Eowyn's Holiday Gift Guide for Cats (2017)

Bullett’s already made his “guest-blogging” contribution this season with his Holiday Gift Guide for Dogs, but of course we had to come full-circle and write a holiday gift guide for cats and their owners. Below are a few of Eowyn’s favorite things that she and I are enthusiastic about, but of course we know that every cat is different and their favorites might be different. This guide is perfect for first-time cat owners or cat parents looking to try some different things for their cat and mix it up a bit. You know your cat best, but here are Eowyn’s suggestions.

Orijen Freeze-Dried Cat Treats

If you know Eowyn, you know she is a terribly obnoxious, borderline-obsessive foodie. There aren’t many things that she won’t eat. We do know that she loses control for these treats, however. We get Orijen for both our dog and cat’s dry food, and we can’t say enough good things about the quality of ingredients and their mission as a brand. These treats come in a variety of flavors--Eowyn has tried original and wild boar and enjoys them both. Because she is nothing but a royal pain in the butt when we are cooking or eating dinner, she has to go into our bedroom until all the food is put away. She hears this bag and comes running, and we always give her a couple when she has to go away for dinnertime. They don’t contain cheese, but these treats are healthy and she loves them.

“Crinkle Balls”

These soft, metallic mylar balls are hands-down Eowyn’s favorite toys. They are inexpensive, and make a “crinkle” sound whenever they are touched which tap into a cat’s hunting instincts and keeps her playing for a long time (or until she loses them under the couch). Eowyn even will bring them back to us to throw back-and-forth. She plays fetch better than the dog.

Catnip/Catnip Toys

Eowyn is part of the 40-50% of cats that are affected by Catnip which definitely makes owning a cat more interesting. We get her catnip from the farmers market but also toys that contain catnip such as creations by Taco Cat Creations in Madison. There are various catnip toys that are available online as well on Amazon and Etsy as well. If you know how to sew, many catnip toys are easy to do-it-yourself (Future blog post?). We find that Eowyn finds her catnip toy after it has been “lost,” likely due to the smell. We appreciate this, as it is less-digging under the couch for her crinkle balls.

Cat Dancer Toy

We got Eowyn this toy for Valentine’s day, which was only 2 days after we brought her home as a baby. She’s loved this toy ever since. They’re inexpensive, can mount on the wall, and keeps kitties occupied with play for a long time. If we want to have interactive play with her, we simply take it off the wall.

Cat Tree

We strongly believe in Jackson Galaxy’s mantra that you should “catify” your home, and cat trees are one of the best ways to do so as it provides a place that is uniquely theirs.  There are many different kinds, some simple and many elaborate. We chose Eowyn’s because it provides an area up near the top for a food dish, so her food is away from the dog. She especially likes hanging out in the top-most perch on a sunny day.

If you’re in the market for a stylish, well-made collar for your cat, we of course reccomend Geopetric’s cat collar’s. Eowyn scratches behind her ear as most cats do, and after months of having her collar, it looks brand new showing no wear-or-tear. In addition, 10% of every order goes back to rescue pets like Eowyn, so these collars are the gift that keep on giving.

We hope that this holiday season treats you and your pup well, and that Santa Paws delivers toys and treats instead of coal. If you’re doing your shopping way ahead of time, be sure to keep your cat’s presents locked away so they can’t possibly find them beforehand. Eowyn’s totally gotten into the kitchen cupboards before, and if she can do it, so can any kitty.

Happy Holidays,

The Girl in the Unicorn Pajamas & Eowyn