The craziest cat lady that ever did cat

Above is a clip from Animal Planet's Cats 101 that I caught this weekend. The segment was on Persians, but in this case the humans stole the show. The woman above shaves Persians and then spins their hair into yarn (!) with which she then makes handbags (!!!). This is awesome enough as a concept and as a way to ensure the passage into eccentric old-ladyhood, but the shit that's said in this scene is priceless. It's on par with King of Kong as far as the Christopher Guest-esque seriousness in the face of absurd circumstance goes. It's like a reflexive mockumentary. If I didn't see it with my own eyes and burn it with my own hands, I'd swear this was a joke. Just a few of my favorite lines from a jam-packed two-and-a-half minutes:

"When a Persian comes in the door, that's when my heart skips a beat."

"It seems like there's something you should be able to make out of [cat hair]!"

"She had no words to express how she felt about it. She was in tears over it." (on a Persian owner being presented with a bag made from her cat's hair -- I can't help if those tears were from laughter?)

"This bag means the world to me because once the time comes to have Charlie put to sleep, I will always have a little piece of him left behind."

I love that the last woman is just certain that she's going to get her cat put to sleep. She's almost excited about it. I think she's probably gunning for a hat to match her bag.

Comments

[Julie]

i'm pretty sure that i wouldn't want a bag made out of cat yarn from a cat named 'smelly cat

[Maleficent]

OMFG ROTFLMAO! This amuses me. Yet....This frightens me. I mean, I love my cat, but I'll be damned if I want accessories made out of her fur!

What was Winston's reaction to this mess, eh?

[kat]

A former co-worker of mine told me that her mom did this with their husky (dog.) They saved all the shed fur and sent it off to some company to be washed and spun into yarn. They got it back and the mom knit it into the warmest blanket they've ever come across!

(Kinda weird, but no weirder than our anscestors who gathered fur shed by animals and wove it into yarn for their own use...)

[seeldee]

Holy crap. You are so right; that woman who was talking about that magical day when she'll have to put her cat to sleep sounded giddy. Run kitty, run!

Still, I agree. When I brush my cats I always think, "there must be something to that can be done with all this fur."

I wonder if that woman ever knit mittens. Or a thong. Whichever.

[Vanessa]

I dunno. Maybe Charlie's owner is just being realistic. Most domestic pets do end up dying by euthanasia. Just a thought.

In other news, a coworker recently had to have his beagle put to sleep (see?) His wife wanted the dog cremated so he reluctantly shelled out 100 plus dollars for this and was later sent via US mail: the remains, a card with a pawprint (awww) and....some of the dog's hair which we all agreed was slightly icky. Although a friend has a coworker who wears her dog's ashes in a necklace. I love my doggie but just--just no.

[Cheryl]

I can has Winston purse for Christmas? =)

[hope]

i'm sorry... did she say "smelly cat"?!

i plan on doing life gems with our dogs ashes, but i'm greedy like that.

[Victoria]

hmm a little creepy.

...on another note, everyone should check this out because the animals on this "top five most fascinating animal videos" list are to-die-for hilarious. enjoy!

http://blogs.msg.com/themonitor/2008/12/09/top-five-most-fascinating-animal-videos-31-lists-of-december/

[Joe M]

I love my cats to death but their hair gets fucking everywhere. The last thing on earth I'd ever want is something made from that shit.

[kt]

That's it, I'm having my golden retriever shaved, and getting her to make me a sweater.

[Chelsea]

I am SO glad I wasn't the only one watching this Saturday night and thinking WTF?!?!

I'm also glad I'm not the only one that watches Animal Planet on Saturday night, but I would've rather been getting drunk.

[Lizzy]

Ok, yes, I will admit it. I kind of like this idea. How is Persian fur any different than angora? We weave animals' fur into yarn all the time. That being said, the execution is lacking. When I think fuzzy, soft material, I certainly don't think handbag. Scarves or mittens would work out much better.

[Ashley]

I really enjoyed how the "Yeah it doesn't creep me out at all" guy (who was obvs being sarcastic) was in the awe people group.

[genghis]

it is pretty ingenious, i must admit.

[Karyn Smith]

omg this shit is....omg.....
u better not make winston into a bag...ok?

[DLCS]

For some reason I'm reminded of Eddie Izzard's Taxidermy bit...

Picasso, he should have been a taxidermist!

“I’ve done your dog. It’s got nine eyes down the side, I made his head all square, 15 legs. What do you think of that?”

“Fido looks a bit weird.”

[sweetmintyjesus]

this makes my crazy seem smaller. and less hairy.

[Erin]

I know this lady! I interviewed her once for a newspaper article. She is seriously super normal and awesome, and she completely gets how weird the cat fur purse thing is. Her grooming salon/kitty hotel/house of fur is called The Catty Shack (how great is that?) and it's in Simpsonville, SC. I boarded my cat with her once and I'd do it again, she's great.

[Dodre]

I can't help but to think those handbags are cruel to those who are allergic to cats. Can you imagine if you have severe allergies to cat hair and you're sitting next to Smelly Cat's owner with her clutch or whatever...Just the though of it makes me sneeze!

[maria]

I can't help but think those bags are cruel to those who prefer good taste. Those things are fug.

[Meredith]

I wouldn't worry about allergies, since people are only allergic to dander which shouldn't be in the yarn.

I think this is awesome, or would be if the end product was not so tacky. I have a friend who's going to make yarn out of her rabbit's fur. it's a great way to create something useful without purchasing any materials.

[Danielle]

I had a big guffaw at the cat being blow dried, he looked so totally bewildered.

[catina]

the world just got that much scarier

[Amanda]

HAHA As soon as I heard that lady said "put to sleep" I died, that was so funny!

[Amanda]

HAHA As soon as I heard that lady say "put to sleep" I died, that was so funny!