What do you get a cat person who already has everything?

Something with their own cat on it. They already have the mug, the socks and the tote bag. Hardly anybody gives them an object with their actual animal on it.

Are printed trading cards of a cat a real gift?

They are 2.5 x 3.5 inches, the same size as a Pokemon card, printed at 300 DPI on semi gloss stock with a varnish. One card is $10 and a pack of 8 is $29, with shipping included.

Can I get a card of someone else’s cat?

You need a photo you took yourself, so take one next time you visit. You cannot make a card of a cat you have never met. Every card belongs to whoever actually found the animal.

What is a good cat gift under $30?

A pack of 8 printed cards is $29 with shipping, and one card is $10. From the rest of this list: a wand toy, a fresh bag of catnip, or a photo of their cat in a cheap frame.

What do you give someone whose cat has died?

A photo or a card of that cat, given quietly and not tied to a holiday. Say the cat’s name when you give it.

🎁A gift guide

Cat gifts for cat lovers

I make one of the things on this list, printed trading cards of people’s cats, so I am not a neutral party. The rest is what I would actually buy for a cat person, a few that cost nothing, and a few I would skip.

A trading card of their cat

Take a photo of their cat in the app and it makes a card: name, type, two moves and stats. You can change any of it. Then order it printed, and it gets posted to you or straight to them.

STAGE 2

Ruby 👑

CP160

Tabby Maine Coon

Belly Trap60

Looks soft and inviting. Anyone who touches it regrets it immediately.

Tail Thump90

A slow, heavy thump. You have been warned. You did not listen. Big mistake.

weaknessvacuum cleanerFound by a stranger

CFrare

STAGE 2

Notorious Poof

CP130

Ginger Flame Point Ragdoll

Banshee Scream60

Unleashes a shriek at every passerby. Neighbors have filed complaints. Cat does not care.

Dig Zone90

Excavates the entire garden bed. No bulb is safe. No fence can stop the Poof.

weaknessvacuum cleanerFound by a stranger

CFlegendary

STAGE 1

Petra

CP100

Ginger Cream Tabby

Endless Monologue40

Petra has thoughts. So many thoughts. She will share all of them. Right now.

Stern Lecture70

She stares you down and meows until you apologize. You don't know what for.

weaknessclosed doorsFound by a stranger

CFcommon

Three real cards, of three cats somebody stopped for.

One card$10printed and posted

A pack of 8$29mostly their cats, plus 2 they have never met

You pick all 8$39every card chosen by you

ShippingIncludedanywhere in the world

How to give one

Take a photo of their cat.Next time you visit. The one that lives outside their building works too.
Check the card.Change the name or the moves if you know the cat better than the photo does.
Order it.One card or a pack of 8. Shipping is included, and it takes a week or two from Canada.

You need a photo you took yourself, so this one means actually going to see the cat. More about the cards.

The app is free on iPhone and Android. Prices are in US dollars, or Canadian dollars in Canada.

Gifts for the cat

A wand toy. Somebody has to hold it, which is the point. Battery ones skip that part.
A fresh bag of catnip. Old catnip does nothing, and plenty of people have decided their cat does not care for it when the bag is just three years old.
A window shelf. Cats watch the street all day. Hardly anyone buys one.
A new cardboard scratcher. Everybody has one and nobody replaces it until it is in shreds.
A big plain box. Seriously.

Gifts that cost nothing

Print a photo of their cat. It is on their phone hundreds of times and on the wall zero times. A cheap frame is enough.
Name a street cat after them. Whoever finds a cat first in the app names it, and the name sticks. See the cats people have found so far.
Go on a cat walk. Some neighbourhoods put their cats in the window for an afternoon. Here is every one I know about.
Donate to their local trap and neuter group. In their name, with the receipt in the card.

Things I would skip

Anything that says “crazy cat lady”. They have been given it before.
A calendar of other people’s cats. They already have a favourite cat.
A toy subscription box. The cat ignores most of it, and then they have to cancel a present.
A surprise cat DNA kit. A swab, a deadline and a small worry about the results.
A pet, as a surprise. Please do not.

Questions people ask

What do you get a cat person who already has everything?: Something with their own cat on it. They already have the mug, the socks and the tote bag. Hardly anybody gives them an object with their actual animal on it.
Are printed trading cards of a cat a real gift?: They are 2.5 x 3.5 inches, the same size as a Pokemon card, printed at 300 DPI on semi gloss stock with a varnish. One card is $10 and a pack of 8 is $29, with shipping included.
Can I get a card of someone else’s cat?: You need a photo you took yourself, so take one next time you visit. You cannot make a card of a cat you have never met. Every card belongs to whoever actually found the animal.
What is a good cat gift under $30?: A pack of 8 printed cards is $29 with shipping, and one card is $10. From the rest of this list: a wand toy, a fresh bag of catnip, or a photo of their cat in a cheap frame.
What do you give someone whose cat has died?: A photo or a card of that cat, given quietly and not tied to a holiday. Say the cat’s name when you give it.

Start with a photo

The app is free. You only pay if you want a card printed.