Cats and Mink Fur Coats

kcat

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Ok, I have a strange one for you here.
I have a nutured male cat named Jack. He is a wounderful loving friend. He asks so little of us, that when he seems to like something we indulge him. He wont even make a sound while we feed him. Nor do his two sisters. All were wild when we found the kittens 6 years ago. Jack is a very happy boy. He has discoverd laps, soft beds, good food and his favorite a 1/2 teaspoon of cream in the morning. Sisters wont touch cream.
Anyway, a few weeks ago I was packing for a trip to NY. I was taking my grandmothers full mink coat. I cought Jack all snuggled into the fur happly sleeping. He was really upset when I took him off it. After I returned from my trip I was making up a purse with some mink trim. I went to my furs to finish a side, when I saw a fur piece that was not the right color. I touched it to see what was mixed with the minks, and Jack came bounding out. He grabbed one of the firs as he took off. Now I am playing tug-a-war with a cat and a pice of mink. Note: all my furs are vintage used old coats and wraps. They have no smell and do not look like any animal. Can anyone tell me If old fur is in any way harmfull to my Jack cat? I found his mink pice in his kitty bed. I would like to make big a pillow for his bed. He is not chewing on the fur, just sleeping on it and rubbing it on his face. His sisters cant stand the mink and wont come near it. So it is for only his bed. Thanks, K.
 

namo

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I wouldn't think that it would hurt him at all, but someone else can probably tell you better. That's a really funny story, though. ^_^
 

epona

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As long as the furs are not freshly tanned (when fresh they may be giving off formalin fumes and contain fresh chemicals from any pigment dyes used), there is no problem with your cat coming into contact with them at all.

I used to work in a tannery, freshly tanned and treated leathers and furs give off potentially harmful fumes for a few weeks, but older ones shouldn't cause a problem.
 

gemlady

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Jack does have it good! A bit of cream every day and furs to cuddle in!
It's probably the same for him as for us humans - fur is soft and warm. It may also remind him of his mom.
 

gizmocat

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The old coat should be just fine! Mink is a mustelid, similar to the cat's natural prey.
Gizmo's favorite toys are made of scraps from an old mink stole.
Just be sure that Jack doesn't tear the fur out of the coat when he's sleeping in it!
 

abigail

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my cat also loves my mink coat. so last winter i purchased a vintage fur pillbox hat on ebay for $5. and took it apart to make a bunch of mink mice for her. these are still among toys she loves. she espepcially loves the dangly tails i made for each.
 

gizmocat

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There are at least two furriers online who will sell mink tails for six dollars each. One also sells kitty toys made from mink.

Gizmo LOVES her mink tails; they make a very realistic wiggling move when I sew them to leather shoelaces.
 
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kcat

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Here is Jacks new fur. He is the sweetest cat I have ever known or heard of. So I do try and spoil him when I can.







This is nice and flat. I can lay it on Jacks favorite end corner of my bed. Or put it in his cat bed at night. He is going to be one happy cat.
 
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kcat

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Hi all, I will try to get some pictures up of my kittys. I am so happy that the old mink fur is going to be OK for Jack. Like I said before he is so sweet and gentle. He wont kill anything! I wounder if he even realizes the fur he loves so much was a live animal.
I and my husband have seen many times, Jack getting in between a bird or a small rodent and his sisters who are/were both hunters (one passed recently). He then sits there untill the creature leaves. He grabed a parakeet from a sister once and brought it to me. He was upset that the bird had clamped on his skin of his mouth and would not let go. Eventhough the cat had already let the bird go awhile ago. Not a mark on the bird. As soon as I pryed its beak from my cats lip it flew off. He stays away from birds now.
His new thing is baby mice. I know what you are thinking. Yukkk. Not even close. Let me tell you about a time my son Steve was visiting me. Steve calls me out side in the back yard. He tells me something is hanging from Jacks mouth. I knew what was up, but this was the first time my son had seen it. Jack was sitting calmly waiting. He walked up to me and very slowly (really, like in slow motion) he spits out a perfect baby mouse at my feet. Not a mark, not a scratch. Just sloppy wet and scared witless. After it realizes it is not dead it runs straight up my pant leg. I can feel it shivering on my sock. Meanwhile my sone Steve is having a meltdown. MOM! there is a mouse up your leg. Yes, I know. Please grab Jack and get him away so the mouse can run away. But MOM! The mouse is on you!!! Yes, I know, calmly trying to get my son to calm down, never mind the mouse. Finallay, I am able to reach up to the top of my sock where the mouse has calmed some. He sits so still and calm in my hand. I think my son is going to faint. He is as white as a sheet. I get him to sit right away and I take the mouse through the back gate to an open area, letting it go. My son asks how often that happens. I tell him in the spring, daily. I do not see my son much in the spring. How can I not spoil a kitty that is that sweet? He never hurts the mice, just walks around with them. Then lets them go when his sister is not around. I have never heard of any cat like this.
Sorry, I can not seem to get the spell checker to work. It says it downloaded but nothing shows up.
 

gizmocat

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I just saw this post and had to comment on how sweet and gentle Jack is. He may not be much of a mouser, but he's pure love, isn't he?

And I got Gizmo an old fur stole from a thrift shop that she loves (as her holiday present)

Happy Holidays to you, Jack, and the mice!
 
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