Presents for Your Cat: The Top Ten Best Gifts to Spoil Your Feline Friend

If you have a cat, you know it counts as family. It keeps you company, and now and then it deserves a treat. The pet aisle is huge, though, and half of what is in it ends up ignored under the sofa. These are the ten best gifts to spoil your cat with, the ones cats actually use.

Interactive toys

Cats love to play, and laser pointers, puzzle feeders and wand toys all keep them busy. They get your cat moving and give its brain something to do. They are also a good excuse to spend ten minutes a day playing together.

Catnip

If your cat goes wild for catnip, this is one of the easiest gifts. Catnip is a natural herb that makes most cats happy and relaxed for a while. You can buy it inside toys, as a spray or as a live plant for the windowsill.

Scratchers

Every cat owner needs a good scratcher. It gives your cat a place to scratch and stretch, keeps the claws in shape and saves the furniture. Scratchers come in cardboard, sisal and carpet; sisal lasts longest.

Cat trees

A cat tree is a small playground of its own. With different levels and places to hide, your cat will climb it, sleep on it and watch the room from the top. Most have scratching posts and toys built in, and they keep the cat off your couch. It is a good thing to put on your Christmas list.

Find the best cat trees at Amazon.com

Find the best cat trees at Amazon.co.uk

Find the best cat trees at Amazon.ca

Raised beds

A raised bed suits a cat that likes a view. It gives a comfortable spot up high where your cat can nap and keep an eye on everything going on in the house.

Automatic feeders

If your days are busy, an automatic feeder helps a lot. You set it to feed your cat at fixed times, which keeps meals regular and stops the cat from eating too much in one go.

Water fountains

Cats like water fountains because the water stays fresh and keeps moving. That makes them drink more, which is good for them.

Grooming tools

Regular grooming keeps a cat healthy. A good brush and a pair of nail clippers are enough to keep its fur and claws in good shape. Long-haired cats need the brush most.

Comfortable beds

Every cat should have a cosy bed of its own, a place where it can relax and feel safe. Beds come in all shapes and sizes. Watch where your cat sleeps now: a cat that curls up in a ball will prefer a round bed with a raised edge.

Treats

Treats are the small extra that every cat notices. Crunchy or chewy, pick whatever your cat likes, and keep the portions small so it stays in shape. If the family does a Secret Santa for the pets too, a bag of treats is a safe pick.

Pick the gifts that fit your cat's habits: a climber gets the tree, a sleeper gets the bed, and a bored indoor cat gets the puzzle feeder.