April 11th is National Pet Day!
Every month feels like a reason to celebrate our furry loved ones, and April is no exception. The 11th is National Pet Day, and we thought it would be an excellent opportunity to show off the inspiration behind Sugarboy’s Fiber Creations: the cats! We asked the owner and creator of Sugarboy's about her furry family members and what makes them so unique.
The co-workers:
Tell us about the pets in your household.
Beemer, who is originally from Ohio, is 11-year-old ebony ticked long-haired oriental. He is the gigolo once he gets to know you and totally in your face without any inhibition. Beemer is a wiggle-worm when sitting on your lap and is not picky about whose lap it is. As the boss in the pecking order, he has to remind Keiki of his place in it. Beemer also likes to play fetch and will do it for hours if you’re up to it!
Mowgli is my ebony-ticked short-haired oriental from Pennsylvania. He is the shy and reserved cat of the house; very vocal and chatty, especially about FOOD. Mowgli will counter surf and eat anything out of the sink strainer and the stove burner trays. Even at 11 years old, he’s our mouser in the house, which is pretty amusing since he’s toothless. When Mowgli was 5, we had to have all his teeth removed due to gum disease.
Keiki, aka Mr. Pippy, is our 4-year-old lilac point Balinese from New York. We call him Mr. Pippy because he’s got two personalities: the sweet one and the one with attitude. The one with attitude has cornered a friend of mine in the bathroom while pet sitting! When he is sweet, he likes to drape himself over your lap. Unlike Mowgli, he wants to eat the oven mitts rather than the food sitting next to it on the kitchen counter. Keiki also fetches but in true cat nature: not consistently!
The original muse.
What pet was the inspiration for Sugarboy’s Fiber Creations?
Nuffe was my cat, lovingly called Sugarboy! He was my first lilac point Balinese that I got, and he was an extraordinary cat. He passed away at the age of 10 from kidney disease. He holds a special place in my heart, having moved with me more than once and been my steadfast companion while in college and graduate school. Although he was not the brightest cat, he loved everyone and would greet them at the door.
She has a particular taste!
Do you have a particular breed of cat that you love? Why?
The oriental cats are my favorites. Part of it is the aesthetic (the big ears, the long bodies, and legs) and long and short-haired both, but I am partial to my pointed kitties, especially the lilacs. The more important reason is their personality. They are some of the most dog-like cats you’ll encounter - greeting people at the door, walking on a leash, and they tend to be chatty and vocal, which I enjoy (it’s not for everyone, though!).
These cats are spoiled!
What are some ways you spoil your pets?
Keiki gets to eat breakfast on the kitchen bench and dinner on the arm of the couch because he dawdles; it takes an hour to eat each meal! Because Keiki dawdles and Beemer and Mowgli are begging, I sometimes toss a piece of kibble or two into the next room and watch them run after it on a scavenger hunt - it’s become a pandemic past-time!
