10 Valentine's Day Gift Ideas For The Cat Lover In Your Life

Cats Love Me T-Shirt, Wider Awake
Present your favorite cat person with the ultimate compliment, in the form of a shirt proclaiming their popularity with the feline species (which as we all know, is the hardest won affection of all!)


Assorted Cat Toys, PetSmart.com
Help spread the love with every purchase from PetSmart's exclusive Luv-A-Pet Valentine's Day collection. 10% of the sales from the pink and red feline feather toys go to PetSmart Charities in the US and Canada to help save homeless pets.


Valentine Sugar Cookies, MoonLight Cookie Art
You could give your Valentine the same old flowers and candy, or you can choose to delight their senses with a batch of artisanal sugar cookies that are *almost* too gorgeous to eat. Each colorful cookie is unique, hand decorated and embellished with fine sugar crystals, and baked with high quality ingredients, including organic eggs, butter, flour, cream and pure vanilla. 


Ceramic Cat Necklace, Jasmin Blanc Boutique
Erika Iozsa's handmade, ceramic clay necklaces remind me of vintage cat figurines, except that instead of admiring them on the shelf, you can actually display them around your neck. The miniature pieces of art come in a variety of gorgeous colors, including "Chat Noir" (shown above), red and gold, and an array of creamy pastels.


Floating Hearts Valentine Cat Hat, Stylin' Dogs Boutique
Surprise your Valentine with a romantic note that's custom made to fit your kitty's head. The conversation hearts are affixed to a crocheted cap, that will keep your cat feeling cozy. Plus, this is one charitable fashion statement, with 10% of the shop's sales going to benefit the ASPCA.


Box o' Catnip Chocolates, The Gallant Grizzly
Just because they can't indulge in a Whitman's sampler, doesn't mean your kitty can't still feel the love. This hand-stitched felt toy set is filled with 100% organic catnip, "guaranteed to win the lion heart of every feline."


Be Mine Meow T-Shirt, Economy Grocery
Show your potential love interest that you're a smitten, with a retro style tee that pops the question with kittens.

Assorted cat cosmetics (sold separately), Paul and Joe Beauty
Your sweetheart will be looking and feline fine with these assorted cat-themed cosmetics by Paul & Joe. The limited edition make-up line includes cat print pressed powder, eye color, a lipstick case, and cosmetic bag, along with a cat shaped blusher stick to give them a rosy glow.


Hello Kitty Lingerie and Accessories 
Hello Kitty has been around for nearly 40 years, and Sanrio wants fans to know that they have the purrfect gift for everyone who has grown up loving her. If you're feeling racy, the Hanky Panky for Hello Kitty collection features lacy thongs, babydolls, and bralettes, or visit Sanrio.com for adorable accessories like an eye mask, retro phone headset, and train case that are pink, red, and kitty all over.


Tuxedo Stan Valentine Card #1
You might remember Tuxedo Stanley, the kitty candidate who ran for mayor of Halifax last year in an effort to highlight the plight of homeless animals. Sadly, Stan was recently diagnosed with cancer, yet he remains steadfast to his mission as he undergoes chemo treatments. 

You can help support his efforts by making a purchase from the Tuxedo Stan store, that features several Valentine's Day-inspired items, including greeting cards, a catnip mouse in a tuxedo gift box, or an adorable Tuxedo Stan minion plush, that comes with a “Tuxedo Stan for Mayor” button and a Certificate of Authenticity “signed” by the cat himself. For the ultimate gift experience, consider going "BALLS OUT" or "BEAT THE HEAT" with a donation to sponsor a spay or neuter surgery, that comes complete with a high-quality certificate, suitable for framing.

All profits from the sale of Stan Stuff are used by Spay Day HRM, a not-for-profit society in Nova Scotia. The Spay Day Program is a special initiative to address the cat over-population crisis in Halifax Regional Municipality by assisting students and low-income families to spay and neuter their cat.

Looking for Valentine's Day card ideas? Check out my previous post: 12 Cat-Themed Valentine's Day Cards To Help Show You Care

Meet 14 Year Police Department Veteran, C.C. The Cat

C.C. (Handout/VicPD)

She doesn't wear a uniform like Iemon the kitty cop from Japan, but C.C. the cat combats crime in her own way as a 14-year veteran of the Victoria Police Department in Canada.

The white mitted kitty was brought to the communications center (hence her name) as a kitten, and has been manning emergency phone lines ever since. Longtime 911 operator Anna Mickey told Metro Victoria, “Fourteen years ago, on a wet and stormy night, one of our sergeants was driving across the Bay Street Bridge when he saw this little thing on the sidewalk. He stopped and opened the door and she just jumped right in the car.” 


(Handout/VicPD)

Instead of turning her over to the SPCA as planned, C.C. became the official office cat, where her presence adds a sense of levity to the high pressure environment. She enjoys employee perks such as her own kitty tree and unlimited naps, and enjoys surfing desks for treats. 

And what words of advice does Mickey have for prospective VicPD employees who are allergic to cats, or otherwise not amenable to the idea of a feline co-worker?

“If you don’t like cats, well then apply for a job somewhere else. You can stay out of the room, or you can take anti-histamines, but the cat is staying,” she said.

Via Metronews.ca

Sam The Cat's Eyebrows Are Real, And They're Fabulous

@samhaseyebrows 

This is Sam, the cat with eyebrows. While you waste time tweezing your bushy brows to perfection, Sam doesn't sweat it, because he was born this way. It might appear as if someone took a magic magic marker to his snowy white fur, but trust -- this charismatic kitty is the real deal. 





Sam seems to be aware of the caterpillars crawling up his face, and uses them to his advantage in a series of compelling shots that have quickly propelled him to internet fame. 

His popularity has exploded within the past few days thanks to sites like Reddit, Gawker, and Mashable covering his story, and as of this writing, his Instagram account has swelled to nearly 7,000 fans -- which is especially impressive, considering he 1. is a cat with eyebrows, and 2. just welcomed his 700th fan last week.





Follow Sam on Instagram and Twitter for more pics, and stay tuned for news on this hirsute feline as it develops!

Via Instagram (@samhaseyebrows)

Zoe Pet Supply Love Thy Beast Energy Cat Pyramid Giveaway Winner!

Love Thy Beast Energy Pyramid Cat House

Thanks to all who entered, and congrats to the lucky winner of the Love Thy Beast Energy Cat Pyramid Giveaway, courtesy of Zoe Pet Supply! I used Random.org to pick the winner, and it selected comment #8 belonging to Kendy, who wrote, "Mar would love a new house to hide in! It would match him too!"

Congrats to Kendy and Mar!

Zoe Pet Supply is an online pet boutique that carries thousands of products from independent designers, innovative companies, and eco-minded industries. Pick up a magical cat pyramid of your own, or check out the rest of their site for cool kitty collars, toys, fashion, bedding, and more!

Win A Custom Cat Pillow Cover From Kat's Cushion Design!

Bosco with his Custom Cat Cushion Cover 

Kathryn Barnes of Kat's Cushion Design is a former professional sewing machinist who recently turned her stitching skills into an Etsy shop. The Australian artist selects luxury, imported, and hard to find fabrics, and turns them into unique cushion covers, that make for purrfect home decor. 


Black and Pink Vintage Cat Cover


Cream Polka Dot Vintage Cat Cover

Barnes recently created a personalized pillow cover of her daughter's gorgeous kitty, Bosco, and now she wants to make one for you! All you have to do is provide an image of your four-legged friend, and she will take care of the rest. Basic edits to the photo are available, and she can also include your kitty's name or other text in the design. 


Purple Cat and Flower Cushion Cover

As a side note, Kat's daughter happens to be one cool cat lady, my friend Sarah of Cat Tee Mission! CTM is a non-profit Sarah started last year that sells t-shirts to spread the word about the plight of homeless cats, while also donating 100% of the profits to organizations around the world that support them.

Enter To Win!


Custom Cat Cushion Cover

Kat's Cushion Design has generously offered one lucky Catsparella reader the chance to win a personalized, custom cat cushion cover of their own kitty! The winner will be required to provide a photo of their cat to appear on the pillow. (Please note this is for the cover only, the pillow insert is not included).

The cushion cover features YOUR PET on the front, with a plain cotton back, in an envelope style - you can specify a color for the back - blue, red, purple, green, white, cream, black, etc. The size is approximately 44 x 47 cm (17 x 18.5 inches).

To enter, leave a comment on this post with your name, and some way for me to contact you if you win (email, link back to your blog or profile, Twitter, etc.) The winner be will chosen in a random drawing next Tuesday, February at 5:00PM EST. This giveaway is open to everyone, so our international friends can participate too! One entry per person, please.

Good luck, and be sure to check out Kat's Cushion Design for even more posh pillows!

(If you have trouble leaving a comment, please email me at catsparella@gmail.com)

[Comments are now closed. Thanks for entering!]

Cat Cupcake Tuesdays

Brooklyn-based pastry chef Ayako Kurokawa has managed to elevate cat cupcakes to an art. The gifted patissier has amassed an impressive portfolio of realistic cookies and spectacularly designed treats, including this well-dressed kitty cookie, lounging atop a swirl of cupcake frosting. 

Via Ayako Kurokawa / Piquant Blog

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Have you created or spotted any kitty-themed baked goods (or other foods) lately? If so, please submit your sweet tips for Cat Cupcake Tuesdays to catsparella@gmail.com!

12 Cat-Themed Valentine's Day Cards To Help Show You Care

Valentine's Day is all about finding the purrfect card, and whether you're shopping for a friend, girlfriend, boyfriend (or someone you want to be your boyfriend), a cat-themed greeting is a fine way to share your passion for felines, while keeping the love alive.

Cat Cupid Card by Captain's Print Co.
Who wouldn't want to get a card of a cat wearing a diaper and a curly wig? No one, that's who. (And if they don't, they don't deserve a Valentine from you anyway.)


"I Fancy You" by Esme and Mao
Show off your love of cats and crafts with a card featuring a sweet drawing of the artist's kitty, Mao Mao, alongside hand-cut paper hearts, and embossed text.


Valentine's Day Card and Brooch Combo by Hello Small World
A card and gift in one? Cut down on your shopping list this season by picking up this charming kitty dude greeting, along with a matching Mr. Cat Brooch that your Valentine can rock all year round.


"Gorgeousness is you and me.. and our cat" by PesceRosso
I'd be lying if I said I didn't audibly "aww" when coming across this whimsical hipster masterpiece by artist Laura Di Francesco. The card doubles as a hand-painted work of art, so you and your honey can celebrate your feline family 4ever.


Cat Jokes Valentines by Hey Pais
I'm no less than obsessed with Paisley the Cat and her sidekick Boo Radley, who recently unleashed their hilarious annual cat greetings on the world. In addition to "Cat Jokes", also be sure to check out their feline-themed "Game of Thrones" inspired set.


"I love you almost as much as I love the cat" by Doodlecats
Beth Wilson of Doodlecats is known for her adorable kitty illustrations, which she puts on everything from tees and totes, to stationary and accessories. Her Valentine's Day offerings include the card above (also available for multi-cat homes), and a delightful design starring her perpetually grumpy cat, Oscar. Check out her full range of greetings here.


Purple Cats Greeting Card by Portraits of Animals
Bernadette Kazmarski of The Creative Cat uses her family of felines as inspiration behind her beautiful collection of cards. I'm smitten with her sweet sketches and hand-printed linocut notecards, along with her black cat-inspired designs. All greetings can be purchased individually, or indulge in a set to share with all of the cool cats in your life.


Mini Owl and Pussycats Valentine Cards by Cathy Peng
Cathy Peng's designs are catnip to a girl like me, and this old school set, complete with mini envelopes and stickers, is a purrfect pick for little cat ladies, or for those who are just young at heart.


Love is Blind Greeting Card by Oskar and Klaus
It's hard not to fall in love with Oskar the blind cat (remember this video?) and his kitty bro, Klaus. The two have conspired to spread the love through their online shop that stocks tees, ties, and greetings, including one depicting a sweet shot of Oskar getting his cuddle on with a teddy bear.


Hand-drawn Grumpy Cat Valentines by Afternoon Coffee
Grumpy Cat Tardar Sauce is a popular Valentine's Day antihero this year, also popping up on homegrown greetings by Fox and Hound Paperie and Cool Stuff I Want To Buy. Great for when you can't quite find the words to say, "I like you...""Sort of."


"What Can I Say? You're My Kind of Crazy" Greeting Card by Grizzly Graphics
Show solidarity for the cat-aholic in your life with this quirky card that validates their desire to be covered in cat hair.


Heart's Valentine's Day Greeting Card by Pudge the Cat
Our Exotic Shorthair pal Pudge is always a good sport, whether she's working a pretty pink background, or modeling hearts around her head.

It's Caturday!

Welcome back for another edition of Caturday, where we catch up on the week's latest cat news, and get to meet some of your amazing kitties!

This week, Fletcher frolicked in snow for the first time, a partially paralyzed kitten named Flipper got some new wheels, The Chubby Bunny baked up a beautiful black cat-inspired cake and cupcakes, Threadless rated their cat tees on a scale from friendly to ferocious, Avery's served up Kitty Piddle soda, AmazeCats released a charity card deck starring famous internet felines, Pretty Snake cat sweater designer Joseph Aaron Segal popped up on "Project Runway", and Linton Zoo mourned the loss of Arnie, their famous feline babysitter.

Also, don't forget to enter for your chance to win a magical Energy Cat Pyramid from Zoe Pet Supply! I'm drawing the lucky winner this coming Tues., Jan 29!

And finally, if you've ever thought about advertising on Catsparella, now's the time to take the plunge! I'm having a sweet Valentine's Day sale, with ads starting for as low as $20/month! Click here for more information.

Haggis

This week's featured feline is a dashing dude, who reminds me of a slightly less fluffy version of famous internet furball, Colonel Meow! He's also a wonderful testament to what a little TLC can do!

Paula writes:

This is Haggis, he came to us from Cat Adoption Team, a really great local cat rescue. We had just lost our beloved old guy, Tuxedo, and while sitting at my computer feeling sorry for myself, I found myself looking at CAT’s website.

This was the night we brought Haggis home, there sure has been a huge change (and lots of fur!) since that night.

There on the first page, was this fuzzy thing with huge eyes. I kept looking for a few days, then found myself at the pet store he was being shown in. He came home the next day and is still here tormenting his two older brothers, Jasper and Dakota.

Haggis is quite the personality boy! He is always up to something, from playing fetch, attacking feet, running around at full speed for no apparent reason, to snuggling up on your lap for a nice nap, or hovering over the furnace vent hogging all the heat!  

It’s hard to believe that someone let this beautiful and wonderful cat go to a pound, luckily the pound saw his potential and sent him to the rescue. He’s turned into a beautiful boy and we feel extremely lucky that he found his way to our home, although his brothers may not agree!

Special thanks to Paula for sharing Haggis with us this week!

p.s. Looking for even more Catsparella? Check out my weekly columns over on Catster!

This week:

Spademan Pottery's Animugs Deliver Feline Surprises
Pretty Snake's Cat Sweater Designer Joseph Aaron Segal Competes on "Project Runway"

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Want to see your cat(s) on Catsparella? I'm accepting submissions for my weekly Caturday post! Just email your best kitty pics to catsparella@gmail.com, and include your cat's name and anything else you'd like to share. I can't wait to hear from you!

Pretty Snake Cat Sweater Designer Joseph Aaron Segal Claws His Way On To "Project Runway"

Sunset Kitty Sweater

Feline fashion conscious "Project Runway" fans might have recognized Pretty Snake designer Joseph Aaron Segal showing off his kitty-inspired decor during last night's premiere episode. 

As I reported today over on Catster, the 30-year-old Pretty Snake/World of JAS designer, who has established a devoted online following thanks to his line of crazy cat sweaters, is a contestant on season 11 of the fashion design competition show.


Joe on Team Keeping It Real

Ahead of his television debut, the Pretty Snake Etsy shop restocked with cat-abulous new items, including rainbow hued sweaters, tees, leggings, totes, and accessories.

Happily, Segal landed on the winning team during last night's group challenge, so he'll return to face the judges another week. Check out his designer profile here, and tune in to watch him compete every Thursday night at 9/8c on Lifetime.


Kitty Garden Party Dress


Red Kitty Tote Bag with Pink Bow


White with Black Knit-In Collar Kitty Sweater

Avery's Kitty Piddle Drink Is "Sodasgusting"

Avery's Kitty Piddle Soda

In the spirit of gross out foods like Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans (it's a Harry Potter thing), Avery's Soda has their own line of "sodasgusting" beverages including a mellow yellow Kitty Piddle drink. The refreshing orange/pineapple flavored concoction is available for local delivery in the New Britain, Connecticut area, or they'll be happy to ship a case anywhere in the U.S. for $15, plus shipping.

If the idea of swigging a cat pee-inspired soda isn't totally off-putting, you also might want to consider indulging in Avery's other "Totally Gross" offerings. Other delectable flavors include Swamp Juice, Toxic Slime, Dog Drool, Bug Barf, and Monster Mucus.

Thanks to Instagram user mpt117 for the pic!

Advertise On Catsparella In February!

February is right around the corner, and what better way to kick-start the season of love than by advertising your feline related shop, product, blog, or website on Catsparella!

By supporting Catsparella, you'll be attracting customers and gaining exposure on an award winning cat blog that entertains a daily audience of devoted kitty lovers! 

If you've been thinking about taking the plunge, I'm sweetening the pot with a special 20% off Valentine's Day Sale! For next month only, take advantage of these great deals:


Large ad, $60/month


Medium ad, $36/month


Small ad, $20/month

In the words of Gwen Stefani, "What you waiting for?" Email me at catsparella@gmail.com for more information, and to reserve your spot today!