What to Get Your Cat for Christmas: Gifts for Hunters, Scratchers, Nappers and Snackers

Deciding what to get your cat for Christmas is easier once you notice what your cat already does every day. Give a hunter a toy that moves like prey, a rug clawer a flat scratcher, a napper a warm bed and a fast eater a lick mat. Then introduce one gift at a time, with the ribbon out of reach.

Short answer: buy for an instinct, not a novelty

• The hunter ambushes feet and races around at dusk: a prey-like toy you play with together.
• The scratcher works on the rug or the sofa arm: a scratcher set right beside that spot.
• The napper burrows under the duvet or into the laundry: a warm bed it can tuck into.
• The snacker clears a bowl of wet food in seconds: a lick mat for part of a meal.

Costumes and novelty gadgets rarely make good Christmas gifts for cats, and plenty would rather have the box.

What to get your cat for Christmas: narrow it down by habit, age and home

The Christmas gifts for indoor cats that get used fit the details, so spend a few days watching before you buy.

• Floor hunter or air hunter. A cat that pounces on bottle caps and toes likes toys that skitter across the floor; one that leaps at flies likes a feather on a wand.
• Flat or upright scratcher. Frayed rug edges point to a cat that scratches flat; shredded sofa arms point to one that stretches up.
• Hider or watcher. Covers and boxes mean a hider that wants a cave. The sofa back or a sunny windowsill means a watcher that wants an open bed.
• Kittens play in short, frequent bursts and chew more, so pick toys too big to swallow.
• Older cats often prefer warmth and gentler games. If your cat has stopped jumping or playing, tell your veterinarian, because that change can be a sign of pain.
• More than one cat. A single new bed or scratcher can become one cat’s property, so plan on one per cat, in separate spots.

For the hunter: chase and pounce

Hunting is a sequence: watch, stalk, chase, pounce, catch. A wand toy you drag around a corner or flick under a blanket covers every step, because you control the movement and can let your cat win at the end.

For extra chase while you’re home, the Motion-Activated Rolling Cat Toy Ball waits until your cat touches it, then dashes, changes direction and pauses the way prey does. It has two play modes, a plush pouch cover to grab and about an hour of active play per USB charge. It works best on hard floors and short-pile rugs.

• Stay in the room while the ball runs, then put it away with any wand toys, since cords and string are dangerous if swallowed.
• Retire any toy that is tearing or losing parts.
• End with a catch and a small meal from the day’s food, so your cat settles.

For the scratcher

Scratching keeps claws in shape, stretches the body and leaves scent, so nearly every cat needs a scratcher. Direction and placement decide whether it gets used.

The Cat Scratcher Guy Wooden Cat Scratcher is a flat, floor-level scratcher, about 19.5 × 5.5 × 2 inches, with a handmade wooden frame around a reversible cardboard insert. It has felt pads underneath and comes with a bag of catnip. Flip the insert when one side wears down; replacement inserts are sold separately.

Lying flat, it suits cats that scratch rugs and carpet; a cat that claws the sofa arm will also want a tall, sturdy post. Set it beside the spot your cat already uses or next to its bed, since many cats scratch on waking. Not every cat reacts to catnip, and young kittens usually don’t, so drag a wand toy across the cardboard too. Our guide to getting a cat to use a scratcher has the full plan.

For the napper: warm, enclosed beds

In December, a bed that holds warmth can compete with fresh laundry and your side of the bed, as long as its shape suits how your cat sleeps.

The GOOPAWS 4-in-1 Self-Warming Cat Cave Bed works as a cave or sack for a cat that likes to disappear, or as an open bed or flat mat for one that would rather watch the room. Faux rabbit fur sits over soft cotton filling, the self-warming design traps your cat’s own body heat, and it measures 21 × 17 × 3 inches, in Cream, Green, Grey or Pink.

Put it where your cat already naps, off cold floors and away from drafts, the litter box and the food bowls. Our guide to choosing a cat bed your cat will actually use covers sleeping styles.

For the snacker: a lick mat for wet food

A lick mat makes a fast eater lick food out of grooves instead of gulping it, and keeps your cat busy during brushing or a nail trim.

The SodaPup Jigsaw Enrichment Lick Mat is made in the USA by SodaPup, with a jigsaw texture that holds soft food. It is dishwasher safe, suits cats as well as dogs and comes in Green or Pink.

1. Take a spoonful of your cat’s usual wet food out of the day’s portion, not as an extra.
2. Spread it thinly into the grooves and serve it at room temperature, since many cats ignore cold food. Once your cat knows the mat, you can try it frozen, but let it sit a few minutes first so it isn’t icy-cold.
3. Pick the mat up when your cat walks away, and wash it after each use.

If your cat is on a prescription diet or has a health condition, ask your veterinarian before changing how meals are served.

Unwrapping and introducing it: ribbon away, one new thing at a time

The risk on Christmas morning is the extras: ribbon, string, tape and tinsel are easy to chew and can block the intestines if swallowed. The ASPCA’s holiday safety tips warn that swallowed tinsel can even require surgery.

1. Unwrap the gift yourself and put ribbon, bows and tape straight into a lidded trash can. Offer the empty box while you set the gift up.
2. Introduce one new thing every few days, so you can see what your cat actually uses.
3. Put each gift where the habit happens: the scratcher by the scratched rug, the bed in the nap spot, the lick mat where your cat eats.
4. Lay a T-shirt you have worn, or your cat’s usual blanket, inside a new bed so it smells familiar. Never hold a cat inside it.
5. Give it a week. Many cats ignore a new object, then adopt it once it smells like home.

If ribbon or string is hanging from your cat’s mouth or bottom, don’t pull it; call your veterinarian right away. Keep wrapped food and candy off the floor. For the tree itself, see how to keep a cat out of the Christmas tree, and browse our other seasons and gifts guides.

Gifts for the cat owner, too

Some of the most welcome gifts for cat owners at Christmas make a daily chore easier. Buying for a dog household too? See our practical gifts for dog owners.

• For brushing: the rechargeable 3-in-1 Steam Grooming Brush mists from a small refillable tank as you brush, so loose hair and dander collect on its soft silicone pins. It suits a cat that already accepts brushing, since a mist can startle one that doesn’t.
• For the litter box: the Double-Layer Honeycomb Cat Litter Trapping Mat sits at the box exit, catches litter from paws and opens like an envelope so you can pour it back. Its base is waterproof.
• For a new cat owner: fill a gap, such as a litter mat or a scratcher. Our new kitten checklist shows what a first-time cat home needs.

Browse the rest of our cat essentials for everyday supplies.

Gifts to skip in a home with cats

The riskiest presents for a cat household are often not cat gifts. The ASPCA warns that many lilies in holiday bouquets are highly toxic to cats and can cause kidney failure, and that snow globes are made with ethylene glycol, the chemical in antifreeze. Send a lily-free bouquet and check any plant against the ASPCA’s plant list for cats.

Buying for someone else’s cat

Ask the owner what the cat already loves and what it ignores: a cat that never touches the rug may snub a flat scratcher. Change-of-mind returns carry return postage and a 15% restocking fee, so check first; see our returns policy.

Orders dispatch in 1–2 business days and arrive 2–5 business days later, so allow up to seven business days. We ship to the 48 contiguous states and Washington, DC only; see our shipping details.

Cat gift FAQ

What do cats want for Christmas?

Mostly what they want the rest of the year: something to chase, somewhere to scratch, a warm place to hide and something tasty. Your time counts too, since a daily game with a wand toy is a present most cats accept.

What do you get a cat that has everything?

Refresh what already works. A new insert for a worn cardboard scratcher, a bed in a different shape, or rotating the toys your cat already owns so a few come out every few days can all feel new. Our indoor cat enrichment ideas have more low-cost options.

What is a good Christmas gift for a new cat owner?

Something practical they may not have yet, such as a scratcher, a covered bed or a litter mat for the box exit. Leave food and litter to the owner, since sudden changes to either can upset a cat.

Can I give my cat a Christmas treat?

Yes, if it is small and counted toward the day’s food: a treat made for cats, or a spoonful of the usual wet food on a lick mat. The ASPCA warns that fatty, sweet and spicy foods and turkey or chicken bones can be dangerous, so keep plates out of reach. Ask your veterinarian first if your cat is on a special diet.