Every cat lover has a shelf of cat mugs, a drawer of cat socks, and a calendar of somebody else's cats on the kitchen wall. Most gifts for cat lovers add one more to the pile. The 28 here are about their own cat, for the cat to use, or have no cat on them at all.

What Makes a Good Gift for a Cat Lover

The cat lover gifts that get used do at least one of these:

• They're about their cat, not cats in general or one that only looks a bit like theirs.
• The cat will use them, or at the very least sit in the box they came in.
• They can handle claws, fur, and being knocked off a shelf.
• They don't add another cat print to the pile.

The quickest test is whether they've already been given it three times.

5 Gifts Made From a Photo of Their Cat

1. A pillow shaped like their cat. A custom cat pillow is cut to the cat's exact outline from a photo and handmade in Chicago.
2. A sticker sheet of the cat's best faces: the yawn, the glare, and the tongue that never quite goes back in.
3. A needlepoint kit made from a photo, with their cat printed on the canvas and all the thread needed to stitch it.
4. A phone case with the cat on it. They show everyone photos of the cat anyway.
5. A jigsaw puzzle of the cat's most dignified photo, which can be glued and framed once the cat has stopped lying on the pieces.

6 Things the Cat Will Actually Use

1. A window perch that suctions to the glass and gives an indoor cat a proper seat for watching birds all afternoon.
2. A cardboard scratcher lounge. It's a scratcher and a bed in one, and the cat will probably pick it over the expensive fluffy bed.
3. A water fountain with fresh water running all day, for the cat that ignores its bowl and drinks from the bathroom tap.
4. A sturdy wand toy, because the cheap ones are in pieces within a week.
5. A heated cat bed, so the warmest spot in the house in winter is somewhere other than the laptop keyboard.
6. A subscription box of toys and treats, so something new shows up every month without anyone having to think about it.

5 Gifts for Living With a Cat

1. Wall shelves the cat can climb, set in a staggered line so the cat has its own way up the wall and somewhere high to sit.
2. A litter box enclosure that looks like furniture. The litter box goes inside, and nobody has to look at it again.
3. A washable throw for the cat's spot. Lay it over the corner the cat has claimed, and the fur goes in the wash with the throw.
4. A small cordless vacuum kept by the litter box, for the stray litter that would otherwise end up all over the floor.
5. Clear guards for the couch corners the cat scratches, so the couch still looks like a couch next year.

5 Gifts With No Cat on Them at All

Some of the best gifts for cat lovers are just for them.

1. A sweater in their cat's color, as close to the fur as you can find, so the hair stops showing.
2. A coffee subscription for the mornings the cat starts asking for breakfast at 5 a.m.
3. Warm slippers with a thick sole for the walk across a cold kitchen floor to the food bowl.
4. Sleep earbuds for the nights the cat decides 3 a.m. is the time to race through the house.
5. A book stand, so they can keep reading with the cat asleep on their lap.

3 Experiences for Cat Lovers

1. A visit to a cat café: a latte and a room full of cats that want to be petted.
2. Tickets to a local cat show, a day of beautifully groomed cats and owners who take it all very seriously.
3. A donation in their cat's name to the shelter or rescue the cat came from, if it was adopted.

4 Gifts for Two or More Cats

1. One pillow with all their cats on it. More than one cat fits on a pillow, and a note to the design team at checkout says which ones in the photo to include.
2. Food bowls with each cat's name. They settle who eats where, in theory.
3. A second scratcher for another room, so nobody has to fight over the first one.
4. A bigger cat tree with enough levels that nobody has to share.

Five Cat Things They Already Own

Search for unique gifts for cat lovers and these five turn up every time. They have them already.

• The cat mug. There are seven of them, and the coffee tastes the same in each.
• Cat socks, enough for a different cat every day of the week.
• The cat calendar. Twelve photos of strangers' cats, and a new one every December.
• The cat tote bag. It's holding the other cat tote bags.
• The sign saying the cat is in charge, which nobody in the house needed to be told.

If They Just Adopted a Cat

Gifts for new cat owners should be practical. Give a sturdy carrier that opens at the top, which makes vet trips a lot easier. Get a scratcher in place on day one, before the cat chooses the couch instead. Add a few different toys, so they can find out what this cat likes. And a covered bed gives a shy kitten or a rescue somewhere to hide that's nicer than the back of the closet.

Common Questions

What do you buy someone who has cats?

Something about their own cat, or something with no cat on it at all. Christmas gifts for cat lovers work well in pairs: one thing for the cat and one for them. If there's a dog in the house too, our gifts for dog lovers cover the other half.

What do you get a kid who loves cats?

Something they can hold and show their friends, like a pillow shaped like the family cat or a sticker sheet of its funniest faces. If the family doesn't have a cat, a trip to a cat café with a parent makes a good day out.

What do you get someone who wants a cat but can't have one?

Time with real cats. A cat café visit works, or put them in touch with friends who need a pet sitter, so they get to borrow a cat for a weekend.

How do you pick a gift for a cat you've never met?

Ask the owner whether the cat climbs everything or sleeps all day. A climber gets wall shelves or a cat tree, and a sleeper gets the heated bed. If you can't ask, a good wand toy suits almost any cat.

What do you write in a card from the cat?

Something the cat would actually say, which is mostly about food. "Thank you for the opening of cans" covers most of the year, and a paw print drawn in pen where the signature goes finishes the job.

The Gift To Start With

If there's no time to think, start with a pillow made from their favorite photo of their cat. Nobody else could give it, and if it isn't right, All About Vibe remakes it for free until they're happy.