Cats as Pets Our furry four-legged companions are miniature versions of wild cats They weren't domesticated so much as they decided they liked hanging around people While many will do a job such as killing rodents you can't count on it Cats are among the most popular pets in the world today with as many as 74 million cats living in U S homes Cats like attention they like to be petted and cuddled and they like to play They can even be trained to do tricks with a lot of perseverance Cats are very thoughtful and intelligent Cats make wonderful pets and are loving and endlessly entertaining Cats are good friends You have to earn their trust and love by treating them with kindness and taking good care of them 4 CATS MAKE US HAPPY CATS PURR WHEN HAPPY CATS LOVE TO CUDDLE
Cat PhotograPhy You might want to take pictures of your pet cat and use them for some craft projects Read the tips below and try taking pictures of cats Make sure your pet feels comfortable Instead of bringing your cat to you go to where your cat likes to be Get down on the ground to take photos on the animal’s level don’t take all the photos from above It’s best to take the photos outside or near a window Use treats and your pet’s favorite toys to get your cat's attention Take lots of pictures from different angles EYE LEVEL CLOSE-UP HIGH ANGLE ACTION Photo tiP Have someone stand beside you with a treat or a cat toy to get the cat to look at the camera 5 LOW ANGLE
Techniques These projects are great for cat lovers whether you have a cat or hope to have a cat in the future make the toys and save them in a cat hope chest They also make great gifts for someone you know who has a cat Most of the materials in this book can be easily found You may have some already Others can can be purchased at craft or dollar stores Use the following techniques to create your crafts PaPer-maChe glue Add equal amounts of white glue and water in a bowl Mix the glue and water together with a spoon If you have leftover glue put it in a container with a lid and use it later An empty yogurt container works well threading a needle Use a tapestry needle for working with yarn Use a needle with a smaller opening for working with thread Wet one end of the thread in your mouth Poke it through the needle opening Pull some of the thread through until you have an even amount and make a double knot For yarn fold a piece of yarn over then push the fold through the opening This is easier than using a single thread a note about measurements Measurements are given in U S form with metric in parentheses For fractions like ¼ inch a less-than-whole metric number is given to make it easier to measure 6 Put the thread through the loop Fold the yarn then feed it through the loop
overCast stitCh Thread a needle then tie a knot at the other end Place the needle and knotted thread in between the two pieces of cloth Push the needle through the top layer Pull the thread through so the knot is hidden in between the layers Loop the needle around the edges of the cloth Push the needle through both layers of cloth to make your first full stitch Angle the needle toward the spot where the next stitch will be Continue stitching until finished using Patterns Patterns help you cut out exact shapes when making crafts Use tape or pins to attach the pattern to the cloth before you start cutting When cutting out a shape cut around the shape first then make smaller cuts When cutting with scissors move the piece of cloth instead of the scissors Make sure you keep your fingers out of the way while cutting Ask an adult for help if needed Trace the pattern Cut the pattern out Attach the pattern to the cloth Cut the cloth along the pattern lines BE PREPARED Read through the instructions and make sure you have all the materials you need Clean up when you are finished making your crafts Put away your supplies for next time BE SAFE Ask for help when you need it Ask for permission to borrow tools Be careful when using scissors and needles 7
