To be honest my sewing "area" is in the family room and yes, they cats are helping. They run off w/binding - while I'm sewing it on!, They sleep on and under whatever it is I'm making and I don't care one bit. The dog could care less.

Our dog is afraid of the hardwood floors so will only go in the kitchen and living room. She tiptoes across the dining room floor to get to the screened in porch, but won't walk the full length of the house to get to my sewing room.

We have 2 beagles and they do come in my room but the dog hair is in the house and they go every where in it so there will be dog hair too! I only sew for me and my family and 2 others have dogs also.

The boys (cats) come in there but they are only interested in jumping on top of the cabinet and taking a snooze. Sadie (dog) will come up but she knows that her paws may not cross the threshold so she lays outside on the carpet looking in. When Heidi (dog) comes in, we know that she NEEDS OUT. So no, I do not encourage my animals to "help"

All my equipment is in my loft overlooking the 1 st floor. I don't have a cat that is indoors anyway but I do have my empty nest replacement and he goes wherever I go and scatters toys throughout the house. He is sometimes worse than the kids I had.

I don't allow our cat in my sewing room at all. She knows she is not to go in there and she doesn't! I can't imagine cat fur and dander all over my sewing things and in my machine. Enough problems with little threads and lint all over the place. I should mention the cat is over 15 years old and has had ample time to get used to my 'rules' :lol:
Yes you can train a cat!

My dog does the same thing-especially grumbling when she has to move over to give me foot room. She's a poodle mix and doesn't shed so I don't have to worry about her getting hair on anything. If there is any shedding, its my gray hair I find on things.

We have 2 Black cats,but we made them each a washable fur bed and put it at the far end at the room where they won't bother the fabric,or can't get hurt by pins or needles. I have a antique buffet table there and they like to have their beds under there cause the customers kinda scare them. They don't want to come around the fabric when we're working.I don't know if they are smart enough to know that that is a work place or why they don't.

Just loved reading all the replies in this thread - seems like EVERYONE has a well-loved pet and that's a GOOD THING!!! Animals do a world of good for their selected owners and we all know it!

My cats (5) all do different things with my sewing. All of them like thread. Thread can kill!!!!!!!!!!!!

3 years ago on a New Years Eve I was settling down for some quality time of hand quilting. So, I was testing several different brands and sizes of needles. I had 12 needles threaded and sticking in the pin cushion. After a few hours of quilting I was ready to thread the needles again. For some reason I counted them...I was missing 2! I figured I had lost them somewhere around my recliner. As I was searching with my hands and a flashlight I noticed my cat Bess, was gagging...yikes..grabbed her up and off to the Emergency Pet Hospital. After sedating her (she is a rescued feral....who reverts to feral at times of stress) they x-rayed her and there were two needles at the top of her stomach and the threads were wrapped around the back of her tongue. $600 later (I paid for it. It was my fault) they removed the needles. We watched the football game in the lobby of that pet hospital during her operation.
We then went home. Me much humbled that my love of quilting had endangered my cat. My hubby saying we should have put her to sleep.
I went to see her the next day...she was very sedated but they said she was doing well.
The next day I had to go back to work or lose Holiday pay. The hospital called me and said she could not stay there any longer because she had bit and clawed a couple of vet techs and they could not get near her to even knock her out. They were afraid of her and also said she would do better at home in a kennel. WHAT??? They are vets, right? So I borrowed a large dog wire kennel, took the rest of the week off and cared for her...did the IV thing with meds...dressing changes...cleaned the poop and pee off her and the bed. She was an angel to me...she knows I love her. 2 weeks later I took her the my regular vet's office to remove the 10" of staples. I warned them about her feralness. No need to!!! She let them remove those staples (I am sure it hurt) give her a shot and examine her all over. I take all the other kitties to the vet but not Bess...the visits stress her out too much. She hides for two days when I get the carrier out. I have tried hiding it in the bathroom...now she refuses to even enter the bathroom. Clever kitty. So I do not take her. She is healthy...does not go outside.
I think that the emergency Pet Hospital techs are more used to killing animals than caring for them with concern and love. I may be wrong and I am sorry if I have offended any vet techs.
My lesson learned...I only sew with one needle out at a time. I bought two of those domed threaded needle keepers...love them. As I empty a needle I open a small box and stick them in a piece of batting. After I sew with those 20 needles I will rethread. 20 needles gives a nice long sewing session.
XOXOXOXOXO Subee
http://www.subeesews.blogspot.com

my sewing room is also my cats room and my hamradio room and computer room so they com and go at will... i have a chain with hook and eye to keep the door cracked so the german shepard doesnt come in as she would like the cat crunchies if i didnt keep her out..... when i am in the room the door is open but the dog know the meaning of stay out lol....while sewing in the dinning room the dog sleeps near by to keep her eye on me the cats wander about helping me sew laying on the bulk of the material etc all is peaceful in the world of my animals

Suebee, I'm sorry to hear about Bess' accident. Why did you husband want to put her to sleep? I'm sure she was 100 times better off in your caring hands than at the hospital.

3 weeks after we adopted our first cat, we bought one of those long ribbon-like fleece toys. Less than 1/2 hour after I read this instructions (yes, I did!) which said that the cat should not be left unattended with the toy, something happened and I went to resolve it. 2 minutes later, Daniella had eaten about 8" of the fleece.

$2000 later, we had a healthy cat. But it sure taught me a lesson. Now I look at everything with a "how can the cats get into trouble" eye. I don't always anticipate everything but do try.

My cats don't come in to my sewing room as it's too busy and noisy for them so they kip on the bed all day instead. My retriever comes in, when invited, and sleeps on the floor. She only leaves when I copy a pattern from the internet as she's afraid of the printer.

I close the door to keep my cat out, she will chew on thread, lots of it, and I'm afraid she's going to 'knot up her gut'! She also will chew on gift tissue paper.

My daughter is a vet and has done a lot of ER work. First of all, you are to be commended for doing the right thing and paying to have her taken care of. My daughter has cats she has rescued because the owners wanted to put them down rather than pay for treatment. Most of the people who work with animals cannot bear to put an animal down just because the owner cannot afford treatment.. I suspect that because the cat was difficult and many are, even those who are not feral, they felt that cat would fare better in an atmosphere that was usual. If during the very early days and weeks after a cat is born, if they are not given the ususal care by momma and are not sharing a place with other kittens, they are very antisocial and that sounds like the cat you described.

I have 3 longhaired cats-2 are Maine Coons. they are not allowed in my sewing room b/c they get into too much stuff and there are always threads and scraps lying around. Bailey is our domestic long hair and he sits on my lap when I'm on the computer and curls up in my big bag of batting scraps and takes a nap when I'm sewing. He eats dry food and is a nibbler and the other 2 are raw feeders so they aren"t supposed to eat Bailey's food. I keep a bowl of it in my room so he can nibble whenever he wants . he doesn't seem to bother the pins and such or he would be out too.

My cat is named Bailey, too. Funny story as he really is DD cat and she asked for a female when she adopted him. Took Haley to vet for Spay and informed Haley would need a neuter, So she changed the name to Bailey. Bailey helps me quilt!
:) :)

My kitty is not allowed in the sewing room. He knows to stop right at the doorway, and he'll sit there staring at me while I work. He might try to sneak in if I wasn't in there, but the door is always shut then!

My little dogs can only come in when invited. Normally I keep a baby gate up in the doorway, but sometimes I'll bring one in with me if s/he or I get lonely while I'm sewing. The cat's another matter all together. Sometimes he's just crazy! Doesn't get invited that often although I love him dearly!

I found a block that my little yorkie took off with buried in the bed....

well, you could do like a friend of mine -
She says all the letters - Chi Hooa Hooa -
and it's contagious. I find myself saying that instead of chihuahua...
I think I like the way you spell it best.

my 2 poodles try to keep me company, but they like to interrupt to remind me that they need some attention. There are 2 pet beds here in the sewing room, and usually at least 1 of the 2 dogs is in one - sometimes both - but they are very very spoiled pups and I usually get up and play with them for a few seconds and then return to my projects. It seems to satisfy them, though

My Doberman is not allowed in my sewing room. 1---I do alot of work for other people. I don't ever want a person to have an allergy problem or find pet hair on my work. 2---My dog almost died after eating a piece of fabric. It got caught half in his stomach and caused the intestines to tangle. One opening in his stomach and two in the intestines had to be made to get the piece of cloth out!!! He is almost three now and I think he is out of the chewing stage but I don't take any chances.

I had a cat and she loved to be in my sewing room. I also have two dogs that sit in my sewing room and watch me.

My German Shepard, Dillinger, is my constant companion. If I am in my sewing room, he is in there sleeping on the floor somewhere, usually where I have to step over him. He is my guardian/protector. Since I have no neighbors for over 3 miles and am often home alone, I feel so much safer with him nearby.

My shih tzu," Sadie" always comes into my sewing room when she feels it is time to go to bed, and stares at me until I give in.

We had to put screen doors on my sewing room & husbands wood working room because with the other doors (wooden) they cryed , screamed, & pounded on the doors till they drove us out & to the living room where they slept quitely the rest of the day. Tumtub

Do you have a choice?? I can close my door upstairs, but as soon as I open it someone runs in. They have various spots they love- not all of them on fabric. But they love this room because of the sun and I have a really hard time denying them. I do try and put a sheet over my WIP if out on the cutting table. then if they lay on that, they don't hurt anything.

Oh...did I mention my pets are Siamese cats who know they rule the world!

No, No-No

Lost my train of thought Sorry

I have two cats. The one in my avatar is Flash. That was the first time, but not the last time, I found him on the quilt I was fmq. It has pins every 2 inches, and I put a garbage bag on it. This is what I found when I returned. That's his "You aren't going to make me move are you look." Sometimes the other one joins us. That gives me 25 pounds of cats to move while quilting! But I love the company, and I don't enter shows! They both insist on sitting on a quilt while I sew on the binding. It isn't easy, but it's cozy.

Our pets are of the type which live in a hutch or a cage or a run in the garden- nothing with fur runs loose in our house!

I enjoy my pets. We like being together. Of course, they are in the sewing room with me. They stay out of the way, just hang out and are companionable. I find pets to be very peaceful. Right now, I have 5 little Yorkies and 1 Morkie. In the past, I also had kitties. They simply enhance my life!

I think I can tell you. Dogs like to please you....cat's please
themselves! (But I love um.)

Our dog Santana holds the chair down and guards the T.V.He also keeps track of all the other stuff that goes on in the house.

I have three dogs who stay with me in the sunroom/sewing room that my great grandchildren call the dog room. Does that tell you anything? They go in and out the doggy door in the glass storm door, chase squirrels that are always on the fence or in a tree, sleep on their pallets under my feet and occasionally come and stand on their hind legs with their front paws on my knee to demand some ear-scratching.

When I'm doing hand work, they come to see what I'm doing, but quickly get bored and go back to the squirrels or to sleep.

One is a Yorkie, one is a Schnauzer and one is a Pomeranian we rescued from the pound just a few hours before she was due for execution. Visitors have to get used to them--they were here first.

Miss Maggie, my little Jack Russell, is my constant companion! I enjoy her company. Only problem is I always have a bundle of toys on the floor.

I have two doxies and their legs are too short to be able to 'do' the stairs that go down to my sewing room/studio. A blessing in disguise really!!

"Let them in"? - there's a choice? Well, no one let me know.My two cats (both rescue cats - one a black & white tuxedo female, and my "velcro kitty"- a completely black Bombay) fully believe that I can do nothing without their assistance. Although I have a son-in-law with cat allergies, there would be no way to keep the cats out of the sewing without getting rid of them. And, since they are my only company from dawn until dusk, when my husband comes home, that is not really a choice. I just make sure to launder the quilts on their way out of the house. : )

I am always afraid the cat will swallow a pin or a length of thread or a piece of fabric...not good and can cost you a lot in vet bills. The dog, as much as I love her, always wants to lay wherever I need to walk and both the cat and dog are constantly head-butting to be petted, so I purchased a see-through pet gate that has a kitty door. The dog lays outside the door, but can see me so that prevents whining, and if I am doing something not involving thread or pins or trying to cut out a quilt, I open the cat gate so the cat can come in. Works like a charm.