10 best gifts for cats: Treats for your fuzzy friends

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Gifts for cats – including toys, scratching posts, and beds. Tested by two kitties who are going to tell you the truth about what cats like.

Okay, so you’ve finished your holiday shopping for Grandma, Little Timmy, and your kid’s teacher. But what about that special feline on your list?

Cats give so much. Don’t forget them!

Avon & Cally have volunteered to help me out with a list of gifts for cats. These are some of their most loved toys, beds, and hideouts. Consider them for the cat on your list!

Window sill perch

All year ‘round, the window sill perch is the place to be. It’s a good spot to sunbathe & watch the birds outside. It’s also a cozy place to sit and groom your favorite feline pal.

When we adopted Cally, she immediately made herself at home there. She seemed to say, “Oh, yeah. This place is going to be just fine. Let me just unpack.”

(Avon & Cally’s exact window perch is 10 years old and no longer available online. However, this is a pretty close facsimile.)

Small toys

Cats love small toys for wrestling, fetching, and snuggling.

This banana is Avon’s favorite stuffed toy. We named it Carl. It’s filled with catnip. And it’s just the right size for kicking at with his feet while he holds it.

He also enjoys this rainbow made by the same company, as well as fetching toy mice. Cally is a big fan of soft balls that she can chase.

Tunnels

Cats love to run down tunnels, hide in them, and chase each other through them. We have a couple of tunnels – both single and quadruple. 

Cat bed

Cats love a new place to sit – especially if it’s positioned in front of a heater or on a warm patio. As long as it’s small, cozy, and soft, it’s going to be a hit.

(This isn’t their exact cat bed, but it’s close.)

Pro tip: TJ Maxx often has a variety of cute & inexpensive cat beds.

Scratching post

Scratching posts are a must for kitties. They’re good for stretching and to blow off steam. And it saves our furniture.

We have a variety of scratching posts in the house, including some that they can sit on together and look out the window.

(Our kitties aren’t declawed, because declawing is cruel. Declawing is basically amputating the ends of their paws. We simply trim their nails instead when they get too sharp, and they don’t mind at all.)

Track ball

Track balls help kitties to use their hunter instincts. They love to “surprise” the balls with a sneak attack.

We have a couple of simple circular tracks that they both enjoy batting. And we have another one that has a track similar to a race car track with a ball that lights up. Both are big hits.

(You can see a video of Avon playing with the race car track on my Facebook page.)

Cat tree

To really help kitties get a good vantage point to a high window, a cat tree is a favorite. We have had a few over the years.

Right now in the living room, we have one that is midcentury modern in aesthetic. And it fits with our furniture.

They also enjoy this cat tree we have on our glassed in patio. The rope and carpet is easy to climb and scratch, which is a plus for them.

Toy bank

No, I’m not suggesting your cat should start saving for college. (I’m sure they’d make a good purr-fessor, though!)

This toy bank is actually not marketed as a cat toy. After the button is tapped on it, a plastic cat, Godzilla, or Santa pops out (to take the coin you’ve left).

The cat says, “Hello. Thank you.” Godzilla roars and plays the movie theme music. Santa plays a Christmas carol.

It’s a bank for kids, but Avon loves these. He often goes into the room where they are stored to tap on the button and watch as the cat or Godzilla pops out.

How did he figure it out? I just showed it to him once, and held his paw to the button. After that he started doing it on his own.

Obviously, interest in this will vary depending on the cat. We’ve had two other cats who have seen it, and neither of them have shown an ounce of interest.

Laser pointer

Laser pointers are lots of fun for a cat. Guide the light along the wall, across the ground, or “hide” it behind a chair leg. Cats can’t wait to sneak attack and attempt to catch it.

Cally is obsessed with the laser pointer. If we go near the drawer where it’s kept, she insists that we play for a while.

Of course, it’s important to be cautious with laser pointers. Never point them directly in a cat’s eyes. Also, note that they may be overstimulating to dogs, and aren’t recommended for them.

Fountain

It’s good for kitties to stay hydrated. By having a water fountain going, they are encouraged to drink more.

This fountain is always going at our house. 

Free gifts for cats

Of course, some of the most beloved things for cats in the home are already fixtures or free.

Nothing beats the perfect cozy blanket.

Cats love a good laundry basket – especially if there’s warm laundry involved.

Boxes in a variety of sizes are always a favorite. Ribbon is popular this time of year. (But be careful to only use it in supervised play.)

Finally, the kitties are enamored with videos for cats on YouTube. They are especially mesmerized by the bird videos.

They’re good to play during the winter months, when there are fewer animals outside to watch through the window.

Content updated January 8, 2021. Originally posted December 6, 2019.