Twelve Days of Christmas Gift Ideas, Day 4: Kitty Fashions and Note Cards

Twelve Days of Christmas Gift Ideas, Day 4:

Kitty Fashions and Note Cards!

We wouldn't be old maid cat ladies if we didn't like to dress up our kitties! There are always a ton of fashions out there for dogs. Some will work on cats, but cats are really shaped differently. They have longer bodies, thinner legs, and are less barrel-chested than dogs. And most cats will not tolerate the same amount of clothing dogs will. So we're at a bit of a disadvantage.

Some cats actually need to wear clothing when it gets cold. The Sphinx and Peterbald breeds don't have coats to keep them warm, so they need a sweater or some flannel jammies on chilly days and nights...like The Cat's Pajamas from Meow Wear ($14.95) that are shown above. Even on sunny days, they can sunburn, so it's a good idea to put either some sunscreen (yes, we sell that for cats, too) or some type of clothing on them to protect their skin from UV rays. Older cats may also benefit from a warm sweater on a chilly day.

It's tough to find companies making garments specifically for cats. Many are cottage industries, and if they have their own Etsy store, they can't handle the additional volume of selling through retailers like Old Maid Cat Lady. But I've been able to find some items that work and look cute, as well. Here, then, are several ideas for those who either want or need to dress up their cats. You may be amazed at some of the options! (Prices shown for all items do not include shipping.)

Day 4 Gifts for Cats: Sweaters and Kitty Fashions

Festive party collars always help set a holiday mood! These tend to sell out early as bricks-and-mortar retail stores buy up our supplier's inventory, but they were still in stock as of last week, when one customer bought a couple. We offer them in Christmas Stars, Jingle Bells, Christmas Trees, and Christmas Snowflakes, as well as many other styles and colors. They're elasticized for safety. And at only $5.95 each, you can afford several for all of kitty's holiday parties! But act quickly because the closer to Christmas it gets, the scarcer these will become.

Collars may look pretty, but they won't keep a kitty warm. For those hairless breeds, Meow Wear makes this spectacular sweater they call The Cat's Meow! It'll keep out drafts while also looking quite fashionable, all for $19.95:

The Mousin' Around cat sweater ($19.95) has also been very popular with Old Maid Cat Lady's customers this year. And, as you can see, even cats with coats can enjoy the extra warmth:

Kitty going outdoors? Perhaps a lovely jacket like this Meow Wear Quilted Vest ($19.95) would be the perfect wardrobe choice:

Some cats will walk on a harness and leash, so a good harness that fits comfortably would make a wonderful gift for one of these kitties. Harnesses are also good for tethering a cat into a carrier, stroller, or car seat. We carry many harnesses, including the Choke-Free Collars ($14.95) from Leather Brothers. They come in eight metallic colors and five non-metallic colors, as well as croco-texture ($17.95) or faux ostrich ($19.95) texture, and they even have matching leashes available! All are soft, high quality leather with a paw print ornament on each side. They're easy to get on and off your cat. Here's one in blue metallic on a kitten:

This denim harness vest by Doggles is made for dogs, but fits cats just fine! My Golden Boys each have one, and are shown below wearing them in October at the No More Homeless Pets national conference. Gilly's even smiling and Captain's so comfy he's snoozing in his! The detailing on these harness vests is very nice, including a D-ring on the back to which you can attach the leash or tether:

The same company that makes these also makes a very popular Black Biker Harness Vest and Dress, for those tough kitties. All of the harness vests and dresses sell for $11.95 each.

If your cat will be going out in rainy weather, a raincoat may be a welcome wardrobe addition. This Base Jumper Raincoat from Puppia is another item that's made for dogs, but will work okay on cats. A hole on the back allows you to attach a leash to the cat's harness underneath. They sell for $35.95 and have a coated nylon outside and polyester mesh inside for comfort. Available in two sizes and six colors, plus camo:

If you don't think your cat would like the hood, we also offer several of the Avant-Garde harnesses by 26 Bars and a Band ($21.95). They're made from a water-resistant polyester fabric and have a D-ring on back for attaching a leash. Although made for dogs, they have adjustable sides and front, so you can get them to fit your kitty quite nicely. Shown here is the London Calling design, and it's also available in a pink argyle Prep print, houndstooth print Sherlock, brown with Leopard print belt, a Couture Princess pink-and-black print, a cool Death Star print, sophisticated black-and-white Fifth Avenue print, feminine Floral Fling print, a Freebird print for those rockin' kitties, and Green Day print for the eco-minded.

Going boating with your cat? You'll want to keep kitty safe with a life vest from Paws Aboard! Another item that's made for dogs, their sizing chart has them running a little small on cats, so you may want to add an inch or so to your cat's measurements to get the right size. They're available in regular ($24.99) or neoprene ($29.99), shown below. Each has a handle on the back so if kitty falls in the water you can fish him out with a hand or a boat hook. And you'll see from this photo that they're supposed to fit snugly and a little high on the shoulders:

Want to see where your cat goes when he's outdoors, or what he does while you're at work? Simply attach the EYENIMAL pet video cam ($79) to his collar and record up to 2.5 hours of kitty's day! It only weighs 1.2 ounces, so your cat will barely even know it's there!

You'll find many more options in Old Maid Cat Lady's Catwear section, including traditional cat safety collars, jeweled cat collars, and even collar charms like the one shown below. There are two pages filled with great items to put on your cats this Christmas!

Day 4 Gifts for People: Cat Note Cards

There's just nothing like a good old-fashioned handwritten note. One very successful lady I know in the business world suggests sending one each week to one of your old business contacts to touch base and see if they're working on anything at which you could help. It's good to have some blank notes on hand for sending thank-you notes, words of sympathy, or just a how-ya-doin' to a friend. And what better way for a cat lady to send those notes than on a cat-themed note card? So here are some that make great gifts for all the fellow cat ladies (and gents) on your gift list. Some are even pretty enough to frame!

Artist Karen Olsen combines colorful abstract cat designs with sayings in several blank note card designs. Shown above is the Extraordinary Cats design. Also available are the Dancing Cats, Purrfect Cat, and Sit and Be Admired designs. All of her cards are available in packs of 5, 10, or 25, priced from $9.95 to $39.95.

If your taste in art runs more toward the traditional, we offer a lovely assortment of Artful Cat note cards featuring classic paintings of cats by artists including Renoir, Heyer, Marc, and Valadon. Four each of five images make up the box of 20 cards and envelopes that sells for $14.95:

If you're seeking a gift for an aficionado of a particular breed of cat, one of these Cat Crest stationery packs ($10.95) may be just the thing! They come in a set of 10, and are available for Abyssinian, American Shorthair, Birman, Maine Coon, Persian, Scottish Fold, and Siamese. All cards within each pack are the same. Each features artwork of the cat with the breed name and a statement about the breed's nature.

Paper Russell's Grrreen Boxed Notecards come in sets of 6 printed on premium recycled paper, tied with a silk ribbon, and packaged inside a gray box. Available in a Russian Blue (shown here) or Brown Farm Cat for $8.95.

Kate Larsen's quirky cat art is featured on the Box of Cats GreenNotes note cards that feature 8 each of two different images in the box of 16 blank-inside cards for $11.95. They're boxed in corrugated cardboard and tied with a twine tie and gift card, so your wrapping's easy:

You'll find these and many more cat cards in Old Maid Cat Lady's Stationery & Paper Goods section. More gift ideas to come tomorrow!

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Twelve Days of Christmas Gift Ideas, Day 3: Warm Beds & Cat Shirts!

Twelve Days of Christmas Gift Ideas, Day 3: 

Warm Beds and Cat Shirts!

Now that Thanksgiving weekend is drawing to a close, Advent is beginning, and we're into December, it's time to seriously focus on Christmas. Hanukkah continues for a few more nights, as well, but if you're celebrating it, you've probably already bought your gifts for each night. So let's take a look at some gift ideas that are in that wintry holiday mood!

Today, we'll focus on warm beds for cats and cat shirts for people. The former because, well, it's cold outside! And the latter because there are just so many designs and a lot of them take a few weeks because they're made to order.

Day 3 for Cats: Warm Beds

Cats love warm places. This is because their normal body temperature is a few degrees higher than a human's. So if a room feels comfortable enough for us, it's likely a little chilly for our feline companions. When we turn down the thermostat in winter to save a little on heating costs, those kitties can really be chilly, despite their fur coats!

Heated beds are especially good for older cats who may be feeling achy from arthritis. Just like our joints start to get a little more painful as we age, so do our cats'. This is especially true for those poor kitties who have been declawed; as they shift their weight onto the back of their feet to avoid the pain of walking on amputated toes, it causes problems in their shoulder alignment as they get older. So a heated bed can provide welcome relief on these chilly mornings.

Hairless breeds like the Sphinx and the Peterbald can get cold in winter. You may already put a sweater on yours, but a heated bed is another option for keeping them toasty.

Heated beds are also a great way to keep a litter of kittens warm. While spring is traditionally thought of as "kitten season" there are still kittens being born in cold weather. Keeping them warm helps keep them healthy.

K&H's Kitty Sleephouse, shown below, is a great-looking option for a bed that's both heated and covered. It comes in both unheated ($50) and heated ($74) versions. The snazzy leopard print on the top and inside will look great in your home, too!

If you have any outdoor cats, be they ferals or barn cats, a nice warm spot could be very welcome to them. These heated beds use only 20 watts of electricity, too. One customer ordered a couple of the Lectro-Soft Heated Cat Beds ($56 for the small size, or $78 for the medium) for his outdoor cats, then ordered two more the day after he received them for some additional shelters he'd built for them. Here's a photo he sent of four outdoor kitties in the shelters in which he'd already placed the first two:

When he took this photo, it was only 12 degrees outside, but his cats were all cozy and warm in their sturdy shelters. He's obviously a great caretaker because they all look very healthy!

If your cats like getting inside a cat sack, there's a Thermo-Kitty heated version that also has a crinkly sound cats love, like a paper bag! It comes in a relaxing Sage color, uses 4 watts of electricity, has a soft fleece inside with an orthopedic foam base, and sells for $59.95. Your kitty will love snuggling in it!

Try a splash of color with the Thermo-Kitty Fashion Splash! It comes in Red, Mocha, or Blue (but the blue won't be back in stock until after Christmas). At $36.95, it's also a great value in an electrically heated bed:

For a heated bed that provides an open or sheltered option, the Thermo-Kitty Hut ($61) lets your cat choose whether to snuggle under the hood or not. It comes in both Mocha and Sage. Both have a comfy fleece lining and are 18 inches across:

Turn any bed into a heated bed with K&H's Microwaveable Bed Warmer ($39)! It provides kitty with up to 12 hours of warmth, and the bed doesn't need to be near an electrical outlet:

But cats don't need electricity to be warm in a bed! With that high body temperature, they can snuggle into a self-warming bed on a chilly night and be plenty toasty if they like the cooler weather. Available in Mocha or Gray, the Kitty Kup is plush and snuggly. The small size is $24 and the large $31:

The Lazy Lounger ($25.95) comes in fashionable Zebra or Leopard prints, and has bolsters on three sides to block cold drafts and help your kitty feel more secure:

For the ultimate in luxury in a self-warming bed, try the Tiger Dreamz Beddy Ball ($74.95)! It comes in three color options (shown here in Ocelot), each of which is the softest faux fur you've ever felt. Your cat won't be able to resist it and will be snoring quickly!

Day 3 for People: Cat Shirts

Our gift suggestion for people today is a fabulous cat shirt! Old Maid Cat Lady has many, many designs to suit all tastes. Here are a few favorites:

You've likely seen these big-face cat shirts from The Mountain, and we have an excellent selection of them. Shown here is the Brown Tabby. There are over two dozen designs available, featuring both house cats and big cats. Available in short-sleeved style in adult sizes Small - 5XL, they start at $18.95 and go up in price starting at the 2XL size. A couple of striking new designs for this season include the Sphynx and Saber-toothed Tiger. Most definitely attention getters! These shirts are all hand-dyed to order, so they take a little longer than some other shirts to arrive once you order.

If you have a devotion to a particular breed, you may find these Cat Breed Shirts of interest. They're available for Abyssinian, Brown Tabby, Himalayan, Maine Coon, Persian, or Siamese, and feature a little of the breed's history in addition to a handsome portrait of a representative kitty. You can get them in a T-shirt ($12.95) or sweatshirt ($19.95), in children's sizes S-L or adult sizes S-XL, and they come on an Ash Gray, White, Blue, Black or Red shirt. Here's the Siamese design:

For some artful holiday design shirts, Karen Olsen's art is available on short-sleeved tees ($17.95), sweatshirts ($25.95), long-sleeved tees ($19.95), and tank tops ($17.95) in white or natural colors, in adult sizes S-XXL. There are six available designs, including the Bow-Wowy, Meowy Christmas one shown here (for those mixed households):

If you've got a cat-loving ballerina on your shopping list, she'll love this shirt with a kitten and a ballet slipper! It's available on a white or ash gray T-shirt ($12.95) or sweatshirt ($19.95), in children's sizes S-L or adult sizes S-XL. We have this and several other cute cat shirts of similar design:

You'll find many other beautiful cat shirts in our Shirts section and we're adding more all the time, so take a look at them all to find just the perfect gift!

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Twelve Days of Christmas Gift Ideas, Day 2: Cat Perches and Calendars

Twelve Days of Christmas Gift Ideas, Day 2:

Cat Perches and Calendars

Yesterday we talked about cat trees and custom original artwork, because those need time to get made for Christmas delivery. Today's products are no different. We're getting them listed early because you need to order them now if you hope to have them in time for Christmas morning.

Oh, and today is Small Business Saturday, when American Express is urging people to shop with their small, local businesses. But just because Old Maid Cat Lady is online doesn't mean that we're a huge company! We're still a tiny business, operated by a genuine old maid cat lady. So we could use a little love today, too.

Day 2 for Cats: Cat Perches & Stairs

We discussed yesterday how much cats love to get up off the floor. And who can blame them? They're living in a houseful of giants, so to get on eye level with you, they need a little elevation. You can give them that with a nice perch, placed up high.

A lot of these items are also custom made to order, like those you see above: the wall-mounted stairs from The Vertical Cat. You can get them in a variety of custom finishes, with 3 to 6 steps on them, and with the elevation going up to the left or the right. Priced from $103 to $213, they'll help your kitties reach their high-up perches without knocking that priceless vase off your shelf. They even have a corner stairs model $137.45 to $162.45) so you can further customize your kitty steps. (All prices shown will be + shipping, so figure a little extra into your budget for that.)

And speaking of those perches, have you "catified" your house yet (to quote Jackson Galaxy)? If not, you need to get right on that! Perches give your cats a way to get up off the floor in an approved spot instead of atop your refrigerator or armoire. You know as well as I do that they're going to get up high one way or another, so it's better to have some approved, safe spots for them to hang out. The Vertical Cat makes a few different wall-mounted cat perches, all carpeted and hand crafted from wood right here in the good ol' U-S-of-A! Priced from $67.95 to $155, you'll find them in Old Maid Cat Lady's Cat Perches and Shelves section. This is a multi-page section of the site, so don't just stop at the first page! Click on one of the blue numbers at the bottom to see additional perches and shelves.

Among the items you'll see there are also some heated perches, which are great for chilly days. The Kitty Sill, shown below, comes in both heated ($52) and unheated ($31) versions. It sits in a sunny window so kitty can get a peek outside from a comfy, warm, microfleecy spot. The Deluxe Kitty Sill ($41) comes with a bolster in leopard or cat print, but does not have an electrically heated version available.

But not all cat perches need to be attached to a wall or windowsill! If you'd rather have a floor-standing model, Mr. Herzher's Craftsman Series, shown below, comes in single or double perches, with or without attached scratchers, in ebony or cherry wood finishes. Scroll down from the link provided here to see them, since the three options are at the bottom of that page of products. This one is the two-level ebony finish with scratcher. It's like a fine piece of furniture in your home! Prices range from $84.99 to $179.99.

Imperial Cat has a wide range of corrugated cardboard scratchers, many of which can double as perches! Cats love the honeycomb surface of a corrugated scratcher, and they apparently find it an attractive place to nap, as well, as exhibited by the kitty below on their Turtle scratcher. Many designs are available, from whimsical to elegant, priced from $15.95 to $144.95. You'll find them throughout the four pages of this section of Old Maid Cat Lady.

Also in this section, you'll also find other floor-standing cat perches, some of which are also cat trees, which we covered yesterday. I'm adding more all the time, as my time allows, so keep checking back to see what's new.

Day 2 for People: 2014 Calendars

For people, another item that's good to order early is 2014 calendars. Old Maid Cat Lady's supplier also supplies most of the bookstores across the USA, so the stores tend to order up most of their inventory by this time of year. By mid-December, there are only a handful of calendar titles left. But as of this week, here are a few fun suggestions for calendars that are still in stock. Order yours quickly if you want to make sure you get it! (Calendar prices do not include shipping; you have several options, priced from $4.50 to $19, available with each one.)

Old Maid Cat Lady sells three main types of cat calendars: wall calendars (which also come in full size and mini sizes), page-a-day desk calendars, and datebooks/planners/engagement calendars. You can shop specific pages for just each type, or go to the complete Cat Calendars section to see them all. There are  Here are some of my favorites that were still available as of this week:

A perennial favorite, the 365 Cats page-a-day calendar ($12.95) has been around for decades...and with good reason! It gives you all the annual winners of their contest, one for each workday of the year, with another for each weekend. 

Or maybe you'd prefer funny to cute for your daily calendar:

Fans of Bucky, the Machiavellian Siamese cat in the Get Fuzzy comic strip will enjoy this daily calendar ($13.95). Each page features a new cartoon with Bucky, Satchel, and Rob.

Hello Kitty is very popular, especially with the young and the young at heart. This year, she has calendars in a regular wall format ($13.95), an engagement calendar ($15.95, in very limited supply) and this bizarre wall calendar that's a mash-up of Hello Kitty and rock band KISS ($13.95). This one has been so popular that it's only available to backorder from the publisher, if they still have any left:

Love the LOLcats? This wall calendar ($13.95) gives you a year's worth of them! There's also a page-a-day version of the Cheezburger calendar priced the same. On the back of each tear-off page of it is a puzzle, riddle, quote, tip, or some other little extra boost for your day!

Or perhaps that person you're shopping for is more of a "NO!" person. For a newer online star, there's always Tard (short for "Tarder Sauce"), AKA the Grumpy Cat, whose calendar is shown below ($12.95). Our supplier still has some of these in stock in their warehouse, but once they're gone, the publisher is out of stock, so there will be no more of Miss Tard's calendar for 2014. Get one early, while they're still there!

B. Kliban's cats are a classic that's still in high demand, and he has calendars in three formats: full-size wall ($13.95), mini wall ($7.95), and engagement ($14.95). They're all getting in very low supply, so order quickly. All are from Pomegranate, which means they're certified by the Forest Stewardship Council as environmentally friendly.

If cats doing downward-facing dog is not too much of a paradox for your gift recipient, she (or he, we're not judging) may enjoy the Yoga Cats wall calendar ($13.95). Dan Borris' photos of cats in yoga-like poses are a hoot!

While you're in that peaceful state of mind, the Zen Cat wall calendar ($13.95) is another option to consider. It features the art and poetry of Nicholas Kirsten-Honshin. One of the earth-friendly calendars from Amber Lotus, it's printed on either FSC-certified or 100% recycled 50% post-consumer paper processed without chlorine, and printed with soy-based inks.

As always, we have lots of breed-specific and coat-pattern-specific calendars for 2014: black cats (or this one), calicos, Maine Coons (alone or with friends), tuxedo cats, Siamese cats, tigers, and far too many kitten ones to link to all of them. There are more cartoon cats, and several art cat calendars. You get the idea - if there's a cat calendar out there, Old Maid Cat Lady has probably got it. And you need to order it now, before it sells out!

More ideas tomorrow as our Twelve Days of Christmas Gift Ideas series continues!

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Twelve Days of Christmas Gift Ideas, Day 1: Cat Trees and Original Artwork

Twelve Days of Christmas Gift Ideas

Day 1: Cat Trees and Original Artwork

Once again, it's time to shop in earnest for Christmas, or whatever other holidays you celebrate at this time of year. And once again, Old Maid Cat Lady is here to help direct you to the best of what we offer for you!

With the shopping season being short due to a late Thanksgiving this year, we're starting a couple of days earlier to give you plenty of time. The items that take the longest tend to be made to order, so let's start with those!

Day 1 For Cats: Cat Trees

Every cat loves a good cat tree. And who wouldn't? You can still get the old-fashioned carpeted kind, if you like, but today's marketplace offers so many more options that look nicer in your living room.

Take, for example, the Kitty Palm, shown above. It has a sisal-wrapped trunk, which you can get in the lighter shade, as shown, or a darker brown color. Its branches are available in the palm, like those shown, or you can get ficus-style branches. They come in a multitude of heights, with varying numbers of platforms covered in tan or dark green. My boys love theirs, and scramble up that trunk like little monkeys! That's my Captain Roughy licking his lips while sitting on the upper platform of it.

You'll find Kitty Palms in Old Maid Cat Lady's Cat Trees section. Prices range from $178 to $278, plus shipping (all prices shown are without shipping). They're custom made when you order them, so it'll take a few weeks to get one. Order yours early.

Also in our Cat Trees section, you'll see some exciting new designs. The Catitude line from Midwest looks like modern art:

...and has a few heights and designs available. Priced from $52.95 to $94.95. Shown above is the "Salvadore" model.

Other cat trees look like fine furniture, like the Alexa from The Vertical Cat ($260), which is designed specifically to fit into a corner:

 

Or the Cat Power Tower ($399.95), which provides your cats with a veritable playground that includes a hunting maze and twirling feathers, and comes in different finishes to match your décor:

Don't have much space for a cat tree? Not to worry! If your ceilings are 9 feet, here's one that's only 6.5 inches wide, that stays in place with a spring-mounted top:

A bargain at only $49.95, it comes in blue or beige. Or you may wish to literally hang a spot for your cats to hang out with the Hanging Cat Condo from K&H ($112):

It hangs on the back of any door and gives kitties a safe place to climb and hide. 

And for the real Rolls-Royces of cat trees, you may be interested in the four custom designs from Cages By Design. All made to order, they can take up to five weeks to arrive, so they need to be ordered early. Some are available in a faux fur covering or bare cedar if you need an outdoor version. The Crystal Tower ($149.95 in faux fur or $399.95 in cedar) is a basic cat tree with platforms galore. The Roller Rink ($289.95, in faux fur only) stands over six feet and includes lots of sisal scratching surfaces, hanging tunnels and toys, all topped by a perch. The Purrsian Cat Tree is the next step up at $299.95 (faux fur only). It has elevated condos, hanging toys, and ramps. The Triple Tower ($399.95) is an outdoor version in cedar. Next up is the Tarzan ($322.95 in faux fur or $439.95 in cedar), with platforms, elevated condo, dangling toys and rope, and even a hammock! The Kitty Cabana ($399.95, in faux fur only), shown below, has a ladder, hammock, nest, teepee, condo, and perch...pretty much everything a cat could want, all in one cat tree!

Day 1 for People: Original Artwork

These items also take a little time to be created for you, so it's a good idea to order them early. Have you ever wanted an elegant oil portrait of your cat? Of course you have! It could be as easy as uploading your favorite photo and waiting a few weeks to receive your custom oil portrait! Below is the one I had made of my beloved little Vixen. Each portrait arrives rolled up in a tube so you can have it framed however you like. They're available in four sizes and priced from $79.95 to $119.95, including shipping!

How about a clock featuring the likeness of your adorable kitty? The Clock Lady's custom kaleidoscopic cat clocks can do just that! They're available in two sizes, and priced from $130 to $165.

If you've lost a special cat this year, artist Linda Huffman can take a bit of kitty's cremains and/or hair and make it into a beautiful dichroic glass Memory Pendant! This way, you'll always have a part of your beloved cat close to you. A variety of styles are available, priced from $91.95 to $194.95, all set in .925 Argentium® sterling silver. The one shown below is an example of one. Don't want jewelry? There's also a "worry stone" and an ornament available.

But while we're speaking of jewelry, artist Kay Fazio does beautiful pieces representing numerous cat breeds in sterling silver and 14 kt gold, many set with gemstones. Pendants, charms earrings, a few rings...and there are even rings for men! Bengals, Savannahs, Pixie-Bobs, and plenty more breeds are represented, and she's known for her incredible attention to detail on them. They're all custom made to order, as well, so get your orders for them in early. Prices range from $49 to $1,499. They are certain to please! Shown below is Fazio's stunning Savannah cat pendant in 14 kt gold with black diamonds...yes, it's that one priced at the top of the range (of course), and it's about 2 inches tall.

So, there you have it: a wide array of items to please both cats and people, and things that need to be ordered early if you want them before Christmas. What are you waiting for? It's Black Friday and time's a wastin'! Still not sure? There'll be another post here tomorrow with even more ideas for you on Day 2 of our 12 Days of Christmas Shopping Ideas for Cats and Cat Lovers.

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Do You Have a Fat Cat?

Do You Have a Fat Cat?

A tubby Tabby? An obese Abyssinian? A pudgy Persian? (Okay, I'll stop.)

Today is National Pet Obesity Awareness Day, so let's take a look at the fitness (or lack thereof) of the average house cat in America today:

According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention's 2012 study, 58.3% of cats in the U.S. are overweight or obese. This equates to 43.2 million kitties with bulgy bellies. 29.3 million of them were said to be "overweight", while 13.9 million were actually "obese".

Even worse, many of their "cat parents" don't think their cats are overweight, so they're not doing anything to help their feline companions lose those excess pounds. A full 45.3% of the cat owners said their obese cats were of normal weight when given the choices of "too thin," "normal," "overweight," or "obese."

Part of that problem with perception is that our cats seem like featherweights in relation to our own body weights. But a cat that weighs 14 pounds is the equivalent of a man who weighs 237. A 15-pound  cat is like a woman of 5' 4" who weighs 218 or a 5' 9" man who weighs 254. Obviously, one pound makes a lot more difference when it's on our cats. Here's a handy chart to help you figure out what your cat's actual weight equates to in human terms.

Here's a pie chart (mmmm, pie!) of the survey's 2012 results:

Why Worry About an Overweight Cat?

The number one reason to be concerned about a cat being overweight is that obesity can lead to diabetes in cats. This is a serious condition that can lead to fatal ketoacidosis with a host of symptoms, or diabetic neuropathy in which the cat loses use of the rear legs. Feline diabetes may require treatment by oral medications (ever try to give a cat a pill?) or insulin injections (ever try to give a cat a shot?). You'll have to take blood (that can't be fun) to check kitty's blood sugar. Frequent visits to the vet are required to regulate the effectiveness of the treatment. So not only will your cat's quality of life suffer, yours ain't gonna be so great, either.

Just like with us, cats who are overweight run a higher tendency toward heart and respiratory diseases. They are more likely to have hypertension (high blood pressure). They may also be at a higher risk for abdominal cancers. All of these diseases shorten their lives.

Even worse, hauling around all that extra weight can cause cats to develop musculoskeletal complications that result in pain from osteoarthritis in the joints and connective tissues. Veterinarians report seeing more and more pets for joint problems that could be avoided by controlling their weight. Some even require surgery!

And if you're counting your pennies, those extra pounds can mean thousands of dollars in additional vet bills for medications, surgeries, and supplements to deal with these health issues that could have been prevented by proper weight management.

Why Are Our Cats So Overweight?

Probably for the same reasons we are: they're eating too much and exercising too little. In the wild, cats would spend most of their time hunting for their food. This means a lot of walking, climbing, stalking, leaping, chasing, playing with, and killing their prey. And once it's dead, they've got the work of tearing the edible parts from the carcass and eating them before other predators steal their dinner from them. No wonder big cats in the wild are so svelte!

Our domestic cats have things so much easier. They lie around all day while we're at work, and receive sumptuous meals without lifting a paw. Most people tend to overfeed their cats, not even paying attention to what's recommended on the packaging as an appropriately sized meal. The right amount seems like so little! And people forgo play sessions with their cats in favor of a little more time working, or online, or out with friends, or watching TV, or...well, you get the picture. Are we substituting food for the time our cats want to spend with us, out of guilt for the time we're spending working instead of playing with them? Perhaps. And we need to stop it.

My cats come and get me when I've been sitting at the computer too long. They're still fairly young, and they have a strong play instinct. They're not happy lying around sleeping all day. While they do chase each other, play together, and climb their cat trees quite a bit, they long for interaction with me. And it's good for me, too, to get up and dangle one of their toys for them for a few minutes. It's a nice mental break and gives me a little exercise, as well. We'd all be healthier if we took several play breaks during the day!

What we're feeding our cats is also a part of the problem. Many of us opt for the convenience of dry cat foods. Most veterinarians wouldn't advise it. One cup of dry cat food contains anywhere from the low 200s to almost 600 calories! Get calorie counts by brand name here. Additionally, all dry foods contain carbohydrates not needed by our cats' bodies. As obligate carnivores, cats need a diet made up almost exclusively of meat-based protein to be healthy. Ideally, less than 10% of a cat's diet should be made up of carbohydrates. 

Canned cat food is much healthier for a cat than dry food. It contains more water to help with a cat's hydration, which is important for urinary tract health and also helps the cat feel fuller. But all canned foods are not created equal; many include some nasty stuff that can even include the ground-up remains of cats and dogs killed at shelters! Read the labels to make sure that the food is predominantly recognizable meat. "Grain-free" is a popular labeling point these days, but those foods could still contain large amounts of potatoes or peas. Neither are something a cat would eat naturally in the wild. Here's a handy chart showing the nutritional composition of some canned cat foods.

Healthiest of all is a raw food diet. Although a bit pricey up front, these will save you money on the back side by keeping your cat healthier for the entire length of his life. They used to be hard to find, but as more companies are making commercial raw diets, more pet stores are stocking them. Cats fed a raw diet have better oral health, better digestion, less smelly poop (yes, really!), a more lustrous coat, and a better mental disposition. But you don't need a commercial food to feed your cat a raw diet. You can buy raw meat at the grocery store and feed your cat a raw diet on your own, but I'd suggest getting a book on the subject before embarking on this route; we carry a few of them here.

Taking Those Pounds Off Kitty

If your cat's already put on the pounds, there are healthy ways to take them off. Unlike humans, cats cannot fast. Going without food for as little as two days can throw a cat's system into a life-threatening liver condition known as hepatic lipidosis. So it's important to use caution when addressing your cat's weight issues.

Start with a visit to your veterinarian. This can tell you how much your cat actually weighs, versus kitty's ideal weight. Your vet will probably also be able to give you some guidelines on the daily caloric limit you should shoot for. Start measuring your cat's food and resist the temptation to overfeed. Automated feeders can help if your workday is long. These have timers to open when it's time for your cat to eat, instead of your just putting out a huge helping that will be gobbled all at once, or left untouched for the flies to invade as it spoils in the dish. Some even have an ice tray underneath to keep the food fresh!

Try to take the weight off your cat gradually, not too quickly. A loss of about one pound a month is plenty. It may not seem like a lot, but remember those conversion charts discussed above. When you think about it as a percentage of your cat's total body weight, one pound is a much larger amount. Excessive weight loss can lead to other health problems, which is what you're trying to avoid in the first place! Follow-up visits to the vet will help keep you on track here.

Preventing Feline Obesity

Obviously, keeping your cats from ever getting overweight in the first place is preferable. The information and resources on feeding provided above should give you some valuable tools to feed your cat a healthy diet. Pay attention to the daily feeding recommendations and don't let your cats just free-feed whenever they feel like it: they'll end up eating out of boredom, just like some humans do!

But just as with us, exercise also needs to be a part of your cat's weight loss regimen. Cats exercise by playing. They are highly intelligent and enjoy mental stimulation in their play. Make sure they have cat trees (yes, that's plural) they can climb, and places to go when they get up there. If you've ever seen Jackson Galaxy's show on TV, he talks about "catifying" your home with high shelves and walkways cats can explore. These are a great way to get your cats moving more.

Most cats love dangling toys. Mine love their Cat Dancer; it's been a favorite of almost every cat I've ever lived with. Simple is often the best when it comes to cat toys! Laser pointers give them something to chase. And there are several companies that make the track toys with a ball inside that the cats can bat around.

Change up the cats' environment every now and then by moving their cat trees or favorite toys to a different place. Puzzle toys in which food is hidden are also useful tools in making cats work for their food, just like in the wild. Treat-dispensing balls will let them chase around their meal. One of my cats likes to knock his food out of the dish and chase it around on the floor before eating it. It's his way of giving himself a little "hunt" to go on for his dinner. And it's cute as can be to watch, too, albeit a little messy to clean up!

Don't neglect the interactive aspect of playing with your cats, either. This makes them happier and mentally healthier. It cements the bond between you and makes your cats more affectionate toward you. It also makes them friendlier toward people in general and not so frightened of strangers. They now relate humans to a positive, play-related experience that gives them a healthier outlook toward their two-legged companions.

Will the 2013 numbers show an improvement in feline obesity numbers? We shall see, but let's all start working on making those numbers go down for 2014 by using some of these helpful tips. Get that portly Pixie-Bob (sorry, I couldn't resist) movin'!

Sources: Association for Pet Obesity Prevention; "Feline Diabetes", Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine; "Commercial Foods" by Lisa A. Pierson, DVM, CatInfo.org; 

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How Dog Fighting Impacts Cats

This is Luka, one of Michael Vick's
former dogs who died in 2013
in his new home at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

How Dog Fighting Impacts Cats

There's a story in the news about another huge dog-fighting ring being broken up, the second largest ever in US history. This is great news for dog lovers, but it's also good news for cat lovers.

Why? Because cats are often used as bait to train fighting dogs to kill. It's an especially brutal and horrible way for a cat to die, as the dog literally tears them to pieces while they're still alive. The cat's terrified screams only excite the dog's killing instincts more and more.

Kittens and female beagles are said to be the preferred animals to use in this way. It's unimaginable how anyone could do such unspeakable things to any animal. After merely reading an eyewitness account of a tiny kitten being sacrificed to a fighting dog, I felt sick, and still do every time that haunting memory enters my mind. I'll spare you the details of how the dog killed the kitten, as you don't need those pictures in your head.

Where do these horrible people get the poor cats they use for this? Sadly, it could be from you. Or your local shelter, or cat rescue. Some will have their wives dress up like respectable people looking to adopt, visiting different shelters and even using disguises so the shelters' staff and volunteers won't recognize them. They'll look on Craigslist for people looking to give away litters of kittens, most of whom are just happy that anybody will take them. Others will obtain them by cruising neighborhoods and rounding up any animals, cats or dogs, that they can get who are left outdoors unattended, including inside fenced yards.

So if you let your cats go outdoors, be aware of this very real threat to them. Stay with them when they're out, and don't let them wander the neighborhood.

And if you're trying to re-home a cat or a litter of kittens, do a little due diligence on the person who's offering to take them. Don't be in such a hurry to get rid of them that you'd just give them to anybody who offers. Start up a conversation with the potential adopter and ask a few questions. Consider asking for a small fee for them instead of just giving them away. Pay attention to what your instincts tell you about the people. Be especially suspicious if they want the entire litter.

We can't protect our cats from every danger, but having your cat stolen for such a horrific purpose is a preventable thing. Do what you can to protect yours!

Here's a link to the full story about the dog-fighting ring bust.

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