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

Twelve Days of Christmas Gift Ideas, Day 4:

NOTE: These ideas originally linked to products sold on the Old Maid Cat Lady retail site. Those links have been removed, as the store no longer exists, but I've left the ideas for you.

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) shown above. Even on sunny days, they can sunburn, so it's a good idea to put either some sunscreen (yes, we sold 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 was able to find some items that worked and looked cute, as well. Here, then, were several ideas for those who either wanted or needed to dress up their cats. You may be amazed at some of the options! (Prices shown for all items did not include shipping, and are for the year this post was originally published.)

Day 4 Gifts for Cats: Sweaters and Kitty Fashions

Festive party collars always help set a holiday mood! These tended to sell out early as bricks-and-mortar retail stores would buy up our supplier's inventory. We offered them in Christmas Stars, Jingle Bells, Christmas Trees, and Christmas Snowflakes, as well as many other styles and colors. They were elasticized for safety. And at only $5.95 each, you could have afforded several for all of kitty's holiday parties! But you had to act quickly because the closer to Christmas it got, the scarcer these would become.

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

The Mousin' Around cat sweater ($19.95) was also 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:

Sadly, Meow Wear went out of business even before Old Maid Cat Lady did, selling off their remaining inventory to another retailer.

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 carried many harnesses, including the Choke-Free Collars ($14.95) from Leather Brothers. They came 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 had matching leashes available! All were soft, high quality leather with a paw print ornament on each side. They were easy to get on and off your cat. Here's one in blue metallic on a kitten:

This denim harness vest by Doggles was made for dogs, but fit 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 was very nice, including a D-ring on the back to which you could attach the leash or tether:

The same company that made these also made a very popular Black Biker Harness Vest and Dress, for those tough kitties. All of the harness vests and dresses sold 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 was another item that was made for dogs, but would work okay on cats. A hole on the back allowed you to attach a leash to the cat's harness underneath. They sold for $35.95 and had a coated nylon outside and polyester mesh inside for comfort. They were available in two sizes and six colors, plus camo:

If you didn't think your cat would like the hood, we also offered several of the Avant-Garde harnesses by 26 Bars and a Band ($21.95). They were made from a water-resistant polyester fabric and had a D-ring on back for attaching a leash. Although made for dogs, they had adjustable sides and front, so you could get them to fit your kitty quite nicely. Shown here is the London Calling design, and it was 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 weighed 1.2 ounces, so your cat will barely even know it's there!

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

If your taste in art ran more toward the traditional, we offered 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 sold for $14.95:

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

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

Kate Larsen's quirky cat art was 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 could find these and many more cat cards in Old Maid Cat Lady's Stationery & Paper Goods section, when the site was still in business. More gift ideas to come tomorrow!

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

Twelve Days of Christmas Gift Ideas, Day 3: 

NOTE: This post originally had links to products sold on the Old Maid Cat Lady retail site. Those links have been removed, since the site no longer exists. But I have left the ideas here for you.

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 could find many other beautiful cat shirts in our Shirts section and we were adding more all the time.