A makeup artist has abandoned her promising career to create a line of sweaters for cat insurance customers.
Showcasing the entrepreneurial spirit that prime minister David Cameron hopes will lift the country out of the economic doldrums, US citizen Melanie Manson, 38, cut short her career to create fashionable, comfortable and tailored garments for hairless Sphynx cats.
She is now struggling to fulfil orders from both the US and UK.
The stylish outfits cost less than £30 and they have been selling well in 32 countries around the world.
She said that as well as keeping the felines warm in winter, the apparel also puts people at ease around these unusual, hairless animals.
"Believe it or not some people are frightened at the sight of a sphynx and dressing them makes our guests less uncomfortable with their presence," she concluded.
Interestingly, the Sphynx is a relatively modern breed, first seen in Roncesvalles, Toronto, when a hairless kitten named Prune was born.