Top 10 best gifts for cat lovers
A good present is:
relevant and meaningful to the person receiving them,
wanted by them, even if they didn’t know it before they receive it, and
thoughtful and imaginative, showing you put time and effort into finding it.
If you are looking for a great gift for a friend or relative, and they have a cat, hopefully something in my top 10 best gifts for cat lovers will tick all of the above boxes and help you in your pursuit of the perfect present. (If they have a dog then check out my top 10 best gifts for dog lovers.) If you click on the pictures it should take you to either the appropriate place on my website or to Amazon where you can take a look at the item yourself.
1. Pet portraits
Pet portraits make the best presents for cat owners because our cats mean so much to us. A pet portrait is, therefore, a really relevant and meaningful present to give. They may not have thought of getting one before, and even if they did, they might not have been sure of how to go about it. You gifting one shows that you have put a lot of time and effort into researching it. You will also have had to think ahead quite a bit as pet portrait artists are often booked up for many months.
Pet portraits come in all sorts of styles and sizes, and need not be too expensive either. I do very reasonably priced mini pet portraits that come framed and ready to gift. That said, you might want to splash out a bit more and treat someone to a larger portrait which can be really stunning and capture their cat in even greater detail. You can check out my sizes and prices here. Feel free to get in touch if you would like to enquire about commissioning me or, for more reasons why pet portraits make great gifts, check out my blog: 10 compelling reasons to commission a pet portrait.
2. Pet portrait vouchers
Pet portrait gift vouchers also make excellent presents because they allow the person receiving them to work with the artist to create the exact picture they want. They can help choose the size, pose and reference photo, and then receive all the exciting progress updates as the portrait appears. Sometimes it’s nice to receive a finished picture, but its also enjoyable to be part of the process of bringing it into being. While artists can have quite a long waiting list, you can get hold of a voucher straight away. I can email a digital version to you and/or put one in the post. If you would like to enquire about purchasing a voucher, or you want to know more about how my gift vouchers work, then please do get in touch.
3. Books about cats
There is a lot of information about cats on the internet now, but for a book lover, nothing quite beats the feeling of flicking through an informative, well-illustrated hardback book. There are lots of cat books out there, from the scientific and serious to the frivolous and funny. Here are three that caught my eye. One serious, one humorous, and one arty.
4. Remote control mouse
This remote control mouse looks great fun for everybody. Some of the reviews said it was a little larger than expected so it might depend on how confident your cat is! A remote control rat is definitely a better description! The range is apparently 1.5 meters but for the price, it could be a fun novelty gift. Batteries are included in this version which should avoid disappointment on the day.
5. Treat dispenser
I have one of these and my cat absolutely loves it. Well, he loves the treats inside and it’s fun to watch him swipe at the mouse to get them out. It also slows down his eating which is no bad thing!
6. Grow your own catnip
As all cat owners know, most cats go crazy for catnip. The active ingredient in this plant is a molecule called nepetalactone which apparently functions as an insect repellent. I’m not sure why cats love it but they do. I’ve crocheted several little mice and filled them with catnip for my cat to play with. You can buy it ready made of course, but this grow-your-own kit would make an excellent present for a green-fingered cat lover.
7 Cat socks!
There are lots of cat socks out there but these caught my eye recently. Cat’s have a habit of sitting in the centre of our attention, like on our keyboard, or homework book. They can also pin you down and hamper your productivity by sitting on your lap, not that I mind too much! Your cat-owning friend would probably relate to these socks:
8. Cat ancestry kit
A cat ancestry kit is a type of DNA test that can provide information about your cat's breed and ancestry. These kits use DNA analysis to identify the breeds that are present in your cat's genetic makeup, and can also reveal information about potential health risks that may be associated with certain breeds. Apparently, it can even help you better understand your cat's personality and behaviour by providing insight into the breeds that make up their genetic background. If you're interested in breeding your cat or adopting another cat, knowing their breed and ancestry might help you make informed decisions about which cats to pair or adopt.
Overall, a cat ancestry kit can be a fun and informative way to learn more about your furry friend's genetic background and can potentially provide helpful information for their care and well-being.
9. GPS cat tracker
Cats are often really independent, living secret lives we know nothing about. It would be so interesting to see where my cat goes at night, or where he has been when he disappears for days at a time. These little GPS trackers can help answer these questions. When they get a bit smaller and cheaper, a camera would be an even better option but for now, being able to track a cat’s movements in real time would be amazing.
Something to keep in mind is that most GPS tracker collars require an ongoing subscription fee for their on collar SIM card.
An alternative to a GPS tracker is a cat finder. They won’t beam your cat’s location to you but rather send out a signal that guides you to your lost kitty if it doesn't come home when expected. I could definitely have done with one of these in the past when my cat wandered off for a worryingly long time. An advantage of these finders over the GPS trackers is that they have a much longer battery life (months rather than days) and they don’t have any ongoing subscription costs associated with them.
10. Laser cat toy
I love playing with my cat. Something as simple as a piece of string can keep him engaged until he runs out of energy. These laser cat pointers make excellent toys too. Cat’s just love the speed at which the little dot of light moves around. Plus, if you get tired of running around trailing a piece of string before your cat does, you can continue to entertain it from the comfort of your armchair. I’ve got one of these shaped like a mouse. The shape makes absolutely no difference to the cat of course but it’s kind of cute. Here’s a more conventional one:
Or if you want a more automatic one take a look at these:
Conclusion
Well, I hope that has given you some ideas. If you buy them through the Amazon links/pictures I’ve given in this article, I should get a small bonus from Amazon to help me buy more art supplies. I’ve not been paid to promote them though, these are just a few things that I liked the look of.