The Best Holiday Gifts for Cat Lovers

The long-awaited follow-up to Japanese author Hiro Arikawa’s best-selling The Traveling Cat Chronicles, The Goodbye Cat features seven short stories exploring the life-enhancing wondrousness of cats.

A finalist on season nine of The Great British Baking Show (Bake-Off, for the hardcore anglophiles), Kim-Joy is known for her whimsical, animal-themed bakes — from marzipan piggies, to bread bunnies, to floating frog-shaped dumplings — but her newest book is all about cats!

“I’ve always had an affinity with cats, and think my personality is very cat-like,” she tells Kinship. Bake Me a Cat includes 50 cat-themed recipes that are as cute as they are delicious and countless full-color photos to keep you oohing and aahing, in or out of the kitchen. 

It’s been less than two years since Vogue Living photographer Paul Barbera released Where They Purr, his first book of gorgeous cats in equally gorgeous homes. That first book was shot almost entirely during the early days of the pandemic, while Barbera and his wife were living with his mother in Australia.

Now, back in the U.S., Barbera’s follow-up invites readers to meet the feline residents of some of the most elegant homes in North America — from a New York City Penthouse to a Mexican hacienda. “If I could, I would do a new book every year,” Barbera tells Kinship. “I just love it. I love the process and the people and cats I get to meet.”

Cat House is currently available for preorder and will be released on January 2, which means it should arrive just in time to help fight those post-holiday doldrums.

Learn everything you need to know about cat body language and communication with this visual guide from artist Lili Chin, award-winning author of the best-selling Doggie Language: A Dog Lover’s Guide to Understanding your Best Friend.

A fantastic new card game for two-to-six players, ages 12 and up. Collect cats to score points, but be careful! More cats also means more poops. Ten points wins, but too many poops, and you’re out of the game. 

When fully assembled, this elegant little puzzle — a collaboration between Brooklyn-based puzzle maker Locknesters and The New York Times — makes a wonderful paperweight or feline objet d’art.

Designed by Kanitsart Semanopparat, this deck offers a modern, cat-themed twist on the traditional Rider-Waite tarot deck and comes with a handy guide for beginners learning to read tarot for the first time.

Note: This item is temporarily sold out, but the cards are telling us luck will turn around.

Exploding Kittens is probably the most popular cat-themed game around. Not only did it inspire its own Netflix animated series, it has also spawned numerous expansion packs and spin-off games, including this wonderfully naughty adult-only version, which takes only two minutes to learn and 15 minutes to play (not counting all the time you’ll spend laughing your ass off). 

A chic, gold-plated way to keep your cat with you at all times. And if this particular bracelet isn’t your thing, we’ve got a whole collection of personalized jewelry options here.

Nothing adds high class style to a room like a piece from Fornasetti, and this soft silk pillow is no exception. Handmade in Italy, this plush cushion is sure to be a welcome stand-out in any home.

It’s not often you find something that is equal parts cute and elegant — definitely worth the $248 price tag. Just look at that face!

The only potential problem with this notebook is that your recipient might think it’s actually too cute to write in, so do them a favor and put a lovely little note on the first page to get them started. And definitely make that note about how much you respect their cat (it’ll put you in everyone’s good graces).

The joy your cat-parent friend will feel the first time their feline companion sticks their head through that little hole. There are no words. 

This tea towel is machine-washable and made of 100 percent organic cotton. It’s also absolutely gorgeous.

This company makes variations of this pin with different cats linked to different accessories, so who knows? Maybe you’ll find one that looks exactly like your own cat. At least at a distance. 

A great craft to work on with kids, this paper wind chime is easy to assemble and features five tiny bells that make just enough noise to be heard at close range but not enough to be annoying.

This little collection is fit for the Museum of Modern Art and will turn any cat’s feeding corner from an eyesore into a focal point.

Available in gold, rose gold, silver, or black, the reverse side can be engraved with your name and phone number, should your kitty ever wander a bit too far.

This high-design cat bed comes in three color combinations and can be opened and closed to suit your cat’s particular preferences.

It’s just so fun.