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A tuxedo cat lies on the floor tangled in loops of cream yarn while an older man knits behind it. 7 / 37

Grandpa Never Looked Up From His Knitting. Maybe That Was for the Best.

AI imagetuxedo catknittingpet safety

Grandpa's needles click steadily as a cream-colored scarf grows inch by inch, and he hasn't looked up once. That may be for the best, because right in front of him Domino has turned the rest of the yarn into a full-body tangle. Loops drape over his back, wind around his front paws, and trail across the floor to a couple of runaway balls. The cat stares straight ahead with wide amber eyes, wearing the calm expression of someone who has absolutely no idea how this happened.

Yarn and cats are a classic pairing in pictures, but in real life string is one of the riskier things a cat can play with. A cat's tongue has tiny backward-facing barbs, so once a strand starts going in, it's hard for the cat to spit it out. Swallowed yarn, thread, ribbon, or dental floss can cause serious intestinal problems that need prompt veterinary care. If you knit or sew, store your supplies in a closed bag or basket, never leave a cat alone with loose string, and offer safer toys like wand teasers you put away after play. If you think your cat has swallowed string, don't pull on any visible end; call your vet right away.

Thankfully, Domino is only modeling the yarn today, not snacking on it, and Grandpa will have some untangling to do before the next row.

Every knitter knows the project goes faster without help. Every cat seems to disagree.

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