Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: littleKitten_(alex) on April 05, 2007, 18:22:16 PM
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As an avid knitter and seamstress, I always have lots of left-over yarn och fabric. Since I think it's a shame to throw stuff away if you can use it for something, I often make cat toys from these little bits and pieces. Most of Monkey's and Poppy's toys are home-made (I like that I know how they've been produced, and what they're made from), and for friends' cats as well. But I don't know enough cats to use up all my scraps...
Would rescues be interested in getting some toys? I feel really silly asking this - I'm sure monetary donations are far more useful to them! But I just thought I'd ask... :shy: Or maybe there are some charity shops that can sell things? (I know somebody who makes cat toys that are sold in aid of a cat rescue, but that's not in this country, unfortunately...)
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Ahh what a lovely idea :)
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Well... I wasn't sure if it could be useful...
Anyway, some pics of toys I've made: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7552519@N07/sets/72157600049831078/
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wow!! they're really good!!! you could always sell them and donate the profits to charity if you didnt want to keep the dosh.
but i'm very sure any kitty would love to rip them apart!!! (in the nicest possible way of course!)
;D
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Oh wow they are fab ... I love green octopus. Do you have a Cats protection near you ... I'm sure they would be able to sell them on there stalls. I'm sure if you donated a few to any rescue they would willing take them off your hands to either sell or let the "in-mates" play with.
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Waw they look fantastic!
My three love wool as well, so i would be a great toy for them, you should think about selling some littlekitten and as Hannah said donate to charity if you wanted?
Sarah x
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Just a thought but if you wanted to make them for a good cause etc then perhaps you could talk to tan about having an actual thing here set up for you where we could buy them and the money if you wanted went to which ever charity ... i for one would buy them from you, the're fab.
of course if you want to just donate them whenever i think some actual cat shelters (whereever they are) would snap them up gratefully.
do you stuff them with catnip ?? altho my cody would prefer a few choccy buttons i am sure
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I think thats a great idea Lynn, I would defo buy some too.
S x
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I think thats a great idea Lynn, I would defo buy some too.
S x
me too .... my lot would love them :)
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i'm up for you selling them!!! hehe ;D
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Good idea - not looked at the pics though, but I should imagine most rescues are always grateful for toys, I know we are.
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Would rescues be interested in getting some toys? I feel really silly asking this - I'm sure monetary donations are far more useful to them! But I just thought I'd ask...
You shouldn't feel silly. Although money is very necessary, many other things including toys are welcome by rescues.
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I was going to donate two scratch posts that my boys are too big for now, would a rescue like those?
They are ideal kitten size..
(sorry if i'm hijacking the thread)
The toys look great, i'd definitely buy them! :Luv:
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and also if your like me atleast if you donate non money good you know where your donation is going to if that makes sense, i always think money just gets swallowed up on admin etc alot of the time.
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Wow, thanks guys, what great feedback! Now I don't feel so silly anymore!
As for selling them myself - to be honest, it wouldn't be worth it. Some of my little toys take well over an hour (or two) to make, and nobody's going to pay enough to make a decent hourly rate! ;) A handmade-in-the-UK item is going to cost slightly more to make than something factory-produced-in-Asia... ;) But I think people wouldn't want to pay more than whatever the toys in the pet shop cost. So I'd rather make them for a good cause.
I don't know if there's a Cats Protection near me - I'm in London, I'm sure somebody would know. There are various different rescues around, not sure which are the good ones. I did once take a bag of little handmade mice to a cat shelter for their "inmates" to play with, but I wasn't really made to feel that it was appreciated... Maybe that's why I'm a bit paranoid!
perhaps you could talk to tan about having an actual thing here set up for you where we could buy them and the money if you wanted went to which ever charity...
Hm, that sounds brilliant! I'm just concerned that it's not like I can mass-produce these things... I just make a few here and there. I have two fur babies to look after, and that's kind of a full-time thing! :tired: But it sounds like a great idea.
do you stuff them with catnip ?? altho my cody would prefer a few choccy buttons i am sure
Yeah, I stuff most toys with catnip (except rattle ones, haven't thought of a way to fit in cat nip as well...). The idea of a chocolate stuffed toy sounds great! :rofl: I mean, why not? I'm up for custom orders! :rofl:
Poppy likes it when I'm toy making - whenever the big bag of cat nip comes out, she's there. And I have to guard it closely. Once she stuffed her entire head inside the bag in a flash. She was VERY stoned afterwards, I can tell you. Another time, the cats made me drop the bag so lots of catnip spilt onto the carpet. Both cats were rolling around there like lunatics for ages afterwards. :Crazy: Don't think OH and I have ever laughed so much.
Thanks for all the feedback!
Alexandra
PS: I am now going to spend the day toy-making. I should be making a dress for my OH's niece... but she can wait. :)
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I don't know if there's a Cats Protection near me - I'm in London,
If you go to www.cats.org.uk, then home a cat,then find your nearest CP a map of the UK comes up and you can click on the bottom right hand corner, then Branches and go, a list of all towns where their is a CP branch will come up. Or if you click Adoption centers they will come up, they are HQ sponsored shelters and have paid staff although I expect they have some unpaid staff, whereas Branches are run by unpaid slaves volunteers ;D
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I understand totally, i make novelty type cakes for my family and children and lots have said i should sell but to be honest taking into consideration that the simpliest easiest ones take around 5 or 6 hours to make and decorate (can easily double that plus some for a complicated one) and the materials / leccy involved i'd have to charge £60 + And by the time novelty cakes are carved and sculped there is often not even that much cake left LOL so i'd never contemplate selling them.
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Also, if you go onto www.catchat.org - you can find lists of smaller rescues in your area too, these are just as needy as CP - and aren't always as well known, so miss out at times compared to rescues like CP.
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I have an old lady who knits similar toys for me, I package them in clear cellophane bags and they are sold at my vets to help pay the bill,perhaps you could do similar for your local rescue
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fab toys !
id defo buy some too
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You could try selling them on ebay too. In packs of a few toys. I'm sure people would buy them especially if you said the money was going to charity.
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Thanks for all your thoughts on this, folks! :)
I still haven't quite decided whether to just give the toys to a rescue, or try selling them and donating the money instead. But let's say I do sell them - what would be a reasonable price for a little lovingly handcrafted toy :Luv:, bearing in mind that the money would go to charity? (pics of toys I've made in the past here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7552519@N07/sets/72157600049831078/)
If possible, I'd definitely want to set it up so that people pay their money straight to the charity, rather than to me. Peace of mind for the buyer (there are too many scam artists out there!), and less hassle for me, probably. :)
Very grateful for all your input!
Alexandra
assisted by Poppy & Monkey
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just wanted to say i'm not good with prices so cant help there i'm afraid, but i'd buy the puss cat in the last photo, s/he's gorgeous!!!!!! and looks like the wee mousey is being thoroughly enjoyed xx ;D
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Haha, sorry - I wouldn't sell Poppy even for a million pounds! She's just the sweetest cat in the world... :Luv: and I couldn't cope with crazy Monkey without Poppy's calming influence... ;D