Today, we’re going to tell you about some wonderful goodies that you can purchase for the cats and cat lovers in your life. We’ve carefully vetted all the products and vendors we’ve listed here, and we know you’ll find some great gifts. Enjoy!
Cat Art
Maneki Neko keychain from Tigerpixie Studios
Artist Carrie Hawks of Tigerpixie Studios has created a whole array of wonderful and whimsical paintings, cards, figurines, keychains, and cameos. Tigerpixie Studios has something for every price range. Mama has several of her prints, including two Maneki Nekos, and we all love them very much.
"Kitten in the Sun" by Shelagh Delphyne
Over at Redbubble, photographer Shelagh Delphyne has created a series of gorgeous prints and greeting cards of life and nature in Maine. In her gallery she has quite a few beautifully composed photos featuring cats of all ages and colors.
"Cat in a Chair," one of the artworks for sale at The Art of Cats
And for more fantastical cat art, check out The Art of Cats Studios, an art studio devoted to visual depictions of animals, the construction of artistic environments for cats, and the study of cat behavior. If you live in or near Seattle, Washington, you might want to visit the artists’ studio, which doubles as an innovative living environment for cats, with ladders, spiral staircases, and catwalks that line the ceilings.
"Mother Nature with Kitten" fine art print by Monica Richards
Monica Richards, the singer of Mama’s favorite band, Faith & the Muse, is a very accomplished visual artist as well. She loves cats as much as Mama does, and she makes cats a focus of much of her artwork. Monica’s designs come in cards and on clothing, jewelry, and accessories. Check out Monica’s online studio here or her Etsy shop here.
If you know of any other cat artists, please let us know. We’d be particularly interested in learning about people who create either photographic, painted, or drawn portraits of cats. We love to help artists and find great gifts for people who love their feline friends.
Cat Books and Calendars
Calico Cat calendar from Brown Trout Press
You can’t go wrong with a calendar, because everybody needs one! There are literally hundreds of cat calendars on sale at bookstores all over the world. We’d like to call your attention to Brown Trout Publishers‘ extensive line of cat calendars in every format. If your friend is a fan of calicos, ginger cats, purebred cats, black cats, or any other kind of cat, you’re bound to find something at Brown Trout.
"Tailchaser's Song" by Tad Williams
For the fantasy fan on your gift list, we strongly recommend Tailchaser’s Song by Tad Williams. Written by the author of the Otherland series along with numerous other science fiction/fantasy novels. Tailchaser’s Song is the story of Fritti Tailchaser, a young tomcat who undertakes a quest to find his missing female friend. You can find (or order) this book from your local independent bookstore.
"The Golden Cat" and "The Wild Road" by Gabriel King
Also in the fantasy novel vein, The Wild Road and The Golden Cat by Gabriel King are a pair of fairy-tale stories of Tag the tabby cat, who after the death of his mentor Majicou inherits the task of the caretaker of the wild roads. These stories have all the perfect fantasy elements: love, danger, adventure, and well-written plots and characters. The Wild Road is the first in the series, so if you can only buy one of these books, get this one. Again, you can find (or order) this book from your local independent bookstore.
"Best Friends, No Matter What" by Pet Serrano
Are you looking for a sweet gift for a child? Best Friends, No Matter What is a sweetly illustrated and easy-to-read book written by Pet Serrano. Originally written as a wedding gift for two of her friends, Loki and Mayday play, travel, bake, and engage in separate hobbies as they teach the values of unconditional friendship and love. Better yet, 10% of the profits from sales of this book benefit the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society! You can purchase this gift through Loki’s blog, Orange Cat Blues.
Ooh, Shiny!
"Pet Cat" earrings from Dolphin Designs
Got a friend who loves jewelry? Dolphin Designs features a number of beautiful cat earrings and matching pendants. Made of sterling silver with semiprecious gemstone beads, these items will grace any outfit with style and charm. Ten percent of the sales revenue from certain pieces will be donated to Alley Cat Allies or the Camden-Rockport Animal Rescue League, a no-kill shelter in Rockport, Maine. (Scroll to the bottom of the page to find the cat jewelry.)
Chat With Your Cat
If your friend has always wondered what their cat was trying to tell them, you could connect them with an animal communicator. Over at Pets Are Talking, you can get a gift certificate for an animal communication session with Bridget Pilloud, an intuitive who has communicated with cats–and all sorts of other animals.
Gifts for Cats
Of course, we’d never forget to include a section on gifts for your feline friends. We firmly believe that you should always remember your overlords on the holidays. Or any time at all, for that matter!
Some of the cat toys available at CatFaeries
CatFaeries, our favorite seller of the highly recommended Feliway treatment for cats with urination and anxiety problems, also makes and sells an array of cat toys and flower essences formulated especially for cats. We don’t know any cat who doesn’t like to have a bunch of toys around, and these elegant catnip-filled toys will be lots of fun. CatFaeries also sells the FURminator and some very effective pet odor and stain removers.
One of the Enchanted Tree designs available at A Hidden Hollow
If you feel like giving your little feline overlord a truly elegant cat tree, A Hidden Hollow sells wonderful “designer furniture for spoiled rotten kitties.” Their Enchanted Trees, Corner Towers, and Kitty Chateaux are bound to make your cat feel like the king or queen of your home.
For those who have time and DIY skills but not so much money–or people who just plain like to build things–there are plenty of plans and instructions for how to make your own cat furniture. Learn how to make a cat scratching post at eHow.com or HowToDoThings.com. Cat Tree Plans has six patterns for wonderful and elegant cat trees. You can buy all six plans for $9.95; that plus the cost of materials and a little elbow grease can create a wonderful treat for your kitty friends. You can also find instructions on cat tree construction free of charge at ThriftyFun. You can make a simple and stylish DIY cat bed from instructions here at HGTV’s At Home website.
Paws and Effect Swag
Purr More, Hiss Less logo merchandise from our Zazzle shop
Of course, we couldn’t write a holiday gift guide without shamelessly hawking some of our own Paws and Effect merchandise! Anything you buy from our Zazzle Shop or our Spreadshirt Boutique will help to defray the costs of our website hosting and keep us eating good kibble. Also, we will donate 10% of our profits to the Hancock County SPCA right here in our new hometown of Ellsworth. What more could you ask?
We hope that you and your feline friends have a wonderful holiday season. Please let us know if you know of other cat gifts we could share with our readers.
JaneA Kelley is a punk rock cat mom and award-winning blogger. She is a regular columnist for Catster Magazine, and she and the Paws and Effect Gang share a home in the beautiful Pacific Northwest.