12 Days of Shopping: Cat/Dog (Day 10)

Gifts for Dogs and Cats

I thought that the cat post would be hard to do as I have a dog now but I grew up with cats.  I told the dog breeder while we were being “interviewed” that I grew up with cats but my husband had a dog.   She asked what breed of cat.  “Siamese,” I told her.  She laughed because apparently, Siamese cats are the most dog-like of cats.  So I did end up with a puppy which worked out because my husband is very allergic to cats.  Still, I have a fondness for cats so I was happy to investigate cat toys.

It turns out that I didn’t have to wrack my brain over cat gifts after all. Capability:Mom, in her flurry to crank out these 12 days of shopping posts, accidentally started writing up the cat post.  So here it is:

“If you google cat gifts (I’ll save you the trouble) you get a huge (okay 36 million) number of possibilities – Meow.com wins for cutest name and Remeer.com which seems like a nice site does not play the theme from Cats when you land on it – yes, this one does.

The change purses, $7,  shown are from Paper Source and I found them while I was looking into personalized stationery – so cute. disclosure: I do not, nor have I ever owned a cat. I did openly wish I had one instead of a dog last week when it was 10 degrees out and I was, yes, walking the dog. Over the years, I have been asked to cat-sit (I am that responsible) and I do like them but so far we are a dog family. I also have never purchased a cat toy so my recommendations are probably specious at best. Gifts.com has a cute selection of pet gifts.”

She also supplied me with a link from Mashable for high-tech pet gifts.  Here are the three I liked for cats:

Cat Attack Scratching Post, $30. Cats attack is a cardboard scratch post that will stop your cat clawing your furniture. A perfect cat scratcher that looks cool too. Why do we use cardboard? Because cats actually prefer it to all the material scratch posts you can buy plus it’s recyclable too. Easy to pack away and light to carry. The Cats Attack comes in five pieces that slot together to form the scratch post. If one side gets scuffed just turn it around and use the other side… this cat scratcher can last and last too and it isn’t an eyesore. Cats Attack – Finally a cool-looking cat scratcher you’ll actually want to leave up in your lounge.

This is from me:  I have to say that this is a well-priced and very cool cat scratching post.  During my research, I did not find a nicer nor better-priced scratching post.  If I had a cat, I would DEFINITELY buy this one!

$22. The battery-operated, lean, mean string-flinging machine that cats love. No assembly required simply hang it on the door and turn it on. Works on any standard doorknob. The Fling-ama-String has two speeds for maximum kitty fun. This toy entices even the laziest of cats to play and improves eye-paw coordination. *Requires 3 AA batteries (not included).

This is from me: The photo is so hysterically funny that I was intrigued by this toy.  My cats loved to chase a piece of paper wadded into a fan-like shape tied to a string.  This is the high-end version.  I’d personally go with the homemade version though!  I think it’s more fun for your kitty to play with you!

Frolic Cat Bolt, $16. A finalist in the 2009 Chicago Innovation Awards, the FroliCat BOLT Interactive Laser Toy can entertain you and your cat for hours. Hold it in your hand or place it on a flat surface. The BOLT emits an automatically generated red laser pattern that will have your kitty leaping, jumping, and batting with glee. Use it in automatic mode and watch your pet chase random patterns, or try manual mode and aim the laser dot wherever you like. You can create your own exciting laser patterns. You can also adjust the mirror to aim the laser across a variety of surfaces. Even the laziest cat will have a ball. An automatic shutoff feature activates after 15 minutes in either mode, or you can operate the manual on/off switch. Requires 4 AA batteries (sold separately).

This is from me:  This is too high-tech for me, but I am not a high-tech person.  I wonder how long this would hold your cat’s attention.  At $16, it’s worth a gamble to find out.

Finally, she sent me links for growing cat grass that cats like to eat.  I think that Capability:Mom is secretly a cat person lurking in a dog household though her post for great dog gifts is here!  These are gifts that you grow for your cat:

I have grown this very Cat Grass (or Oat Grass) for a preschool project — you know the kind when the kids grow grass in a paper cup?  It’s super easy to grow in a small pot or even a mug.  You will get 4 inches of grass within a week or two.  And at $2, you’ll have enough seeds to grow grass all winter long and your cat will love you for it.

Another option would be to grow Cat Nip for your cat.  This seed packet is $2.89 from Seeds of Change.  Cats do love this stuff and tend to roll around in it, so plan your container accordingly!  Alternately, you can grow it, snip it, and give it to your pet!

To examine any item more closely, please click on image.