I currently live in an apartment where they allow small dogs, but no cats, and my last kitty has since passed away. I had two girls, Shannon and Persephone. My Persephone (yes, she did beleive she was queen of the underworld and she HATED my ex husband) used to sit in my lap or next to the sewing machine and try to catch the spool of thread at the top of the machine. I used the dining room for a sewing room when married to my ex. I will never forget the day she tried to eat some pretty purple thread I had on the counter - that I thought was out of sight and where she was NOT supposed to be anyway - and happened to get the needle the thread was attached to, stuck in her mouth. A heart stopping trip to the vet and the subsequent removal of same made me severely OCD about my sewing supplies. Fortunately, it did not cause any permanent damage, an dshe lived for 5 more years, but, again, I am now severely OCD about ALL sewing supplies. I could not keep my girls out of whatever room i used, but I could keep the hazards put away. Shannon always sat next to my feet so she could keep them warm. I love kitties in the sewing room. My new dh (my high school sweet heart 20 odd years later) shares a craft room (he builds models) with me now and I always have the company and encouragement from him that my girls always gave me. Life is good!!!