We were touched by the love, devotion, and fine craftsmanship that went into this beautiful gift sent to Patrick McDonnell’s wife Karen by knitting designer Karen Eckhoff. It holds a special tie to MUTTS, because Ms. Eckhoff’s cat Bindi was featured in the 2008 book MUTTS Shelter Stories: Love. Guaranteed.

Ms. Eckhoff designed “Bindi’s Path,” a scarf, stole, and cowl pattern set with two-way wavy paw prints reminiscent of her epileptic cat Bindi’s wobbly path through life. Diagnosed with Idiopathic Epilepsy, Bindi was rescued by the Volunteers of the Burbank Animal Shelter and put up for adoption. Given 50/50 odds of living to her first birthday, in 2014, Bindi turned ten. “Bindi’s Path” is a tribute to her tenacious attitude and sweet disposition. The pattern is available on Ravelry.com. 100% of the profits from its sale go directly to the Volunteers of the Burbank Animal Shelter, the organization that saved her life.

“Bindi arrived at the Burbank, CA animal shelter as a six week-old feral stray, having seizures, flea-infested, blind, deaf, and missing a claw,” Ms. Eckhoff said. “Instead of putting her to sleep, the volunteers took her to the vet and put her up for adoption. Bindi has residual brain damage but has regained her vision and hearing. She is wobbly and has frequent ‘gravity breaks,’ but her seizures are well-regulated with medication. She doesn’t meow or purr, but instead growls. She is quite a little character, and I love her dearly. Though she sometimes struggles, I wouldn’t change a thing about Bindi. She’s perfect as she is. I decided to combine my love of cats and my passion for knitting in order to not only celebrate Bindi’s life, but to give back to the very shelter that gave me so much when they allowed me to adopt her.”

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