Fun Ways To Include Your Cat In Your Holiday Traditions

For many folks, the holidays are about spending time with family; and if you’re like us, you consider your cat to be part of the family. That means the holidays should include your cat, too! So if you’re looking for some fun, festive ways to include your feline family member in your holiday traditions, here are a few ideas to get you started. 

PS - if you haven't already, enter our Deck the Paws Holiday Cat Photo Contest for a chance to win over $200 in limited edition holiday prizes! Or just browse through the entries for some completely adorable Christmas cats and vote for your favorite festive feline! 

Holiday Card Photo Shoot

Photo via Sarah Petty Photography

Nothing says tradition like a holiday family photo! Include your kitty in on the festive photo shoot to let the world know that they’re an important part of your family. Whether you're modeling holiday sweaters as a family, wearing matching cat onesies, or even have your cat's collar decked out for the holidays, the possibilities for a creative kitty-themed holiday card are endless! Browse our selection of purr-fect holiday cat accessories, like the Holiday Poinsettia Cat Collar Accessory below.  

As always when it comes to dressing up your cats,  it's important to monitor their stress levels and make sure they're comfortable and safe. We never want to stress our favorite furry family members out, after all! 

Pay close attention to your cat’s body language when dressing them in any costumes to make sure they’re not stressed or frightened. While your little Santa Paws might look cute as can be, a lashing tail, lowered head and flattened ears can be a sign of distress; and the usual signs of hissing and swatting are all good indicators that your cat is just not feeling the costume. It’s important to understand your cat's needs and never push them to wear a costume if they are experiencing stress or discomfort. 

Photos With Santa Claws

Some pet stores and pet rescues might host events around this time of year where you can have your pets take photos with Santa! If you think your cat would be for meeting Ol’ Saint Nick himself, it might be the purrfect opportunity to get your holiday photos done in one adorable snapshot!

And, hey, it gives you an excuse to dress your cat up like Santa Claws or a grumpy elf. What could be better than that?

Decorating The Cat Tree

If you’ve got a kitty who thinks the Christmas ornaments look better on the floor than the tree, give them their own Christmas kitty tree to keep their paws busy.

If your cat has a cat tree already, consider decorating it with cat toys that dangle or make noise - and other fun, cat-safe objects your cat would enjoy playing with. Turn their cat tree into a Christmas cat tree! And if your kitty doesn’t have a cat tree of their own? Well, it is the season of giving, and a cat tree would be the purrfect Christmas kitty gift.

Hanging Stockings

When I think Christmas, I always picture a roaring fireplace and stockings hung by the chimney with care. In some families, everyone gets a stocking - even the pets! Celebrate your kitty this Christmas by giving them a stocking of their very own - that way everyone knows they’re a part of the family, too. And you can have tons of fun keeping in the holiday spirit with some playful stocking stuffers for your cat, like these Christmas catnip toys!

Extra TLC

Photo by Patrice Alsteen

This time of year can get pretty busy for us humans, and sometimes our kitties can get left by the wayside - not intentionally, of course! But with all the chaos of shopping for gifts, cooking for friends and family, and traveling for the holidays, finding time to spend with our kitties can be difficult.

Make sure to set aside some special time for your cat this holiday season. Whether it’s through some extra cuddles or some more playtime than usual, make this Christmas a kitty won’t soon forget!

How do you and your cat celebrate the holidays? Let us know in the comments!