One night about 15 months ago, Portland resident Becca Priddy was feeling crafty, so she whipped up a little bow for her hair.



On a whim, she slipped it on her pet, Scotty, “the world’s most chill cat,” and snapped a photo.

She showed the picture to her roommate, who was impressed enough to show it to the folks at Crafty Wonderland.

They immediately requested a supply of Priddy's bow ties in the store, and Business Catual was born.



Priddy, who teaches theater and biology and enjoys crocheting baby booties, never expected to launch a whole new feline fashion fad.

All the fabrics and materials she uses come second-hand - curtains, quilt scraps, skirts and even boxer shorts are all fair game.

Otis displays another of Becca Priddy's creations.

Priddy raids “free boxes,” once even finding a prom dress that provided ample materials, and neighbors offer fabric scraps.

Each tie is attached to a business card that reveals what the material was used for in a previous life.

The ties attach to any cat collar by sliding the collar through the loop on the back.

If you don’t have a cat, you can still enjoy the novelty of cats wearing bow ties through Priddy’s new line of postcards, which cost $1.50 to $2.

They feature quirky images of cats wearing the ties sent by fans of the feline accessories (and printed on recycled paper, of course).

The images are superimposed against colorful backgrounds, such as a mountain lake or floating in the cosmos.

The bow ties sell for $8-$10 on Etsy and four area retail stores: Crafty Wonderland as well as Scrap, Hip Hound, and Pets on Broadway.

Priddy donates $1 of every bow tie sale and 25 cents per postcard to animal shelters, primarily Cat Adoption Team in Sherwood.

She also plans to use the bow ties to dress up and draw attention to homeless cats from Multnomah County Animal Services, available for adoption at Pets on Broadway through the shelter's Neighborhood Pets Program.

So how do cat owners pick the right tie for their favorite feline?

“Usually they try to find one that either fits the cat’s color or personality,” Priddy says. “It’s like picking out a prom dress.”

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