Thursday, July 29, 2010

Catnip Bunnies

At night, we put away all the cat toys. Sometimes, we forget. Around 1am, Sophie usually wakes us up crying and hauling around a toy because she wants to play. It makes for a long night. The other night, I must have missed a toy when they were put away for the night because at 2am, I got a surprise dropped right on my face. This surprise.Yes, isn't it disgusting! So very nasty. I can't bear to through it out though, because the cats love it to death -as is obvious. I really wish you could see just how gross this is, but these pictures just don't give it justice. After having this dropped on my face, yuck-O, I threw it out. No more Mr. Mousy.

Seriously, they lick this mouse, haul it around in their mouth, kick it, bite it, shred it, etc. It is so disgusting. Say your goodbyes.
Since I threw out their favorite toy, it was a requirement that I make them a replacement. I found this adorable knit bunny on Raverly, and decided to try it out. My first knit toy. I was a little confused at first, but the directions are really well written (if you read them all) and once I realized how it was going to work, so genius, I was really excited to finish. I stitched the eyes on in a contrasting color, added a nose and whiskers, and a tail. How cute are these?
After I finished the first bunny (the white one), I gave it to the cats to see if they'd like it. Sure enough - they loved it! They even kept fighting over it. Within five minutes, the poor white bunny had a shredded eye, a hole in his ear, and was slobbered all over. See the damage?So I made a second one. And everyone was happy!Later, I learned that my Aunt's cat had been in a fight and was forced to stay inside to recover. Since I already had all the supplies out and I was on a roll, I made one for her kitty too.
Seriously, they are so simple to make and really fast once you make a few. The tail is my favorite part!When I was finished, I immediately packaged it up, got it ready to go to the post office in the morning and left it on the counter so I wouldn't forget it when I left for work. That night, we put away all the new knit bunnies and went to bed. The next morning - pure mayhem.

The evidence. The cats blamed it on a hungry lion.I re-packed the bunny (who somehow manged to escape unharmed) and mailed it off. The cats were not very happy that I didn't let them have it - but still stuck with the lion story so no one would get punished. I keep finding orange paper shreds around the house, but what I'd really like to find is the so-called Lion.

Free Pattern - Catnip Bunny
Raverly Link
Yarn - scraps of worsted weight acrylic yarn
Needles - size 4

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Cami, Thank you so much for the cute bunny.. As soon as I opened the outside package the cat came running over. She could hardly wait for me to get it out of the bag. She is doing much better.. even took her own stitches out..guess she thought it was time. Now she can go back outside but she really loves the bunny.. Your the best. I might even try making a few for her.

Love,
CW

Crafty Christina said...

The bunnies are so cute and I can see why the kitties loved them. Hilarious about the envelope, haha!

The old toy was definitely beat up! I can;t imagine it landing on my face.

tif said...

too funny!!!!!!! the bunnies are super adorable! you're such a nice mama to your kitties!

AuntTrish said...

Oh Cami, I need one of these for my babies. I can't crochet or I would do it myself. I'll make a trade......
Trish

Caroline said...

That kitty is darling!

alpinekleins said...

So cute - any aspiring kitty would have to have some! Those naughty little ones ;)

Kristin

Jan said...

Love Mr. Mousy. He looks like most of my doggy/kitty toys, which probably test positive for every bacteria known to man. Unfortunately my knitting skills leave a whole lot to be desired so I probably won't be making one—or the cute rabbit toy. Besides, my dogs eat all the cat toys so the cats have to make do outside playing with lizards, small snakes and the occasional bird. PETA would have my head.

I know it's not polite commenting on a different post but I didn't have the nerve to go back to your 2 1/2 year old Jacob's ladder. Anyway, I found this: http://wolfandturtle.net/Dye/index.php/Yarnpath/comments/scarf_and_sock_thoughts/ while looking for "Trail of Tears" and by golly it's the same thing. However, most of the "Trail of Tears" patterns I found do the braid thingy as you go along. Is it the same thing only easier, and if so, why are we doing all the chain-tens and then braiding the thing at the end? Just a thought.

Jan

Jan said...

Well, that having been said I realize it makes no sense because the pattern I found for TofT does require that you braid the whole thing at the end. However, the one on Earthnotes Tripod.com lookes like you do some sort of complicated long double crochet throughout. Anyway it looks like the patterns are pretty similar but just variations.

Looking closer at the knit bunnies, maybe I could make one, after all. It might take my dogs all of five minutes to destroy it. Barbarians.

Okay, I'll shut up now.

Jan

Rebekah said...

So cute! I need to make a couple of these because our catnip mice are looking like the mouse in your first photo!

Pearlin J said...

those are sooo cute!

Salihan said...

Thanks for sharing the photos of the old toys! So funny! love the new bunnies you've made. Too cute!