myKotty Admit it, fabCat – planning Christmas presents for a cat is pure joy. Who doesn’t like spoiling their furs?! But as Carers, we know that sometimes it’s difficult to pick the one, best gift to give. Will my cat like scratcher A, or maybe scratcher B? Would they buy a catnip toy, a new wand toy, or maybe choose a piece of paper rolled into a ball and accidentally pushed under the couch? Fortunately, you don’t have to read your cat’s mind to buy them a gift – today on the blog we give you our list of gifting HITs and MISSes that will let your cats find the presents they’ve dreamed of under the tree.
Practical gifts for cats are always a good choice
Let’s be honest – cats have their quirks, but at the end of the day, they’re practical creatures and all they need to be happy is to have a few basic gadgets that they can use daily. To start off our gift guide on a good note, let’s take some practical gifts under a magnifying glass and check out the ones without which your cat’s everyday life would be grey and boring. What made it into our TOP 3?
- New scratchers. You know us, fabCats – scratchers are the primary accessory in myKotty’s cat equipment, but it’s not without a good reason. The need for scratching is deeply rooted in the cat’s nature and if we don’t give our furs the proper tools to spend their energy on and mark their territory, well … it’s like we’re asking for our furniture to get destroyed. Take a closer look at the scratchers you already have at home, analyze where they’re placed, and buy the scratchers that you know your cats will love.
Maybe your cat likes lounging on the window sill? TOBI will be perfect as a window scratcher/lounging deck. Or maybe you’re looking for a big scratcher that can handle the weight of your feline friend? VIGO is our trusted strongman who isn’t scared to be anything, even your footrest by the couch. Are you in need of scratchers which, besides being functional, would fit your interior design perfectly? LUI volunteers to get under your Christmas tree 🙂
While we’re here, we can’t forget about vertical scratchers – for many cats, it’s a basic tool and if they lack one to stretch against, it usually ends with scratched-up couches, armchairs, and cats climbing the Christmas tree. When you’re choosing a vertical scratcher, remember to get one with a sturdy, heavy bottom (so that the scratcher doesn’t wobble when your cat is using it) and at least one, tall post that lets your cat fully stretch out – 1-meter height is an absolute minimum.
- New bowls. As Carers, we don’t have the habit of changing our cats’ bowls often enough and that’s a shame – the bowls we use for food and water get used up just like any other item you use on a daily basis. It’s good to remember to wash them every day, but also to change them for new ones from time to time. If you’re using plastic or metal bowls (which get scratched quite quickly), think about getting your cat a new set of bowls for Christmas – glass bowls and plates from a polish brand Animal Island caught our eyes this year, but you’ll surely find some cute ones in TKMaxx or your local, internet stores with gadgets for cats as well.
- Toy clearout, Marie Kondo style – or should we say Marie CATdo! Treat your cat to a day where you both sit together on the floor, take all the toys you’ve collected over the years, and look through them. Which of the long-forgotten treasures will give your cat a boost of energy and which will stay in the forgotten zone forever? Or maybe you’ll find toys that need repairing and could be brought to life once again. Clearing out your cat’s toy basket is a great idea that will pique your cat’s curiosity, could give a new life to old toys and, if some of the toys are not in use anymore, maybe you’ll be able to prepare gifts for cats at the shelter or local foster homes.
Some other classic and really practical gift ideas that will surely be of use to your cat include: favorite toys (ones you can’t fix, but can be easily replaced with the same type), new blankets to the carrier, a comfy cat bed, a supply of cat grass, if your cat likes it, a water fountain (especially useful for cats who are not keen on drinking from a bowl) and, of course, snacks – as any cat would say, there’s never enough of those 🙂
Cats know best – how to choose gifts for your furs
Cats are indeed simple creatures – they don’t need much to be happy. A new toy with catnip, favorite treats, and the ability to observe the world outside the window without being interrupted? Only you, as the Carer and the truest fabCat know what your cats love the most. And this is the route you need to take when you’re picking gifts for them.
Don’t choose gadgets just because you like them. Choose ones you know your cat would order for themselves.
Why is it so important? We believe everyone has that one drawer, a box or other type of container at home where all the unwanted toys go to live. You know, the toys you found on a sale at the pet store, ones a pet influencer recommended so much you couldn’t walk past them, ones that are the newest cat toy trend. Do you really want to add extra gadgets to that pile, hoping your cat will love them one day?
And here we have to admit honestly – we did fall victim to the magnetic effect of beautiful, aesthetically pleasing toys ourselves many times and, even after a few years, our cats still ignore them. This only goes to show that sometimes it’s better to put your magpie tendencies aside and just give your cats what they themselves would give up their food budget for.
Gifting MISSes. Which present ideas for cats it’s best to avoid?
If we wanted to split all gift ideas for cats into categories, we would find three main genres: practical gifts, fun (that lasts for a moment or a long time), and crazy ideas. The last group most often falls into the gifting MISSes which, for the sake of the health and happiness of our furs, are better to be avoided. What would never get onto myKotty team’s recommended cat gift list?
- Funny costumes. Playing dress up, oftentimes for a photo shoot or a funny video is, unfortunately, still a big trend on cat-centered social media. Meanwhile, most cats don’t like wearing cute outfits – a kitty dressed up as an elf, Santa, or a reindeer looks adorable in photos, but deep down we know that they’d rather see the costume burn on a stake. And sure, there are cats who are totally fine with wearing outfits and those who, because of their very short fur, need to wear sweaters to stay warm in the winter. Still, the majority of cats don’t need gadgets like that so let’s allow them to stay cute in their natural, furry costumes and if we dream of a Christmas-themed photoshoot, a Christmas tree, baubles, and ornaments will do the job just fine.
- Forbidden snacks. There’s so much going on in the kitchen at Christmas! When the cats are running around our feet while we try to make pierogies, cook the cabbage and prepare 12 Christmas Eve dishes, the temptation to drop a tasty bite for the cat right from the chopping board sounds inviting. It’s easy to think: “You win, cat – you can get something better than canned food once in a blue moon if you ask nicely”. Unfortunately, cats are masters of making big eyes for everything that smells good, but they’re not so happy to go to the vet afterward if that tasty snack makes them sick. It’s on us, Carers, to make the conscious choice on what our cats can and cannot eat. And if you want to read more about forbidden Christmas Eve food and play Meowsterchef for your cat, we’ve got something just for you on our blog already:
- A new buddy. The topic of adopting pets as Christmas gifts is quite problematic and we won’t go into it today. What we do want to say, however, is how much of a bad idea it is to get a new cat (or a dog) buddy for our cats for Christmas. Cats get very attached to controlling their territory and are not too happy to have its integrity broken by an intruder. Bringing a new cat home should always be done in a safe environment for both cats, with properly executed socialization and isolation to let the cats get used to each other slowly. Do you think you have time and space for that while you’re entertaining your guests at the Christmas table?
So what’s it going to be, fabCat – what will your cats get for Christmas this year? Or maybe the Christmas tree alone and the empty boxes left over from your hooman gifts are a present in itself? We’ll be waiting for your best gifting ideas in the comments and on our social media 🙂
