Dogs in hats, costumes and other cute accessories are pretty common — but such apparel made with cats in mind is rarer. For 17-year-old Maddy Stevens of MissMaddyMakes, her line of adorable cat accessories (think: spaghetti-and-meatballs hats, bread-slice cutouts and — Maddy’s favorite — a rainbow party hat with a sparkly pom-pom on top) started when she read Cats in Hats: 30 Knit and Crochet Hat Patterns for Your Kitty by Sara Thomas. From there, it grew into a cat costume and accessories brand.
MissMaddyMakes Gives Back
MissMaddyMakes is more than cute cat accoutrements. “Every month I donate a portion of my profits to charities and organizations such as World Wildlife Fund, St. Jude, Plastic Pollution Coalition, etc.,” Maddy says. “A few times a year, I use the profits from my shop to create craft kits for children in hospitals.”
What’s more, MissMaddyMakes is focused on becoming zero-waste by 2019. “The felt that I use is made from 100-percent recycled bottles,” Maddy explains. “The thread and yarn are either thrifted or made from 100 percent cotton. The three-dimensional items are stuffed with felt scraps. The paper that the hats are packaged with is 100-percent recycled and unbleached. The ink used for printing is remanufactured, meaning the ink cartridges are cleaned out and reused. When you order a package from MissMaddyMakes, your items will come in a compostable, recycled, unbleached, plastic-free envelope.”
Tips on Getting Cats to Wear Costumes
The hats might make cat lovers everywhere smile — but remember that not every cat loves to dress up! Maddy addresses this issue with a video on the MissMaddyMakes YouTube channel. If at any time your cat feels uncomfortable and stressed about any sort of hat or costume, don’t force him to wear it!
Learn more about Maddy and her creations at missmaddymakes.com and etsy.com/shop/MissMaddyMakes.
Editor’s note: This article appeared in Catster magazine. Have you seen the new Catster print magazine in stores? Or in the waiting room of your vet’s office? Subscribe now to get Catster magazine delivered straight to you!
