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For perfect kitty stocking stuffers and new-cat-parent gifts, we’ve added a cozy cat cave and a butterfly batting toy. Elephant Plush Crinkled Paper Dog Toys With Rope
Cats are very picky customers. Unfortunately, they’re also terrible at making lists. We’ve gathered the best Wirecutter-tested, staff-recommended gifts for kitties (and the humans who love them). So you can rest assured that your present will be purrfect, whether it’s a delightful toy, a sleek scratching lounge, a dish fit for royalty, or cozy hideaways.
This minimalist, 100%-wool safe space can fit a cat up to 24 pounds—or several tiny ones.
Cats famously love squeezing themselves into all manner of small spaces, hence the absurdist meme “If It Fits, I Sits.” The Mau Horizon Felt Cat Cave—made of 100% wool—will keep your furry friends feeling safe and sheltered. Available in two shades of gray, the cocoon-like felt dome can fit one cat up to 24 pounds or several smaller ones, and its expensive/earthy aesthetic would work in any Brentwood-esque living room. And it’s easy to clean with a vacuum or lint roller.
Affixed to sturdy wires, colorful fabric butterflies spin around on a AAA-battery-powered base.
Wirecutter staff writer Kaitlin Mahar says the Flurff Zenes Electric Butterfly Cat Toy is the only thing that keeps her kitties occupied while she works, and it’s her go-to gift for friends who have cats. Glow-in-the-dark fabric butterflies are affixed to sturdy wires, and they spin around on a heavy, AAA-battery-powered base. Cats attack them with ferocious gusto. Over about a month of play, Kaitlin’s cats can successfully shred a butterfly, but the toy comes with two refills, and they’re otherwise cheap and easy to replace.
Submit a tight, straight-on shot of a pet’s mug, and then await the adorable result (it can take up to four weeks to arrive). This self-inking stamp is dark, smudge-resistant, and a surprisingly accurate depiction.
Anyone who’s obsessed with their fur baby will go wild over this Custom Pet Portrait Stamp. Just upload a photo of the beloved pet’s face, type in the name, and then choose from one of five colors for the stamp box. Be sure to choose a well-lit photo, with a clear, tight shot of the pet’s full head from the front (blurry, dark photos taken at a distance won’t look as great on a stamp). The self-inking, black-and-white stamp will arrive in a few weeks. Some reviewers noted that it took longer than expected to arrive, but most were overjoyed to be stamping away.
This infinity scratcher is a little pricey, but it’s durable and sleek-looking, and it’s made from dozens of layers of dense recycled cardboard. It also doubles as a comfy cat lounger.
Though the somewhat-pricey PetFusion Ultimate Cat Scratcher is not our top-pick model, supervising editor Hannah Morrill and staff writer Samantha Schoech have both found that their felines love this gift-worthy competitor. The infinity-shaped scratcher comes with a one-year warranty, and it’s made of recycled corrugated cardboard layers that are stuck together with a nontoxic cornstarch glue. Sam’s two cats have been enjoying this scratcher for at least three years, and it’s still going strong. Hannah said her cat entirely shredded one side over a period of six months; flipping it over yielded another half a year. And all of the felines mentioned here use it as a pleasant perch between sharpening sessions.
This handheld cleaner’s back-and-forth rolling generates an electrostatic charge that effectively clears even the most hair-matted upholstery. It holds up for years and doesn’t require refills.
When you roll the ChomChom Pet Hair Remover back and forth over fur-covered fabric, it creates an electrostatic charge that picks up hair and then collects it in an easy-to-empty chamber. That may seem like magic, but actually it’s just the fur-grabbing brushes and a rubber lip working together to capture everything—even the most embedded fibers. Empty the simple plastic device’s collection enclosure with the touch of a button, and there’s nothing more to clean, replace, or refill. Samantha gives this pet-hair cleaner to new pet parents because it’s the only thing she’s found that can keep up with the amount of fur generated by her own two fluffballs.
Transform a high-res image into a double-take-worthy pet doppelgänger in about a week.
When staff writer Samantha Schoech’s daughter was away from home for a few months and missing their cat Francis, one of these pet-shaped pillows acted as a snuggly stand-in. Just send in a high-res photo, choose a size (10, 16, or 24 inches), and review the digital mock-up. In about a week, your pet-loving friend will receive a photo-realistic pillow in the shape of the good kitty in their life. The pillow’s polyester velvet is less cuddly than actual cat fur, but it’ll do in a pinch. And beware: These pillows are so realistic-looking that they can easily be mistaken for the real thing!
These elegant raised ceramic bowls are as pleasing to design-minded humans as they are to pampered cats.
Though the evidence is shaky for claims that elevated cat bowls aid digestion or ease whisker fatigue, these handmade ceramic vessels most definitely offer real upsides. The glazed ceramic won’t harbor catne-causing bacteria, as plastic bowls can, and the wide, tilted basin keeps pest-attracting kibble off the floor. The same manufacturer also offers non-tilted versions, which may work better for water. These bowls are somewhat heavy, and though they can withstand the dishwasher, it’s easier to hand-wash them.
This fantasy series, about a clan of warrior cats, has captured the imaginations of young readers since 2003.
If you know a feline-fanatic reader between the ages of 8 and 11, Warriors: The Complete First Series (Volumes 1 to 6) is sure to be a hit. Four clans of wild cats (not to be confused with the “kitty pets” who live in our homes) face intrigue, battles, and magic in their quest to keep peace in the forest. Since this series was first published, in 2003, over 30 million books have been sold, in 35 different languages.
This classic cardboard-and-wire cat toy has been a durable feline favorite for 40 years.
May be out of stock
Pet stores are filled with variations on the wand-style cat toy, but the Cat Dancer Original Interactive Cat Toy is an enduring classic. The cardboard-and-wire toy was invented by a college student who was too broke to buy “real” toys for the kittens he had adopted. (He was working at a shelter part-time. Now, nearly 40 years later, the company he founded has donated thousands of Cat Dancer toys to shelters.) This toy is sturdy and cheap. And, according to Wirecutter’s Winnie Yang, “Holy moly, does our cat go nuts for it!”
This rechargeable motorized fish—which starts flopping as soon as it’s touched—will unleash a cat’s inner hunter. For extra allure, it can also be used with catnip.
If there’s one thing that’s universal about cats, it’s this: They love to bat at things, and Potaroma’s Flopping Fish Toy lets them pounce to their heart’s content. This padded fabric fish toy is interactive. And because its built-in motor has a motion sensor, as soon as it’s touched, the fish will start wiggling around. Then your cat can choose to give chase or lie in wait, ready to unleash their inner hunter. To further entice your feline family member, this toy also comes with a little bag of catnip.
Open on both sides for easy access, this hexagonal, machine-washable cat bed is a safe and cozy haven.
If you don’t know what type of bed your cat will love, the cave-like Cat Ball is one of our top picks, out of the 13 cat beds tested for our guide. It helps feline friends feel cozy and covered, and it also provides plenty of space for stretching out. In fact, this adorable hexagonal bed was deemed comfy even for kitties closer in size to Garfield (it fits felines up to 19 pounds). This bed is a statement piece, and it comes in a multitude of colors and patterns; the shark and strawberry designs are two particularly cute options. It’s made of 100% cotton and can be machine-washed, so if your kitty tends to have accidents or just sheds a lot, cleanup is easy.
On these cute, stretchy cotton socks, the pointed kitty ears come to just above the ankle. Each set includes five pairs.
The world of cat socks is rich and mysterious. One of our favorite finds comes via staff writer Dorie Chevlen, who got this five-pack of cat socks as a gift a few years ago. Each sock features a sweet feline face and paw prints. And best of all, the little kitty ears graze the ankles. The socks look great with cropped pants and loafers, and the stretchy cotton stays soft and comfortable, even after years of wear.
This deshedding tool’s fine-toothed stainless comb collects an impressive amount of fur with each stroke, especially from hard-to-groom long-haired and double-coated breeds.
There are several reasons a feline-filled household will likely love the FURminator Undercoat deShedding Tool (which happens to be a longtime Wirecutter favorite). First of all, it works wonders for long-haired and double-coated breeds, like Maine coons and Persians, who shed their coats when the seasons change. Second, even good ol’ shorthaired kitties shed. And regular brushing cuts down on the amount of hair humans have to sweep and vacuum (drawing the brush slowly down a cat’s back yields impressive clumps). Plus, once cats adjust to the sensation, they often come to enjoy the gentle ritual.
This affordable, easy-to-clean water fountain keeps water fresh, and it’s a nice size for cats. It will satisfy persnickety sippers who insist on drinking from running faucets.
When a simple water bowl just won’t do, consider the Catit Flower Fountain, our favorite water fountain for cats (and some small dogs). It encourages even the most discriminating drinkers to hydrate, and it has three settings—gentle flow, bubbling top, and faucet-like stream. In our tests we found that this fountain was one of the simplest to clean—thanks to its smooth, open surfaces—and it ran very quietly. If you’re not a fan of the flower on top, you can use the included flat top instead.
No need to spend a lot on a fancy pet cam. This camera offers a sharp image, four choices for video storage, and a continuous recording option, and it can distinguish between different motions and sounds.
If you’re curious about what your cat does when you’re not home, the inexpensive Eufy Indoor Cam C120 will keep tabs on your pet from anywhere that has an internet connection. After testing many pet cameras, we found that indoor security cameras work well (and, in some cases, better) than designated pet cameras. The inexpensive, wireless Eufy camera captures sharp, 2K-resolution video with a 125-degree field of view, and it can distinguish among pets, people, and general motion. There are three options for storage—record footage for free to a microSD card or NAS; use your iCloud storage with Apple HomeKit Secure Video; or subscribe to the Eufy Cloud Service ($3 per month or $30 per year for 30 days of storage for one camera).
A motion-activated heating insert slides into a reversible, washable foam pillow. This bed is great for cats who love to stay cozy.
When the temperatures drop, your cat will enjoy curling up on something warm and cozy, and the Thermo-Kitty Mat Heated Pet Bed fits the bill. The removable heating pad fits inside the 12½-by-25-inch foam bed. It heats only when a cat lies down, and then only to 102 degrees Fahrenheit (about the same as a cat’s body temperature). The bed itself is machine-washable and can be used on its own when the weather is warm. Just beware: After lounging on this mat, your cat may never want to hang out on your lap again!
This is the best-looking litter box we recommend. It’s easy to clean, with seamless sides and a folding, magnetic lid.
Cleaning a litter box is the best thing about being a pet owner … said no one ever. It’s not a fun chore, but the Modkat Flip Litter Box definitely makes litter-box maintenance a lot easier. The base of the Modkat—one of our favorite litter boxes—is designed to prevent leaking and litter scatter. And the lid flips, so depending on what your cat prefers, it can be left fully open, half-open, or closed (when privacy is needed). This litter box gives owners easy access, allowing them to quickly scoop and clean and get on with their day. The Modkat box also comes with a fun extra: The cardboard packing insert morphs into a puzzle box for your cat (there’s even a ping-pong ball, to get the game rolling).
These catnip-filled stuffed birds look like they’ve been through it, but that’s part of their charm. Plush and feathered to resemble the real thing, they bring out a kitty’s natural hunting instincts.
These catnip-stuffed birds—charmingly named Batty and Quirky—are about the size of the real thing, and they’re designed to appeal to two feline obsessions: feathery fluffiness and, um, dead birds. Your cat is likely to go from stalking the toys to cuddling them while drifting off into a catnip-fueled trance.
Strong suction cups and a roomy acrylic structure readily accommodate multiple avian visitors. It’s squirrel-proof, and it can get messy, but it’s easy to clean.
Sure, the Jarkyfine Window Bird Feeder is primarily intended to appeal to human bird-watchers. That’s no doubt what senior staff writer Rachel Cericola meant when she suggested it as a gift. According to Rachel, “It easily attaches to your window and can be paired with a bag of birdseed or even a security camera, or our pick for binoculars, the Athlon Optics Midas ED. It provides hours of enjoyment for anyone who loves the little birdies.” But cats may enjoy the bird view even more—just be sure kitties do their bird-watching indoors, so they aren’t tempted to attack their feathered friends.
These hand-embroidered pet-portrait T-shirts come in three styles, from simple black-and-white outlines to full-color designs.
Pet lovers may wear their hearts on their sleeves … or their pets on their chests (close enough). Send in a photo of your loved one’s pet, and Vyshyto will create a 100% cotton T-shirt with their kitty’s picture embroidered on it. Choose from three styles, including a subtle, hand-stitched outline and a full-color portrait.
We love finding gifts that are unusual, thoughtful, and well vetted. See even more gift ideas we recommend.
This article was edited by Hannah Morrill and Jennifer Hunter.
Except for the time she gave a boyfriend her mother’s old toaster for Christmas, staff writer Samantha Schoech has a reputation as an excellent gift giver. She lives in San Francisco with two teens, two cats, a geriatric betta fish, and a bookseller husband. Her first book of short stories, My Mother’s Boyfriends, is coming out in 2024.
Mari Uyehara is a staff writer for Wirecutter’s gifts team. She was previously an editor at GQ, Saveur, and Vice, and she won a 2019 James Beard Award for her column on American cooking in Taste. The daughter of a potter, she has long been a believer in the power of a well-made thing.
After testing nine cat trees, we think the stable, spacious, well-built New Cat Condos Premier Triple Cat Perch is the best lounging space for your cats.
Self-cleaning litter boxes are expensive and more work than they're worth. The Litter-Robot III Open Air is the least bad, but we don't recommend one.
After testing 19 mats with dozens of cats and retesting our picks against new models, we like the Gorilla Grip Cat Litter Trapping Mat the best.
Good cat litter helps keep smells down, clumps well, and is easy to clean. After six years, we still think Dr. Elsey’s Ultra is the best litter for most cats.
elephant plush toy big ears Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right (the first time).