Santa Claws is making his list and checking it twice, checking to see which cats have been naughty or nice. A new study has shown that our feline family members are expected to get at least two presents under the tree this Christmas, while Australians are predicted to spend a whopping $71 million on presents for their cats.
The Fancy Feast cat owner research study, conducted by Antena Research Group, asked cat owners how they planned to incorporate their felines into the festive season. Eight in 10 (80 per cent of) owners plan to include their cats in their own unique family traditions.
Journalist, author, and self-confessed crazy cat lady, Jessica Rowe, has big plans for her two felines, Daisy and Freddy, this year. From the planning and decorating to the Christmas feast, Rowe ensures her whole family is included and feels loved throughout the festive season.
“Every year I make Chrissie decorations to go on our tree that has their pictures on them. It means you can see how much they’ve grown! They also have their own Santa Paws stocking that I fill with their favourite Fancy Feast treats,” she enthuses.
Rowe says Daisy and Freddy are part of her family and she does everything she can to spoil the pair. With Aussie cats expected to be gifted 6.2 million presents this year – some owners planning to give more than four pressies per puss – Rowe understands why. She says she loves everything about her feline friends.
“They’re elegant, stylish, wild, feral, independent, aloof, loyal and loving and, like my daughters, they don’t always come when you call them. I’ve also found cats to be the ideal companions; they’re uncompromising, won’t suffer fools but they’re also intuitive. Cats also have a way of picking up on your mood. The list goes on and on.”
When it comes time to hang the stockings, how much is too much when it comes to the furriest member of the household? The study showed, on average, people planned to spend $27 on their cats with one in eight set to spend more than $50. A tasty treat is the most popular gift to be opened, with two-thirds of pet parents planning on buying a snack and over half saying they would gift a toy. Rowe says she also likes to add that more personal touch when it comes to her furry friends.
“I’m a crafty cat lady, so I love to make things for our cats! My most recent treat for them is a bespoke headband that I wear! It has their faces on top of it! It’s so cute – their dear little faces wobble around when I wiggle my head! It makes me laugh and I hope it entertains them as much as it does me,” she says.
CW asked local animal welfare group RSPCA ACT for their advice when deciding what to gift our feline pals this Christmas.
“I think it is a wonderful idea. The gift doesn’t have to be an item, it can be, but it can also just be yourself. You can gift your time and that is ultimately what our animals want from us, they just want to spend time with us,” says RSPCA ACT CEO Michelle Robertson.
Robertson says cats will enjoy a free gift like the box another family member’s present came wrapped in just as much as they would a fancy toy, collar, or diamond-encrusted food bowl. She does have a few suggestions when heading out to buy a toy for your cat or dog, the most important being to ensure that they are of good quality and add some enrichment to your pet’s life.
“If it is [wrapped] in plastic, please throw the plastic wrapper away,” she says. “If it is those squeak toys and the pet has taken the squeak out, make sure you throw it away.”
It isn’t just the presents you should watch your furry friends around; Robertson says cats love to dive into the Christmas tree, while dogs might get distracted by its decorations.
“Those lovely baubles, the dog might think it’s a ball and bite into the bauble … nobody wants to be spending Christmas at the vet.”
Robertson also asks that if any pet owners or animal lovers are in the position to do so, that they consider giving to an animal that isn’t as fortunate, such as by donating to a reputable charity or dropping off a pet toy to a giving tree.
A photo with Santa, their own stocking, presents under the tree, or something else – how do you plan to spend Christmas with your cat?
If you want to support a less fortunate animal this Christmas, become a guardian angel to help the animals of RSPCA ACT; rspca-act.org.au
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