become obsessed with chewing wool. Siamese and orientals can be particularly prone. Our last oriental chewed holes in no end of jumpers hats and gloves over the years and we learned to keep an ear out for the squeak of wool on teeth. Once I dozed off while I had been finishing the back piece of my knitting only to find a huge hole in the middle when I woke up! Our current two young Siamese try to pluck and chew their fleecy blankets and one in particular will chew plastic, especially if it makes a crunchy sound. We found this out when she threw up part of a plastic shower scrub. As this can be dangerous we have to be so careful what they can access. The chewing is not as bad now they can go outside and hunt but they still will do it. Our old cat was nearly eighteen when we lost her so your girl may not grow out of it. Chewing things they shouldn't is called Pica. our young ones are insured just in case anything especially plastic needs removing!


Helen

in the hills

  • Joined Feb 2012
Re: Cats attacking wool based items
« Reply #8 on: January 12, 2018, 08:22:27 am »
Could just be a little obsession of your cat!


We have a young cat that rips up any paperwork that is left lying around and tears off chunks from cardboard boxes. He can destroy a whole box in no time at all!




Dans

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Spalding
    • Six Oaks
    • Facebook
Re: Cats attacking wool based items
« Reply #9 on: January 12, 2018, 06:27:58 pm »
Thanks guys, I'll give the citrus oil a go. I did spray the rugs with a bit of cat repellent we have (was the only way we deterred them from scratching on the sofa), but she still had attacked it the next morning.

I completely intend for them to be for humans. They are great for sitting on outside and making any hard surface more pleasant, and so warm too. But to be fair they do make good cat beds, one of mine sleeps on them at night, but for some cats they also provide added sensory enrichment lol

She is a very very odd cat. She doesn't seem to understand basic cat language. As a (neutered) kitten she happily rolled around the path in front of a big local cat that had his fur standing up, back arched and was hissing at her. Thankfully she doesn't eat things, just seems to be cardboard and wool that she will tear up and throw around. She will chew through yarn though. It only took one knitting session for me to feel a wet patch between my fingers then realise my yarn was cut off for me to start knitting with my ball of wool in my lap!#

Thanks all I will keep going with my current washing and weaving regime and attempt to sell with a warning that cats may like them too much! For my ones I'll try the citrus and if not I'll cover them with blankets at night!

Dans
9 sheep, 24 chickens, 3 cats, a toddler and a baby on the way

www.sixoaks.co.uk

www.facebook.com/pg/sixoakssmallholding

www.goodlife.sixoaks.co.uk

Lesley Silvester

  • Joined Sep 2011
  • Telford
Re: Cats attacking wool based items
« Reply #10 on: January 12, 2018, 09:52:20 pm »
Good luck.

 

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