At holiday season, cat people are the easiest to shop for, especially now we can find so many hand-crafted goodies on Etsy. I don’t really need any more cat-themed bits and bobs — I’m still decorating my home with critters from the best cat lady estate sale — but I couldn’t resist compiling an imaginary shopping list.
Here are some of the goodies my cats would be happy to find under the Christmas tree this year.
1. The Vorpal Rabbit White Faux Fur Cat Ball Cat Bed
Gentleman Jim loves all kind of soft-sided donut beds, especially his heated hot tubs (much beloved by Keith’s tabby, Thomas). His latest bed acts like a Venus fly trap when it squishes up and traps him in it, but he’s quite happy to snooze in its felty embrace.
This bed is named for the famous bloodthirsty bunny in Monty Python and the Holy Grail. It amuses me no end to think of my cat sprawled inside its jaws.
Wouldn’t you love to see your cat asleep in the Vorpal Bunny’s mouth? Photo via TheCatBall/Etsy
TheCatBall on Etsy, $99
2. Rob Reger’s Gem Cats
Rob is a bona fide cat guy and the artist behind cartoon glowerer Emily the Strange, who has had many cat-related adventures of her own. He has recently branched out into limited-edition hand-cast polyurethane sculptures of cats in solid jewel colors. I think they’re gorgeous and classic.
Pixie and Trixie. Image courtesy Rob Reger
Rob’s site explains that every Kitty Gem is unique because they are finished by hand, so “each piece was handled with care and Rob’s love is personally included in each kitty.” Aww.
Rob Reger Art, $120 and up
3. Meowijuana Catnip Buds — Purrple Passion
I saw people passing around little jars of this stuff at BarkWorld this year and can confirm that the scent is pretty potent.
Ambrose and Jim are ardent admirers of extra-strong ‘nip and will gnaw their Yeowww! catnip cigars until they are soggy, so I think they’ll dig this.
Meowijuana, $11.95 and up
4. Chocolates with a custom message from Selfie Tin
I chose Jeff Hebert’s drawing of Ambrose for my custom tin.
I have a lot of small collections that live in various containers, such as hatboxes from bygone department stores such as the Emporium in San Francisco, or repurposed Quality Street candy tins. I try to resist adding to my storage options, but Chocolate Text’s customized boxes will help me organize my tchotchkes better. Maybe I’ll keep all of Ambrose’s treats and medications in this one, once I’ve eaten all the fancy organic chocolate.
$24.95 and up, Chocolate Text
5. Cat’s head coasters from Felt Planet
I drink a LOT of tea, which used to mean a lot of sticky mug rings on tables and desks. I got these in my Cat Lady Box subscription and immediately put them to work.
Image courtesy felt planet/Etsy
The coasters are nice and thick, so you can avoid that teeth-grittingly annoying CRACK if you set your drink down too firmly.
felt planet, $16 for set of five
6. Lend Me a Paw doorstop from ModCloth
Ambrose and Jim don’t get on — believe me, we’ve tried — and to avoid any more inappropriate urination, we keep the door closed between them. There’s a large gap under the living room door, which gives plenty of room for Ambrose to wail through and/or stick his paw into.
Ambrose sticks his paws out to our foster kitten, the Jean Genie.
Sometimes he manages to unhook the door and storm in to menace Jim, who is a mild-mannered kitty (that’s why his full name is Gentleman Jim).
Having a doorstop like this one would keep the door steady, as well as amusing me when I see the little pink beans of the paw pads.
ModCloth, $12.99
7. Cone Kitty tree ornament from Archie McPhee
No shame here.
Jim and Ambrose have worn the Cone of Shame at different times in their lives, and they always make a point of being as pathetic and hunchbacked as possible. Or somewhat defiant, as Jim shows here:
“As soon as this comes off, I’m going to kick that smile off your face.”
In contrast, the Archie McPhee Christmas tree kitty is proud to wear her cone. I’m tempted to decorate a small tree just for the cats with a dozen of these ornaments.
$14.95, Archie McPhee
8. Lil BUB BUBblehead from the BUB Store
This BUB bobblehead makes all the same otherworldly noises the real kitty does.
If you want a Lil BUB to hug, there’s also a glowing, purring plush version at $28.
Lil BUB’s Lil Store, $25 (of which $3 goes to charity); order by Dec. 15 for guaranteed Christmas delivery.
Read more holiday obsessions on Catster:
- Holiday Donations: 10 Good Cat-Related Causes
- Holiday Obsessions: 10 Cat-Themed Stocking Stuffers
- Holiday Obsessions: Kitty Decor for a Meowy Christmas
About Vicky Walker: Prickly British grammar nerd with a soft center. Obsessed with old people, history, and the contents of the litter box. Endlessly patient wrangler of two cats, one of whom may or may not be indoor-outdoor — don’t be mad. Executive editor at Catster and Dogster.
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