It's that time of year! The season for giving and putting amazing cat gifts under the tree. Whether you're shopping for your cat, a cat loving friend or yourself, I've created a list with items we love, for every budget!
*I do receive a small commission on some of the items listed, if you purchase through the direct links provided.*
CAT TOYS
Keeping an array of cat toys around is essential for entertaining your booper! Make sure to freshen up your toy selection and put them away when not in use. This keeps playtime exciting and fun for both of you!
Sheer Fun For Cats:If you're looking for something outside the box, this is it! The concept is simple and Mikita LOVES it! Toss this sheer blanket on top of old toys, hang it, drape it. He likes to get lost in the texture, bite the crinkle edge and hide underneath. They even have fun felt toys that Mikita likes to bop around. Mikita demonstrates one way to use it.
Realistic Fish: We received these as a gift and Mikita has a great time bunny kicking them! He especially likes to flip flop around with the fishies while rolling around in other textures, like his Sheer Fun blanket. They look real and make for great photo ops!
Kurfman Treasures: Shapes, themes and everything in between! Felt toys with organic catnip and a bell for more chasing fun! Mikita loves to sink his teeth into these. They are lightweight and fun to bat around. Mikita loves his black cat toy. He has several from their line, including the pop tart, Christmas sweater, pie, jellyfish and more. Check out their holiday collection!
Cat Tunnel: A cat tunnel is one of those toys that you don't realize how fun it is until you have one. If you don't have one, I highly recommend it. This is one of the tunnels we have. It can easily be folded up and put away. The moment I bring it out and put it on the floor, Mikita immediately runs into it!
Cat Amazing Epic:Treat puzzles are great for the mind and fantastic to keep your cat occupied for 10 minutes. This box requires a cat to go around each side and strategize. I can see Mikita thinking about his next move. He gets really excited when I place it in the middle of the room and put treats inside! Cat Amazing Epic was recently funded on Kickstarter so if you want one, check out their page and get signed up to receive one of the first ones!
Butterfly Spinner Toy:Several brands make these but this is the one we have. Mikita goes nuts for this butterfly! He hunts it and "kills" it. We've run out of batteries in the past and have taken a few weeks to get new ones. When we replace the batteries, his eyes light up and he can hardly contain his excitement!
GIFTS FOR CAT LOVERS
You can never have enough cat socks, just sayin'. I'm actively trying to bring more cat fashion and decor into my life. I'm always on the lookout for cat themed goodies that grab my attention! Check out my recommendations for the cat lover in your life. Maybe that's you. Nothing wrong with buying yourself a gift!
Cat Socks: I've received several pairs of cat socks as gifts. Best socks you could really ever receive! Cat socks are fun because they can be a little more ridiculous than the rest of your wardrobe, if you're trying to keep your cat fashion to a minimum. If not, then by all means, go nuts! I have these. And also these gems.
Nail Polish: Live Love Polish sent me their Felis Collection to try. It's magnetic! I learned what magnetic nail polish is, and it's awesome! By using a magnetic wand, you can manipulate the color to cluster in certain areas. It literally looks like different colors from every angle (My nail polish in the photo looks green and purple. So crazy!). Hard to explain but super cool! This nail polish is the perfect gift for a cat lover because not only are the colors in this collection named after cats but 100% of this collection's net proceeds go to Koneko Cat Cafe which helps at risk cats. Purchasing these nail polishes helps support boopers in need!
DNA CatKit from Basepaws: This is such a cool gift idea! If you or someone you know wants to find out more about your cat, this is the way to do it. It's a newer company building their database of cat DNA in an effort to analyze and sequence. Right now they are able to take the DNA that you send in and provide breed information about your cat. They can tell which cat breeds your cat is closest to. The more cats that join the database, the more refined the results will be. The cool part is, you'll get updates when new information becomes available. They're working on being able to analyze health information and more. This could be pivotal when it comes to veterinary care as well as our own understanding of cat diseases and predispositions. Use code: MIKITA15 for $15 off through the end of 2018. Occasionally there are other specials so make sure to grab one when you see it!
LUXURY ITEMS
If you want to spoil your cat, there are some fantastic ways to do that. Cats love nothing more than to perch, lounge, be cozy and have an enjoyable litter box experience. They make biscuits and curl up like little fluff balls. Cats are the ultimate loungers. These are our favorites.
Sleepypod: The Sleepypod Mobile Pet Bed is awesome! Sleepypod was kind enough to send one to Mikita to try and share our review. See original post here. We also did a IGTV video showing how we introduced it to him here! The plush, round internal space is perfect for napping. This makes it an ideal carrier for car travel. It can be buckled in and is also crash tested for safety. We've used it on several car trips and after turning it into a treat machine and leaving it open in our apartment for him to explore, Mikita actually likes his carrier. He even hangs out in it sometimes. The top can be removed to double as a bed when you get to your destination. Traveling can be stressful for cats but a roomy carrier/safe space can really help. The top is mesh so they don't feel so confined. It all zips apart for easy cleaning and you can even buy a replacement lining if necessary. They really thought this design through! It's definitely worth the investment. Mikita has "Sky Blue". Check out their other carriers too!
Litter-Robot: I don't know how we ever lived without a Litter-Robot. Ok, it's obviously possible but it has changed the way we approach the litter box.We don't have to scoop anymore. If you don't mind the scooping chore, the LR might not be for you but it cycles each time he goes in so it's always clean. It's a time saver with one cat, and I'd imagine, a life changer fir people with multiple cats! If you've considered buying one but aren't convinced, check out my post about the top questions I receive! When you're ready to order, use this link for $25 off.
Contempocat Cat Trees: We have the Elevation II cat tree. It's awesome! This cat tree is totally modular so you can move around the steps per your cat's climbing needs. This would work in any home but it's especially great for small places because it utilizes vertical space without using much of a footprint. Check out our IGTV video showing the features! It can also be put near a window and still allow light in. You can take it apart if you need to move it and it stays up without screwing anything into your floor or ceiling. It took a few days for Mikita to figure it out but now he loves it! I highly recommend this high quality piece of cat furniture!
The Snuggle Bed: It's just as snuggly as it sounds. Super soft, and the materials are tested for harmful substances so its safe for your booper to snuggle up in! Cats love to be comfortable and this bed allows for multiple ways to nap. You can roll it down, lay it flat or let them climb in like a cave. Mikita curls up and basically disappears into dreamland.
TREATS & ESSENTIALS
We're all about making sure Mikita's carnivorous primal needs are met. This includes nutrition, comfy napping spots and appropriate scratching surfaces.
The Barker's Kitchen: Mikita is an official ambassador for Barker's Treats! See him do tricks for treats in this video. If you're looking for the best of the best, this is it. Barker's Kitchen treats are freeze dried, human grade, single protein delicious meats. Cats and dogs both love them because they are carnivores! These aren't your average treats. They aren't engineered to be "flav-o-blasted!" They are simple and healthy. I think Mikita's favorite is the rabbit. He likes all the birds and most recently became obsessed with the boar. He prefers the elk and venison over beef, if we're talkin' red meat. But honestly he'd eat any of them with pure joy in his eyes. A cat thats used to a highly processed diet may find these to be new and refreshing or they might not quite understand that they are food at first. Remember, cats are carnivores so introducing whole meats in a variety of proteins when you can, is a really good idea.
The Ultimate Scratching Post: This is a fantastic post! It's tall, wide and sturdy. Great for all around clawing, scratching, grabbing, climbing etc. Mikita had a hard time figuring out how to get to the top of the post at first but with a little help and practice, he found a fun, new perch. I did a little DIY with some grey, wood grain contact paper to create a more subtle looking cat scratcher. I wasn't a huge fan of the orange tone wood color it came with but regardless, it's a great post.
Scratch Lounge: Mikita just loves this thing! We prop it up, lay it down and add toys to the mix when we're playing. He likes to scratch in it as well as roll around and scratch his chin on the corners.
The Sunny Seat: A window seat is a great way to add extra lounge space without having to find a surface to put a new bed. I get asked all the time where we bought his window seat. It's from Amazon and it's a total steal! I made a new cover and pillow for it because Mikita is a king and likes velvet. Plus it makes it a little more attractive. There are higher quality window seats available but this one is nice, especially if you need multiples. We occasionally wipe off the suctions per instructions, although we've never had an issue with it losing suction.
For more toys and ideas, be sure to follow @chicagoblackcat on Instagram and keep up with our stories! If you know any cat lovers, share this list and spread some holiday cheer!