The best Christmas gift for a cat matches what that cat already loves to do: hunt, climb, scratch, watch or nap. Start there, then pick a budget. Below are ideas in three budget tiers, gifts "from the cat" for the people in its life, and a holiday safety checklist, because a decorated house has a few things a curious cat should never get to.
Shopping for a dog too? See Christmas gifts for dogs (and from the dog).
Start with how your cat plays
- The hunter lights up for a wand toy with feathers, or a kicker toy to grab and bunny-kick.
- The climber wants height: a cat tree, wall shelves or a sturdy window perch.
- The scratcher needs a good scratching post, ideally next to the furniture it is currently using instead.
- The watcher will spend hours at a window with a view, especially one with a bird feeder outside.
- The napper will use a soft, warm bed in a sunny spot every day.
Most cats are a mix, so one thing for play and one thing for rest covers almost everyone.
Stocking stuffers
- A few small toys to bat around: crinkle balls, fabric mice or a kicker toy
- A new wand toy with a spare feather attachment
- A flat cardboard scratcher for cats that like to scratch on the floor
- A new collar tag with your current phone number, for indoor cats too
Mid-size gifts
- A scratching post that actually gets used. The ASPCA says "all cats want a sturdy post that won't shift or collapse when used," and that most cats "like a post that's tall enough that they can stretch fully." Cats differ on the rest: "Some cats prefer horizontal posts. Others might like vertical posts or slanted posts," and materials range from cardboard and carpet to wood, sisal and upholstery.
- A window perch that attaches to the glass or the sill
- A puzzle feeder for a cat that eats too fast or gets bored indoors
- A soft, washable bed for the favorite nap spot
Bigger gifts
- A cat tree with a scratching surface, a perch at the top and a hideaway lower down
- Wall shelves that turn a bare wall into a climbing route
- A quiet-room kit for a cat that hides when guests arrive. Cornell's Feline Health Center notes that "providing a place where your cat can relax in peace (away from guests and activities) is a good idea," and that this "may be a separate room with water and food bowls, a litter box, and perhaps a kitty bed."
The most valuable gift costs nothing. Cornell suggests to "take some dedicated time to play with your cat each day during the holidays to alleviate their stress," and adds: "Five or ten minutes per day can do the trick." A new wand toy and ten minutes a day is a very good Christmas for most cats.
Gifts from the cat, for the people who love it
A gift tag that says it is from the cat is half the fun. Ideas that last longer than the wrapping paper:
- A portrait of the cat for the wall. From a good photo, an artist or a portrait shop turns the cat into a painting-style picture.
- A photo calendar or a framed photo from the year's best pictures.
- A donation in the cat's name to a local shelter or rescue.
Full disclosure: PawSums, the team behind this site, makes custom pet portraits on canvas. You upload a photo of your cat, we create a royal or watercolor-style portrait with AI-assisted digital art, email you a preview, and print it on a 12" x 16" or 18" x 24" canvas. Economy shipping in the US is free and takes about 9 to 16 business days, Standard is $4.99 and takes about 7 to 13 business days, and during the holiday season it can take a few days longer.
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Holiday safety checklist for cats
Cats climb, chew and bat at anything that moves, so a few holiday classics need extra care in a cat home. The short version, with the sources:
- Lilies, including in bouquets. The FDA says lilies in the "true lily" and "daylily" families are very dangerous for cats, and that "the entire lily plant is toxic: the stem, leaves, flowers, pollen, and even the water in a vase." Lily poisoning can "cause your cat to develop fatal kidney failure in less than 3 days." Bouquets can contain lilies, so check every flower in an arrangement or gift bouquet before it comes into a home with a cat. If your cat may have touched a lily, call your veterinarian right away: the FDA notes that "if treatment is delayed by 18 hours or more after ingestion, the cat will generally have irreversible kidney failure."
- Tinsel. Cornell warns that tinsel "may work its way into the digestive tract and become lodged in the intestines," and some "may require surgery to remove." If a strand catches around the base of the tongue, it "acts like a piano wire as the cat is digesting and perforates the intestines," says Pamela Perry, DVM: "It's very life-threatening." The simplest fix is no tinsel in a cat home.
- Ribbon and string. Cornell's advice: "When wrapping presents, avoid long ribbon ties, especially if you place them under a tree." The same goes for wand toys with string: put them away after play.
- Lights and cords. Chewing on bulbs, wires and cords, "especially when they are plugged in," is dangerous, so tie cords up or run them through a heavy plastic cord protector, as Cornell suggests.
- Ornaments. Glass and ceramic ornaments can shatter. Cornell recommends hanging ornaments "of cloth, straw, wood, or other non-breakable materials at a cat's eye level," and tying them on "with cloth loops rather than hooks."
- Holiday food. According to Cornell, "onions and garlic, for example, are toxic to cats," fat from meat can predispose them to pancreatitis, bones "can cause GI obstructions," and "chocolate is poisonous to cats and dogs." See can cats eat chocolate?
If your cat eats something it shouldn't, call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.
A kitten's first Christmas
For a kitten, a decorated tree is the best climbing frame it has ever seen. Keep the first holiday simple: unbreakable ornaments low on the tree, no tinsel, cords tidied away and a quiet room to retreat to. A couple of small toys and daily play go further than a pile of gifts. Feeding a growing kitten is its own question: the kitten feeding guide covers it.
Frequently asked questions
What should I get my cat for Christmas?
Match the gift to how your cat plays: a wand toy for a hunter, a cat tree or window perch for a climber, a sturdy scratching post for a scratcher, and a warm bed for a napper.
Are lilies really dangerous for cats?
Yes. The FDA says the whole plant is toxic to cats, including the pollen and the water in the vase, and lily poisoning can cause fatal kidney failure. Keep lilies out of any home with a cat, and call your veterinarian right away if your cat may have been exposed.
Is tinsel safe for cats?
No. Many cats are drawn to it, and swallowed tinsel can get stuck in the intestines and may need surgery to remove, according to Cornell. Skip it if you have a cat.
What is a good Christmas gift from the cat?
Something that keeps the cat in the picture: a portrait of the cat, a photo calendar, or a donation to a shelter in the cat's name.
How old is your cat in human years? Try the cat age calculator.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Lovely Lilies and Curious Cats: A Dangerous Combination (content current as of September 16, 2021)
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Feline Health Center: Beware Holiday Hazards
- ASPCA: Destructive Scratching
- ASPCA: Crafting with Care: Pet Safety Tips for Holiday Arts and Crafts (Animal Poison Control Center phone number)