Spring Shearing

It’s starting to feel like Spring in New York City. I wore a jean jacket out this morning en route to my emergency pedicure (I was ill prepared for flip-flop weather), unfolded my bike (literally, it’s a Dahon) and the cats spent all day on the window sill counting birdies.

Petie (left) and Kip (right)

But the real sign of spring? When you pet your cat and pig-pen-worthy tufts of  fur waft up.  It’s cat-shearing season. Cue the Furminator.

I love the Furminator – they aren’t paying me nor did I get a free comb – there’s something satisfying about seeing the amount of hair that’s gathered.

Spring shearing!

When I brush Petie I do feel like I’m shearing sheep!

I love how you can see the white fur from his chest!

While I feel a sense of accomplishment dumping all that cat hair into the garbage, there are some over achievers out there not as easily satisfied. They’ve found much more useful and creative things to make with cat and dog hair  like purses and sweaters (dress like your pet!). My first reaction is that it’s gross, but how is it any different than wearing a wool sweater?

Catty Shack Creations

I’ve even heard of people using cat hair (or is it fur?) to make art installations and cat toys.  One acquaintance takes a friend’s cat’s hair and puts it in the cracks of the baseboard to keep mice away (I guess they think a cat lives there and don’t bother trying to hang around).

Can you guess whose these hair balls belong to?

A few of my readers have mentioned donating cat hair to birds for nest making (or bedding perhaps?). Wonder what people would think if I started leaving balls of cat hair around Central Park….