Crafting with Butters

So looking at the title, one might think I am an odd person who somehow likes to add butter to my crafts. Reality it is Butters (cat above) is the name of the cat I am currently watching for an extended time period. I say extended because she was suppose to be back to her owner around two months ago. Also her full name is Buttercup, but at five in the morning when she gets hungry Butters became easier to say.

So how does one craft with a cat around? It is done very carefully because they are curious creatures and can be very smart as well. While Butters has now learned to stay at least a foot away from my paint brush, there is still the battle we face every time I need to craft something. This is partially due to the fact I craft out in the living room where she basically lives.

Crafting with her around is a basic routine. First I get all my stuff out and she tries to figure out what it all is. If there is a box, that is where she lands first. Hint on cats, they love boxes and often I will stick her in a box to play while I craft. Next comes the I have to knock over any cup stage. This can be the most messy stage which is why I have learned to avoid water paints for now.

Now on a few occasions, glitter has been needed for a project. This is when Butters and I can go into war. She sees a sparkling object and I see a mess waiting to happen. Now she has gotten in the glitter once before. Let me be the first to say there is nothing worse then getting glitter out of a cat. After a bath for the cat and a vacuum for my carpet, the mess was under control. Luckily this all got cleaned up before the roommate got home.

For all those who enjoy cats and crafts here are some quick hints to keep the mess down to a minimum. Keep all glue or any other sticky substances near you at all times. This makes it easier to grab for when the cat tries to go for it. Glitter needs to stay in a bowl at all times. Plates or other flat surfaces are way too easy for them to access. If you thought of how the cat could get to it, so has the cat. Do not let them near an item when it is drying, that is unless you want to redo it.

To wrap it up, moral of the story is simple. Do not volunteer to watch a cat without a specific time for returning. If you do, keep the cat away from glitter.

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