Christmas is less than two weeks away now, and hopefully you’re well on your way to crossing off all the names on your gift list. Got cats or cat-lovers to shop for?
Naturally, it might be challenging to find the perfect gift for a cat person who's so immersed in the cat culture he/she knows the story behind every famous Internet cat, and is always up to the minute on the latest happenings in the cat world.
Not only that, it’s equally as challenging to find a well-thought and unique gift for the cat who has everything, or the cat who has everything and is also picky as hell. You know, the cat who would rather sleep in a cardboard box than the $80 plush kitty bed you just presented her with.
Don’t fret – Cat Friday is here to save you all the stress that comes with picking out the purr-fect (tee hee) gift for your cat-crazy sister/mom/cousin/girlfriend/friend/whoever and the deserving cats in your life!
If none of these options cause any great epiphany and send you rushing to grab your wallet, don’t forget to check out the recommendations in last week’s Inlander’s gift guide: Gifts for Cats and their People.
Not all cat lovers want to proclaim their love for the feline form in an obvious manner, which is why tastefully chosen kitty-themed jewelry makes a perfect gift. It’s not too over the top, but it’s still a nice touch to any outfit.
This writer has personally been pining for this particular sterling silver kitty cat necklace ($36), from Oakland, Calif. designer Mark Poulin. The design is simple and contemporary, and would be a nice touch to any outfit — with or without any other cat-attire. Not a cat person? Poulin’s Etsy shop has cute little sterling silver charms, bracelets, earrings and rings with all kinds of adorable animals (dogs, sloths, turtles and lots more).
I’m going to let you guys in on a little secret. This next item ($30) is from one of the very BEST Etsy shops I’ve come across for finding really trendy and original cat shirts. With the three little festively dressed kitties sauntering across the front, it’s the perfect kinda serious and kinda also ironic top for the “ugly” sweater party your friends are hosting next weekend (order now to make sure it gets here in time!) and you can wear it for many holiday seasons to come! While you’re at this shop, check out the many other fabulous kitty-adorned tops available. As a side note — in the spirit of making this gift guide as helpful as possible — American Apparel’s tanks and raglan sweatshirts tend to run one size smaller than normal.
In conjunction with some exciting news to share, the next item features the world’s most beloved bow-legged, toothless dwarf cat, LIL BUB. Yes, BUB won the AmazeCats’ Whisker Wars competition and has been crowned the Internet’s most favorite cat ever! And in true BUB fashion, she’s not letting her fame go to her head, but is taking advantage of being so adored by helping out other animals in need.
My infatuation with all things BUB seems to exponentially grow every day, and those who know me personally would be fully astounded should I not recommend a gift that — in the words of the well-spoken BUB — did not have her amazing face and body on it. So without further ado, there is no way you could go wrong with BUB’s adorable 2013 calendar as a gift for the cat lover on your list! Featuring all the best photos of the happy little cat, it’s a gift that keeps on giving for a whole year ($12). Order one now because this calendar has been so incredibly popular BUB and her dude have had to run several printings of it!
Maybe your cat loving friends are also collectors of great cat-themed art. Maybe they’re not, but they have always wanted to be. If so, this next item is probably just what you’ve been looking for. With its psychedelic pink and green background, to the cute, open-mouthed kitty that — in the minds of people who know cats is saying something like “mrrrrooooowwwwww!” — it’s the perfect little art print ($10) to slap into a simple, black frame and proudly present to the cat lover in your life on Christmas Day. Make sure you check out this artist’s entire Etsy shop for other cute kitty designs, and her adorable, colorful interpretations of lots of other creatures big and small.
Now onto the gifts for the furry little friends who’ve inspired all of this!
If you’ve got a kitty that loves the green herb — catnip, that is — you know there is no end to the hours of fun he/she has rolling around on the floor in a nip-induced bliss state after playing with a nip filled toy. One problem that’s common during nip binges, though, is the fact that many kitties gets so worked up they start frantically shredding or biting apart the toy in which that elating herb is stuffed. Toys from The Cat Farm on Etsy ($7+) seem to be built to withstand that destruction instinct, and with toys made to look like cockroaches and grasshoppers, your kitty can pretend it’s also protecting you by killing a nasty bug.
Maybe your kitty spends more of its time napping than playing, and that’s okay. Treat him/her to the ultimate sleepy hideout that’s guaranteed to shelter them from ensuing winter storms with a pet bed playhouse/scratcher, made by PowWowMeow, out of heavy-duty braided rugs (you know like the kind your gramma used to make). Many of the beds ($95+) come with little dangly feather and pom-pom toys, making the fur-covered teepee the ultimate cat fort. It’s so cool you’ll wish there were human sized ones that both you and kitty could snuggle up in together.
With the snow starting to blanket the Inland Northwest, it’s downright cold out there. Maybe your kitty needs a little more than just its fur to keep warm. Take note here, though — if your kitty does not like to play dress up, this might not be a great gift idea but could seem as more of a punishment to your cat. These little cat hats ($13) from BitchKnits are both silly and cute, and if your kitty likes wearing things on its head without doing the weird back-up head twisting walk, you’ll get a lot of enjoyment seeing him/her don a colorful faux Mohawk hat or a festive winter pom pom hat. Your Facebook/Instagram followers will also be delighted!
Happy Shopping, everyone!
