It's that time of year! Time to shop for your cat's holiday gifts! Not sure what to get your cat this year? Don't fret; we've got you covered. The Purr-fessors have been testing products all year round and are ready to give you their top 10 must-haves for the 2021 holiday season.
In no particular order, except for item number 1, that is a must-have!
#1 – K&H Cat heater beds – we have 15 in our house for seven cats, and they all get used daily – even in the summer. K&H offers a wide variety of pet beds. Our preference is to buy the bedwarmer insert only. That's because we can use that insert for any of their favorite sleeping areas by surrounding it with a blanket, towel, or under their current bed. The Cat Ball also has a new bed that fits the insert purrfectly, pictured below.
#2 - PETKIT Cat Water Fountain – we love this fountain for a few reasons; Its height is purrfect, so the cats don't have to bend their necks. It's easy to clean as it doesn't have long tubes where gunk can get caught.
#3 - PetSafe 5 Meal Programmable Pet Food Dispenser – we have seven in operation in our house. We love this feeder as you can set it manually, they are reliable, and the cats can't break into them…well, mostly. We set our feeders for dry food snacks throughout the day. Our favorite setting is at 5 am. They get a snack and allow us to sleep in late.
#4 – Catmandoo freeze-dried chicken – aka kitty crack. Cat-man-doo is a local business in Washington. Their customer service is exceptional, fast with excellent communication. Buying direct allows the prices to be reasonable. We use these treats for clicker games, food puzzles, and nightly medication. The cats are always asking for more. Unfortunately, they are out of stock due to the national chicken shortage. They should be back in stock in mid-December.
#5 – The Cat Ball – Their slogan - "Your Cat will figure it out." And they do! They sleep in it. They play with it, and they pounce out of it. The Cat Ball has high-quality, durable material that is washable. They come in a wide range of beautiful colors and textures. Trust us. Another must-have! The Cat Ball is a local business in Washington.
#6 – Target's Cat Scratchers – Target's cat-scratching cardboard houses are the best on the market. They are priced right, creative, decorated for all holidays, eye-catching, funny, and provide the best cat pictures from the human perspective. Of course, from the cat's perspective, the cats need to have a safe spot to sleep or pounce the next moving thing that comes by. But, most importantly, they get the cat's need for horizontal scratching. Ordering online has a variety in stock.
#7 - Heat-Reflective Crinkle Cat Catnip Mat – From The Whole Cat and Kaboodle, a local business in Washington. This mat is our long-time favorite; it has all the ingredients cats love. This mat provides warmth along with a pocket of the best smelling catnip. Cats love to bite, kick, loaf, bury themselves (if you get four or more piled up), and nap on these. Plus, you, as a human, get to enjoy the fun patterns and colors.
#8 – Feliway Diffuser and Comfort Zone Collars – The holidays are stressful for everyone, including your cats. New routines, new people, possible new pet visits. Give the gift that keeps on giving by providing your cats with cat calming pheromones via a collar or a plug-in diffuser. We have personally seen the positive effect the collars have had on our house.
#9 - Clicker Button Clicker – A clicker is a great way to have fun with your cats. It's communicating to your cat, "You did great! Your payment is coming." The clicker is the bridge between the cat doing the behavior and getting their reward, i.e., a treat or pet. To learn more about getting started with clicker games, download this free guide to getting started.
#10 – Food Puzzles – Food puzzles are great as they make your cat think and work for their treats and/or dry food. We found the stress level in the house went down for all of the cats when we introduced the puzzles. Now the cats put their paws on the puzzles and look up at us to say, "reload them NOW." Here are a few of our favorites; Rainy Day Puzzle and Play (level 3), Buggin' Out Puzzle and Play (level 2), and Trixie Cat Activity Feeder, Cat Interactive Toy, Treat Dispenser (5 games in 1).
Enjoy shopping for your favorite cat in your life! Happy Holidays!