Comfort for Critters

         Fall 2024

   ~ Critter News ~

Welcome to Autumn!

A big THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS goes to the entire CFC team for reaching the huge milestone of donating 200,000 blankets! Little did I know, when I adopted my kitty Anna, in 2007, and went home to dig out my dusty crochet hooks, that we would make such an impact on the lives of homeless pets. I sincerely hope Comfort for Critters has impacted, in a positive way, the lives of every volunteer as well. 

I'm also thrilled to see that every month this year we've donated at least 2,000 blankets, so we're well on our way to donating 24,000 blankets this year alone. Astounding! Many of those blankets will filter into, and out of, my home each month. For this reason, I'm asking once again to limit blanket drop offs (for shipping) to 20-25 blankets at a time. This will keep me from getting overloaded on any given week. 

I also wanted to remind everyone that the shelter list has additions most weeks, and deletions every month. So please always double check that a shelter is still "active" (ie. on our website list) before you donate to them. Also, keep in mind that it's okay to drop off blankets at a shelter, even if their hours indicate that they're closed. Shelters always have staff/volunteers going into the shelter on a daily basis to care for the pets. So your blankets will be taken in if you leave them near the front door. Worst case, the blankets may get a bit wet if it rains, but the shelter can easily toss them into the dryer!

On a final note, be sure to check out our "Free Patterns" page to access the four new crochet patterns for blankets that I just uploaded. Please also check out the knitting, fleece and toy patterns as well. I hope you find one, or more, that you enjoy using!

Thank you ALL,

Linda

Together we donated 2,052 blankets in July, 2,142 blankets in August and another 2,167 in September! A full 6,361 homeless pets were helped in the quarter! These pets were at 148 shelters in 42 different states! Here are the lucky shelters who received your beautiful creations during this past quarter:

When my family adopted our latest dog, we really learned how much joy a belly rub can provide. Our new addition, Ginger (pictured), could seemingly live her whole life with her belly exposed and her family taking turns rubbing, rubbing, rubbing her belly. Truly.

So it made me wonder why belly rubs are so loved by some dogs (and a few cats) and just what they get out of the experience. In short, belly rubs create a physiological and chemical reaction in your pet that decreases their stress level and just makes them feel awesome! Researchers liken it to a great massage a person may enjoy. It also mimics how dogs interact within a pack. When dogs play together they are very physical (in a good way) and packs bond via rough-housing and lots of physical paws-on touch.

There’s also research showing that after only three minutes of physical interaction a dog’s oxytocin (happy hormone) rises and their cortisol (stress hormone) decreases. Dogs actually have specific neurons in their brain that fire up when their hair follicles are stimulated. There’s also a relaxation seen in their heart rate and blood pressure! With that said, keep in mind that these same increases and decreases are also experienced by the human doing the belly rub. This reciprocal benefit is correctly named the “pet-effect” and to me it’s a win-win!

As you’re rubbing your dog’s belly, you may wonder why their leg starts kicking. This happens when you hit their “sweet spot,” which is a patch of nerve endings that connect directly to the brain, triggering your pet to kick. It’s a reflex designed to protect them from crawling bugs and parasites!

It’s okay to keep rubbing away, since there’s really no wrong way to give a belly rub! The rub can include patting, scratching or even tickling a bit. A great way to start is to begin at their head and watch your dog's reaction. If they are anything like my Ginger, your dog will immediately roll over (and even off the sofa sometimes!) and offer up their belly. Some dogs just love to have the sides of their bellies get in on the action as well.

If you’re wondering when to stop a belly rub, my dog would say “never”. However, experts suggest that we give our dogs a break every few minutes to make sure they’re still enjoying it. Watch for signs like moving away, rolling back over, having their ears pointed back and flat, tail tucked between the legs and a tense body position with an averted gaze.

At this point you may be thinking, what about the kitties? It’s important to remember that cats are big predators, but have small bodies. Usually (but not always) when they roll over onto their back they are in a defensive position, ready to use their back claws to protect themselves.

Many cats just don’t enjoy exposing their soft underbelly to the world. Your cat may not enjoy belly rubs, even if they do trust you completely. Cats have very sensitive hair follicles on their belly which are easy to overstimulate, resulting in discomfort for the kitty. You’ll know when they’ve had too much of a rub, because they’ll start the bicycle-kick or even bite! Other kitties just love being cuddled and even love belly rubs. My kitty Anna, who inspired me start CFC in 2007, loves nothing more than to be carried like a baby with her belly in the air getting a massage!

So as always, you know your pet, and know what they like. The key is always starting with a strong, positive relationship and then cuddling them as often as you can, in whatever way works for everyone. Enjoy!

I really enjoy hearing what motivates CFC volunteers to keep making blankets. These days everyone is so busy that it's truly impressive when someone takes the time to help a shelter pet. Our blankets really do make a difference to the shelters, the shelter workers, the pets and the families. Thank you everyone for helping!

• "Just looking into the face and eyes of the fur babies gives me all the reason I need to make blankets. And I love the smile on the worker's faces at the shelters when I arrive with blankets as well." ~ Linda R. in OH

• "I am currently dealing with a very ill husband, which flares up my anxiety and depression. It comforts me to have something to do to comfort the sweet souls at our local shelter. I would take every one of them home with me if I could. This is a way to show them love." ~ Deborah C. in DE​

• "I'm motivated to comfort homeless pets because of Nova, my fur baby that crossed the rainbow bridge on July 5th 2023. She was a rescue and a senior, my constant companion for 7 years, and a sweet soul. I will be making more blankets!"   ~ Conny F. in CA

• "I have always loved animals. It breaks my heart that so many are homeless and that the shelters are overflowing. I try to help out by sending food and other necessities. I love to crochet, so this incorporates two of my interests in one." ~ Riley in PA

• "I have always adopted from shelters and Bogie was my 'soul mate' if that is possible. I miss him and donate in his name. I wish I had more time to make larger quantities and perhaps some day that will happen!" ~ Diane M. in GA

• 

  "I adopted my Ernie cat from a shelter four years ago. He loves to lay on my projects as I am crocheting and I had the idea to make him his own blanket so I can keep working. I saw how much he loved it, so I wanted to provide a comfort blanket for other pets in need." ~ Ellie D. in MA

• "I take in strays and drop offs in my home. So I understand the need for blankets, toys and other needs. Currently we have 2 rescue dogs, 5 rescue cats, 2 rescue turtles, and 3 rescued bearded dragons. I have crocheted each their own blanket or hammock (in the dragon's case). I crochet a lot and plan to donate more!" ~ Shannon L. in SC

If you’ve never heard of Whisker Fatigue, you’re not alone. I’ve lived with cats for most of my adult life, and the term surprised even me. Whisker Fatigue (also called Whisker Stress) is a condition that can exist when a cat’s whiskers get overly stimulated.

As you likely know, a cat’s whiskers are super-sensitive and key to their ability to navigate, balance and investigate the world around them. The long hairs can actually detect air currents and help them judge if they can fit through tight spaces. They grow near their ears, eyes and upper lip. They are filled with nerves that send information directly into the cat’s nervous system and brain. Some people compare the value of whickers to that of a person’s fingertips!

When a cat develops whisker fatigue, the whiskers become physically super-sensitive, so touching them to most anything can trigger discomfort and stress. When this happens, our furry friends can feel stressed out, any time their whiskers are touched. Any chronic stress can increase the pet’s risk of disease, so it’s something we don’t want to ignore.

Signs of this condition are most commonly seen when your pet is eating, so that’s the time to really pay attention. These signs include leaving food at the bottom of their bowl, pawing at food and water dishes, dropping food from their bowl onto the floor before eating it off the floor, acting hungry even when their bowls are full and meowing near their food and water bowls.

Please keep in mind that whisker fatigue is not an illness, so there’s no specific way to diagnose it. If you do suspect your cat may be experiencing this stress, be sure to check with your veterinarian! Fortunately there’s a very simple way to cut down on this stress, or even avoid it altogether. It’s recommended that cats are fed out of “whisker-friendly” food and water dishes, which are simply dishes that are quite wide and extremely shallow. Some experts suggest that stainless steel bowls, designed specifically for cats are best as well. You may also try serving the food portion on a plate, so that the kitty’s whiskers won’t touch the sides of the dish at all.

While this condition is seen as unusual, and not everyone agrees on its seriousness, it has such a simple solution that it’s surely worth learning about what it is and how it can be avoided. So spend some time with your cat at their dinner tonight and make sure they’re happily eating and drinking!

Please enjoy this sampling of thank you notes I receive from the shelters we support. You enable me to fill all those boxes, so these are for you. I hope they make your day a bit brighter!

• "A HUGE thank you for the recent donation of crocheted blankets and handmade toys. Our adopters love when they are sent home with this kind and generous handmade blanket and the kitties love it even more! I was recently informed of a 3 year old female kitty (adopted when she was a kitten) that STILL walks around the house carrying her blanket with her. What you and your volunteers do makes a HUGE difference! Thank you!" ~ Pet Tails Rescue in Northwood, NH

• "Thank you so much for the beautiful pet blankets. We give one away whenever we have a cat or small dog adopted. They are a beautiful labor of love, and our adopters always love them! Thank you for your generosity!" ~ Monroe County Animal Shelter in Madisonville, TN

• "We wanted to reach out and say a very warm thank you for donating the blankets to us, which we give to our new adopters. They were all wonderful, and will be used for years to come! Thank you so very much for all the work that you guys do. We appreciate it dearly!" ~ Off the Rocks Rescue in Wellesley, MA

• "Thank you so much for your generous gift for the animals. Your belief in MARL, and your support for our work on behalf of the animals means so very much to us. We provide them with shelter, food, and a caring touch until a loving, permanent home can be secured. We appreciate your support in that so much." ~ Mississippi Animal Rescue League in Jackson, MS

• "We would like to extend our gratitude for your gift of 20 handmade blankets. Your support is appreciated and furthers our lifesaving mission! Supply donations like these go directly to our pets and help them in many ways! Thank you, again, for being a part of the solution to help animals in need!" ~ Lynchburg Humane Society in Lynchburg, VA

• "A box of colorful pet blankets was delivered a few days ago! The colors, textures, and shapes added so much life in our cat room. In fact, the vibrant colors help draw visitor's eyes to the animal residing in the crates! I just wanted you and all the CFC volunteers to know how pleased we are with the comfort mats!" ~ Sylacauga Animal Shelter in Sylacauga, AL

• ​"I want to thank you for your recent generous donation of handmade blankets to be used for our animals. It is through the support of kind people like you that we are able to take care of the animals who come to us. Once again, thank you for helping animals in need." ~ Adams County Humane Society in Friendship, WI​

What do prison inmates, middle schoolers, retirement home residents and church groups all have in common?  They’ve all made CFC blankets to help homeless pets. One of the many wonderful things about making Comfort for Critters blankets is that it’s something that can be shared with the people in your life. Wherever that life may take you!

You may know individuals that can’t make blankets as an ongoing activity, but would love to join in a group project. Are you in a group that could use a fun and easy volunteer project?  If so, making “tied-fleece” blankets is the perfect way for your group to help. Young children can create these on their own, and the non-crafters among us will enjoy it as well. If you're nearby, I have lots of fleece at our home base in Glen Ellyn, IL and I'm happy to share!

Your four quick steps -

Step 1 – Buy the fleece material (or pickup from me) and cut it to be about 24-inches square. You’ll need two pieces to make one blanket. Remember, the size doesn’t need to be exact!

Step 2 – Make 4-inch cuts along the perimeter of the fleece, perpendicular to the edge. At each corner you’ll end up cutting out a 4-inch square. You can cut the two pieces of fleece at one time, or separately, but make sure they have the exact same number of cuts along the sides.

Step 3 – Lay the two pieces together and simply tie one strip (made by the 4-inch cuts) from each piece of material together. This effectively “sews” the two pieces together and makes a thick, soft blanket. Click here for our webpage that has two great ways to make blankets.

Step 4 – Relax. The animals will love the softness and feel the love in every tie. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect!

Field trip anyone?

If your group is looking for an outing, you may find it at the end of all your hard work! Plan a trip to your local shelter to deliver the blankets and visit the animals. There's a complete list of the shelters we support, right on this website. The American Humane Society estimates there are six to eight million orphaned pets, waiting in shelters across the US. Numerous types of groups are reaching out to these animals with handmade blankets, which tie together practical benefits with that intangible security all creatures crave. Though it seems like a simple thing, to offer a blanket to a homeless pet, it does provides a lifetime of comfort. It’s also a reminder to them, and to us, that until they find their “forever family,” there are people who care enough to bring comfort to their world.

We are now donating 2,000+ blankets  regularly every month, which is awesome! It's also A LOT of blankets to filter in and out of my house every month. 

With this in mind, we're asking all out-of-state volunteers to please donate your blankets directly to a shelter right in your own state!

I can help you find a shelter near you, and will do all the work getting them signed up. If you choose a shelter from our website list, I can promise you that in-state shipping will be less costly than sending them to me. I do ask though that you let me know....so that I can update my records!

Benefits of donating your blankets locally:

• Cheaper than shipping them to Illinois (if you're out of state)!
• You can email them for a tax receipt and possibly write off the donation (please check with your tax professional).​​
• You'll also get to hear just how much the shelter staff appreciates the blankets. Thank you!!!

200,545 blankets donated so far!

The Forever Blankie

This pattern creates a crocheted blanket with wonderful little “puffs,” without doing a Puff stitch. I was really surprised just how thick it turned out, since I used just one strand of yarn. The picture of the blanket (above) I created is also a good example of using partial skeins, as I often do since I use up remnants. I ran out of yarn, but just switched to a complementary color. Then I tried to be creative, by switching up the color around the border and it was a lot of fun.

Remember, pet blankets are the perfect project to experiment on and challenge yourself to try new things. Most of all…its a great time to simply enjoy crafting!

Click here for the pattern!

Support our mission with the purchase of our pattern books: Crochet for Critters & Crochet for Your Comfort. Each book has 30 crochet patterns that are perfect for pet blankets. They also tell the story of CFC and why crafting helps the crafter along with the pet! Every purchase keeps us going and keeps us shipping our free blankets!

E-books here!

Paperback "Crochet for Critters" on Amazon!

Paperback "Crochet for Your Comfort" on Amazon!

Female cats are typically right-pawed, while male cats are usually left-pawed!

Both female and male cats can jump six times their length, even though they sleep about 70% of their lives!

Cats = Amazing!

Catnip is one of those things, that for some cats, can make an old toy new, and a rainy day a bit more exciting. Have you ever wondered though if all that extra playtime comes at a cost? Is it healthy for them, or addicting? Why do only some cats seem effected?

Catnip is one of hundreds of species in the mint family. It’s a European plant that’s topped with white and purple spotted flowers, and one that will spread like crazy in your garden. It contains a chemical compound called Nepetalactone, which is distributed throughout its leaves and stems. Cats will rub and chew it to break the stems and leaves, releasing this chemical!

Catnip attracts cats and is a stimulant (and very mild hallucinogen) when sniffed. Whether a cat will react to catnip is genetically determined, so only about 50% of cats are affected by it at all. Young kittens (under 3 months) don’t seem to ever react, though they may grow into cats that do love it once they’re six months old or so. Older cats often don’t react, even if they did while they were younger.

The behavior this compound produces varies widely from cat to cat. Generally cats get hyperactive as they roll around, flip and speed through the room. Rubbing, licking, eating, growling and sniffing are also common behaviors when the catnip is sniffed.  When it’s eaten, catnip can have the opposite effect. It “mellows out” the cat and acts as a mild sedative.

The effects of catnip last only about 10 minutes, so they typically won’t overdo it! It usually takes at least two hours away from catnip, for the cat to react to it once again. In addition, if they’re exposed to catnip a lot, they may stop reacting to it altogether.

If a cat does seem to like it, it’s not at all harmful for them. It’s completely nontoxic, but if they eat too much of it they (rarely) may vomit or have diarrhea. Also, be aware that fresh catnip (from your garden) is much more potent than the dried, store-bought stuff! Whichever you use, it will lose its potency over time, so store it in an airtight container (in the freezer if possible) and it will liven up your cat’s days for months to come!

Please join me in welcoming these awesome shelters to our program. If they are in your area, please support them with your blankets, and let me know when you do. Thank you!

Alleykattz Rescue -Woodmere, NY

Anthem Pets - Anthem, AZ

AZ CLAWS Animal Rescue - Phoenix, AZ

Bad*ss Bulldog Rescue -Dayton, OH

Buddy O Animal Rescue - Bedford, PA

Grace Animal Rehab Center - Sapulpa, OK

Humane Society of Sedona - Sedona, AZ

One Love Pit Bull Foundation - Gilbert, AZ

Souris Valley Animal Shelter - Minot, ND

 ~ Orange County Animal Services in Orlando, FL ~

If you'd like to keep up-to-date on our mission, follow us on Facebook and join our Facebook Group, "The Comfort for Critters Team".  We share what we're working on, pet & craft humor, and tip & tricks for making beautiful blankets. It's a private group that stays 100% positive, 100% of the time! Please join us!

• Updates on our mission
• Pet information
• Craft ideas & patterns
• Animal shelter updates
• Easy ways to help pets
• Lots of "thank you's"!

Have questions? Check out our new FAQ page!

Once you make blankets:

• Local volunteers are welcome to drop off their blankets to a shelter near them or to CFC's headquarters in Glen Ellyn, IL. Please leave your name and email on whatever you drop off to me, so that I can send a thank you note.
• If you're outside of our area, please check our "Animal Shelters We Support" page to find a shelter in your state. Then ship your blankets directly to the shelter or drop them off. Please let me know how many you donate, via email or by using our website form.
• Patience is a plus! CFC is a small organization, with just one staff member! I do reply to every email, but it may take me a few days. Thank you!

​

       3s139 Sequoia Drive         Glen Ellyn, IL 60137

Linda Kastiel Kozlowski Founder & Owner

Info@ComfortForCritters.org

~ Our Mission ~

To comfort all the animal shelter pets we can't adopt (but wish we could), and to be a blessing in the lives of every volunteer, supporter & shelter worker.