I have .... 7 .... quilt inspectors. But because several of my kitties are special needs, the door to the quilt/sew/craft room is always closed. Several of the kitties are seniors. the old girls and guys can't jump up/down to far and drool a little when sleeping. Others burrow, making nice 'kitty nests' whilst disrupting and pillaging. One has a chronic stomach condition (putting it nicely...lol), and one has weepy eyes from a past medical condition. I love em.... but not on my fabrics!

So what I do instead, is have 'kitty' quilts that I take downstairs, and use as covers over the furniture and chairs. They know which ones are the special layers of quilts/throws just for them to burrow and snuggle, curl up and snooze. When I want to read through some quilting magizines or books, I go downstairs and snuggle with my best buddies... who inspect my quilting books (occasionally showing their appreciation for certain books by biting the corners and perferating magazine pages... ). lol. Every 4 or 5 days, I wash the quilts and coverings...

Oh, my! That Madison really knows how to turn on the charm!!!

love the boneless pose... amazing how they can become limp as a rag at times

These are just great pics. Thanks for sharing.

Love your babies! I miss my Sassy girl . She looked like your Madison!

I love your babies. I have the old cat home here too. Love them all. They love quilts too.

Cute!!!!!

I'm sorry that your Sassy Girl is no longer with you.

Um... in a shameless plug for help and consideration; and in the interest of saving lives (of animial and/or people)...

Please, everyone... consider adopting another animal (depending on what you love) right now. We all know how every DAY there are 1000's of kitties (and dogs, rabbits, horses, etc) who are surrendered to Animal Care and Control, the Humane Society shelters and other private shelters... through no fault of their own. They are adorable, lovable sweethearts that just need to find forever homes. Unfortunately, almost 90% of them are euthanized at shelters. And most no-kill shelters are full. The recession has forced a lot of people to either 'dump' their animals out on the street or surrender them to shelters.

Also, if I may make another plea. If you haven't yet spayed or neutered your animals, please consider doing so. If you are seeing strays in your neighborhoods, please, please consider trapping and neutering them and releasing them. Check with your neighbors. If your neighbor can't afford to spay or neuter his or her animals, consider offering to help them do so. Most shelters, all humane societies have special discounts for seniors, for TNR colonies, etc. You can get Spay Certificates from Friends of Animals, Animal Rescue League or other programs. There is help out there.

I adopt special needs kitty's from shelters, take in strays, do TNR (trap, neuter and release) and also adopt abused kitty's that Animal Care and Control has 'seized'. But I am only one person, with only so much room.

Yet if each of us here ... that is, those that love animals of course... and live in houses/situations allowing for pets; could just adopt one (they do better in pairs for company) or 'one more'; then that would be a huge step in controlling stray animal populations and providing loving homes for those who need them. Even if all you can do is donate a $1 to the 'jar' then do that. Let each of us do... a little something.

Similarly, my church has joined up with a local group that is sponsoring a homeless family per church. Actually taking in, helping and sheltering a homeless family and helping them to get back on their feet. It's a 6 month committment. Once again, if say... 1 church out of every 7 churches, or group of churches, did such a thing, and took in just 1 homeless person or family.... then there would be lot less need. Our church is also trying to find ways to help those who are going through the foreclosure process/trying to help them stay in their homes, or find a better solution. Many of these people in my area are elderly....

Thank you for reading my post and i hope to have not offended you in any way. Such is not my intent. I love seeing pictures of all the quilt inspectors of whatever species. And I'm glad to see them in loving homes that provide the warmth and care (and quilts!) they should have. Be blessed.

I love your babies and your huge heart! :D:D

wow...what a wonderful and powerful post. was going to comment on how beautious your feline bounty. then read this. i have 5 wonderful felines...all rescues w/varyingly horrendous stories. we get many many unloved/cared for canines and a few felines dumped near our property in rural area. we find what care we can for them ...if we can't..i am sorry to upset anyone here...but if we can't place them we euthanize them. i feel that this is better than placing busy happy mischievous puppy w/human that may fall out of love because of the normal puppy excess'. rather than know more hurt, i hold them and love them as they peacefull fall asleep in my arms. i have a wonderful vet. i recently had two apparent 'fighting' dogs dumped. tho they seemed sweet and loving [in spite of the horrendous scars on muzzles and ears etc] had planned to contact rescue following morn. but then they got in fight..over which one was getting attention. the sheriffs dept came out took them and they were 'dispatched'...i say this with tears in my eyes..[i personally do not believe that m.vick should be making more millions after what he did/condoned]. we now have a new addition to our menagerie that i could not find a home that i trusted for...so told dh she had to go to sleep. she had been so horribly abused before she was dumped that our vet said that she may never recover emotionally. dh is a soft and dear heart. so we have our newest little friend. she is a challenge...she still hurts emotionally but is recovering..learning how to play etc. so...i add my plea to above. adopt...but adopt thoughtfully...don't get taken in by adorable looks/behavior of puppy/kitten that after a while you can no longer tolerate. make sure that not only are all your pets neutered/spayed...but also, that they are wormed, ears checked for mites [such pain!! for these little loves to have in thier ears] and all immunizations up to date..including & most importantly rabies, feline hiv etc. and don't forget the love...remember they are children that never grow up...and need our love and nurturing throughout thier lives.

I don't mind my kitty being in my sewing room when I am in there but I don't want her laying up near my machines or on my fabrics when I am not in there. Like you, I have several "Blankies" in the livingroom for her to cuddle in. As I speak she is cuddled up on the couch sleeping. Anyway, My hubby built me a screen door for my sewing room. It keeps kitty out when I am not sewing but lets the a/c in. The a/c does not circulate well into that room with the solid door closed so we replaced it with my new screen door. Hubby even painted it pink to match everything in my sewing room, he even spray painted the screen pink too. My kitty sits and looks in there at times and meows at me. I know she is asking to go in there but....Oh well. Like you said I don't want her laying up on my fabrics...... :)

Roguequilter.... you do what you can, and manage the rest as best as you can. Good for you.

I am grateful that you've allowed such an abused animal into your home to desensitize, and grow more trusting. My husband and I do the same, depending on the situation. Right now, we have one small female (now spayed,etc.) that lives in our house, and won't let us touch her. She has learned in the last year to be comfortable around us... as long as we're about 4' away. lol. She may never get to the point where she's trusting enough to get in our laps. But last night, she jumped up into the bed while I was in it! I had three of the other cats with me, for a 'petting' session just prior to sleeping... and she just jumped up and sat on the farthest edge watching.

Sometimes one of the greatest 'gifts' ever... is to win the trust of a child or an animal.... of course, it's one of the greatest responsibilities too.

I think it's wonderful that so many quilters have cats/dogs/horses, etc. Besides petting our animals is good for us... it helps our blood pressure stay low after we see the 'newest' price increases on our fabrics!!!!!

Corry, what a great idea! Sometimes, my husband and I will use plastic and net child gates. We have found several adjustable ones (Greco) at thrift stores. We put two up in the door way, with the top of the doorway having a horizontal gate. But the bottom 2/3 of the door way, we put a gate in VERTICALLY (so the rods run up and down instead). Just expand it to it's furthest width, rotate it 90 degrees, to do so. Then when we want to go in or out of the room, we loosen 1 vertical rod and swing it open like a door! Works great. The whole door way is 'gated' then, so the 'jumpers' can't jump up and over (and into the room). lol. Crafty buggers.

kwendt...yah...i know what you mean the trust of a child...had [unfortunately] contact w/abused children brought to our pediatric clinic at kaiser yrs ago by welfare agents...children chained to chairs..locked in closets..so much heartbrk...but after a few trips to us and the warmth and affection shown by staff....we even had one little one who eventually smiled and even spoke!

and then there are the animals. one of my cats is now 12yrs old...found when she was a couple of weeks old...couldn't walk...so weak...she is still not one that you can snuggle - unless it is her idea - you can't just bend down and pick her up...she runs. but she loves to quilt...and is quite insistent about digging under the hoop in my lap and snuggling down...she will even purr then...her name is squeakey...aka squirrely squeakey or black ghost...but she is one of my little loves...and i think she knows now that she is safe and loved till the end of her days...like the vet told us re: bopper...sometimes they never recover...but i can still give them lots of love and they appreciate it in thier way.

Nice!! Hey, it's 'safe' and warm in her snuggle-under-the-quilt-hoop-place! Squeakey is no dummy! lol. How wonderful.

Nice!! Hey, it's 'safe' and warm in her snuggle-under-the-quilt-hoop-place! Squeakey is no dummy! lol. How wonderful.[/quote]

LOLLOL...no she isn't...& lately the big guy [20# lst wk at vet visit] has decided that with the single digit cold outside and wet gray weather that he kinda likes this under the hoop thing too! hahah ...but he is a little large to sit on my lap...takes two arms around him to accomadate...but with quilt wrapped around him and a 'roof' over him he seems quite content...makes me feel honored that my big 'ol head hunter aka killer aka sherman [as in tank? no beloved son & favorite vet...just name that came to me] deigns to commit some of his time to keeping me company w/his warmth & prodigious purring ...when i know that he would really rather be out t-boning a jack rabbit and eating it's head...lollollollol