If you’re a cat owner, then you surely already know that felines are no exception when it comes to shedding. In fact, most breeds shed every day, with some breeds shedding particularly heavier during spring in preparation for summer. While it’s common practice to simply dispose of feline fur, one cat parent thought of repurposing it and turning it into cat slippers.
Adorable kitty Minira from Japan has recently gone viral for sporting chic and cozy footwear. In a photo shared by Minira’s owner, the feline is captured wearing a pair of tiny slippers, which features her face on each piece. But what’s even more interesting is that the pair is actually made of the feline’s fallen fur.
Apparently, the scales on the shafts of cat hair make it a viable addition or even substitute to wool when it comes to needle felting. Since felting involves a great deal of friction, the presence of these scales makes it possible for the strands to interweave with each other. During the process, the interwoven strands then form a dense felt that you can finally mold into different shapes.
These tiny cat slippers are a great way to repurpose your feline’s fallen fur
Grooming your cat with a slicker brush is the easiest and fastest way to gather hair for your felting project. You can also scour your fur baby’s favorite spots at home to collect more fallen fur. Ideally, you’ll want to wash all accumulated fur first before using it to remove any traces of saliva from your cat’s own grooming rituals.
Be sure to place the fur inside a mesh bag before washing to prevent it from agitating prematurely. You can then wash it gently with lukewarm water and a bit of shampoo or dish soap. As much as possible, avoid rubbing, squeezing, or wringing the mesh bag during washing.
You can simply let it soak for a few minutes to remove any unwanted odor. To rinse it, just dip the bag in a bowl of clean water, and replace the water once it becomes soapy. Repeat the process until the water remains clear after dipping. Afterward, remove the fur from the bag and lay it out on a towel to dry.
Once the fur is dry, it’s ready for hand carding. Although you can generally use the same felting techniques, do note that cat hair may yield shorter fiber strands than typical wool roving. So, you can either choose to create a small project or accumulate more hair to accommodate a bigger project. Likewise, you can blend in some wool for your convenience.
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Dressing up a pet can be a bit challenging, especially cats. So, using an item that’s made from their own fur might just do the trick. Apparently, aside from cat slippers, you can also create hats out of your feline’s fur. Feel free to check out our previous post about these stylish cat hats for more inspiration!
In the meantime, here are more photos of Minira to fill your day with cuteness and good vibes!
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Source: MiniraDiary Twitter | Instagram | YouTube