I have four cats and as my WHOLE HOUSE is my sewing room (much to my poor husbands dismay!) I can't keep the cats off!! Or the two dogs!
HOWEVER - I have had cats all my life and haven't had a thread eater. Thread players, sleepers on projects but I am now warned - I will wathch out for the threads - I couldn't bear to loose a cat (or dog) like that.
The four I have now are not in the slightest bit interested in my sewing - on the machine, they all want to sit on my knee while I handsew of course!!!
Cats/Sewing - sewing/Cats - what a choice!!!!!