qp6RnaWckqaVp6g
Did you, by any chance, think that the picture up there was of a real cat? If you still think we’re trying to trick you, take a closer look! As real as it may seem, the cat pictured above is actually a hand-crafted needle felted cat made out of sheep wool! Produced by the skillful hands of Tamako from Nekolabo, these little needle felt felines have been getting quite a bit of attention on Instagram, especially among Japanese cat lovers!

Needle felting is a hobby that has been gaining increasing popularity in Japan as it is easy to learn and possibly because girls like making cute things out of fluff. Just by patiently and strategically poking at a ball of wool with a felting needle, the wool will gradually get compacted as the fibers intertwine, taking the form of a more solid shape.

Tamako creates these incredibly realistic looking needle felted cats out of sheep wool felt and original glass eyes. Even though they may look like full-grown cats in the photos, the carefully crafted masterpieces are in fact palm-sized darlings that can instantly liven up an empty work desk. Japanese netizens have been raving over how realistic the expressions and posture of the cats look, it’s almost hard to believe that they’re not real. The amazing attention to detail is perhaps something only cat lovers can pull off! (Tamako had a cat, but unfortunately it passed away three months ago)

If you didn’t notice, we secretly snuck a picture of Tamako’s pet cat among the felt felines! Could you tell which was the real McCoy?

Check out Nekolabo on Instagram for more pictures of the intricately crafted cats!

Source: Zhaizhai News
Images: Instagram