If you are searching this, you probably are not the person who sleeps next to the cat. 🐾 You are a colleague, an in-law, a friend, someone drawing a name out of a hat. You know one thing for certain: they love that cat more than they love most people. Here is how to use that, including how to get hold of a photo without ruining the surprise.
What do you get someone who loves their cat?
Something featuring their own cat rather than cats in general. A personalised embroidered sweatshirt, cushion or bag made from a photo of their cat is specific to the animal they love, which is what separates a gift they keep from a gift they politely thank you for. If you cannot get a photo, a gift card lets them choose it themselves without spoiling the idea.
Key takeaways
- Their cat, not a cartoon cat. That is the whole difference
- How well you know them should decide what you buy, not your budget alone
- Getting the photo is the real obstacle, and there are three ways round it
- Multi-cat households notice when one cat is left out
- Personalised pieces need about three weeks, so do not leave it to the week before
- A gift card is the honest answer when you cannot get a usable photo
How well do you know them?
This matters more than budget. A sweatshirt from a colleague is odd. A tote bag from a partner is underwhelming. Find your relationship in the table.
| Your relationship | Best gift | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Partner or closest friend | Portrait sweatshirt | Personal enough to be worn, and they will wear it constantly |
| Parent, sibling or adult child | Velvet cushion | Sits in their home without asking them to wear anything |
| Friend you see often | Crossbody bag | Used daily, no sizing to guess at |
| Colleague or Secret Santa | Tote bag | Personal without being too intimate a gift |
| In-law or someone you are still working out | Gift card | Zero risk on taste, size or which cat |
| Someone who has just lost their cat | Memorial portrait | Gives them somewhere to put it |
| Someone who just got a cat | Portrait sweatshirt | Marks the first year, which they will remember |
| Someone who genuinely has everything | Anything personalised | A portrait of their cat cannot be bought twice |
How to get a photo of their cat
This is the part that stops most people, and it is entirely solvable. You need one clear, well lit photo of the cat's face.
- Check their social media. Almost every cat owner has posted a good photo. Save the original rather than screenshotting it if you can, since a screenshot loses detail
- Ask someone in the household. A partner, a housemate, a sibling. People love being brought into a surprise and their camera roll is full of the cat already
- Ask them outright. Not as elegant, but "send me your favourite photo of him" rarely gives the game away, because cat people volunteer photos constantly anyway
- Give up gracefully. If none of those work, a gift card lets them pick the photo themselves, and the gift is still entirely about their cat
What makes a photo good enough for a portrait?
A bright, sharp photo taken at the cat's eye level, with the head and shoulders filling most of the frame and both ears visible. Daylight is ideal and flash should be off. Original files beat screenshots. If you are unsure, send it anyway: our artists will tell you honestly, and you see a proof before anything is stitched.
Eight gifts for someone who loves their cat
1. Embroidered pet portrait sweatshirt
Best for: partners, close friends, family
Their cat, drawn from a photo and embroidered onto heavyweight organic cotton. The thread is stitched into the fabric rather than printed on top, so it does not crack or peel, and the texture reads as fur in a way a flat print never manages.
2. Velvet pet portrait cushion
Best for: parents, siblings, housewarmings, anyone who would not wear it
The strongest option for a cat household, and the one most people overlook. It lives in the room they spend the most time in, and it asks nothing of their wardrobe. The cat will claim it within the hour.
3. Embroidered tote bag
Best for: colleagues, teachers, Secret Santa, smaller budgets
Personal without being too personal, which is exactly what you want when you are not close enough to buy someone clothing. No sizing, no taste risk, and it gets used for shopping and work every week.
4. Quilted crossbody bag
Best for: friends, everyday use, people who hate big handbags
Small, light, goes on the hook by the door and comes out most days. Of everything we make, this is the piece people most often say they did not expect to use as much as they do.
5. Embroidered hoodie
Best for: someone who works from home with a cat on the desk
The same portrait on something heavier and softer. Cat people spend a lot of time indoors with the cat, so loungewear does more work here than outdoor gear does.
6. Memorial portrait
Best for: someone who has lost their cat, at any point after
People hesitate over this one, worrying it will upset someone. In our experience it does the opposite: it gives them a way to keep the cat close and a reason for other people to ask. Older or lower quality photos are fine to work from, and you can add a name or a date. 💛
7. Multi-cat design
Best for: households with two, three or more
If they have three cats, a portrait of one cat becomes an awkward conversation. We can draw several onto a single piece, and cats sit together well because they are similar in scale.
8. Gift card
Best for: no photo, no time, or no idea of their taste
The honest answer when the photo problem beats you. It arrives by email, they choose the cat, the product and the colour, and what they end up with is still entirely personal. ✨
Choosing by occasion
- Birthday. The sweatshirt if you know them well, the crossbody if you do not
- Christmas and Secret Santa. Tote bag, and order in November rather than December
- Housewarming. The cushion, every time. It is the only gift on this list that furnishes a room
- New cat or kitten. A portrait from a photo taken this year, which becomes a record of what they looked like at the start
- Thank you or apology. Something small and personal beats something large and generic. A tote does more work than flowers
- Bereavement. A memorial portrait, with no deadline attached. There is no wrong time
For seasonal gifting specifically, see our Mother's Day guide for cat mums.
If they have more than one cat
Cat households rarely stop at one. Putting a single cat on a gift in a three cat home reads as a choice, and they will read it as one.
Multi-pet designs are available across most of the range. Send a clear individual photo of each cat rather than one group shot, since our artists need to see each face properly, and note in your order how many to include.
What to avoid
- Generic cat merchandise. A cartoon tabby is not their tabby, and cat people spot the difference instantly
- Crazy cat lady jokes. A gift that treats the relationship as a punchline goes straight in a drawer
- Toys and treats for the cat. Lovely thought, but that is a gift for the cat, and the cat will prefer the box
- Breed specific items when you are not sure of the breed. Getting it wrong is worse than not trying
- Leaving personalised gifts to the last week. The one mistake that cannot be fixed
Give them the cat they cannot stop talking about
Drawn from a photo and embroidered in our Cambridge studio. You approve a proof first, with unlimited edits, and nothing is stitched until it looks exactly like them.
Shop personalised cat giftsFrequently asked questions
What do you get someone who loves their cat?
Something featuring their own cat rather than cats in general. A personalised embroidered sweatshirt, cushion or bag made from a photo of their cat is specific to the animal they love, which is what makes it a gift they keep rather than one they politely thank you for.
How do I get a photo of their cat without spoiling the surprise?
Check their social media, since most cat owners have posted a clear photo. Failing that, ask a partner or housemate, who will usually enjoy being part of it. If neither works, a gift card lets them choose the photo themselves.
What is a good cat gift for a colleague or Secret Santa?
A tote bag is the right level: personal without being too intimate a gift, no sizing to guess, and useful every week. Save clothing for people you know well.
What do you get a cat lover who has everything?
Something that cannot be bought twice. A portrait of their own cat is unique by definition, so it sidesteps the problem entirely. If they own every wearable already, a cushion moves the same idea into a different part of the house.
Can you put more than one cat on the same item?
Yes, multi-pet designs are available across most of the range. Send a clear individual photo of each cat rather than one group shot, and tell us in the order notes how many to include.
How long does a personalised cat gift take?
Allow about three weeks. You receive a proof within roughly three days, edits are unlimited, then the piece is embroidered and shipped from our Cambridge studio. If you are inside that window, a gift card arrives by email immediately.
What if the photo I have is not very good?
Send it anyway. Our artists will tell you honestly whether they can work from it, and you always see a proof before anything is stitched, so nothing gets made from a photo that will not do the cat justice.
Is a memorial gift appropriate?
Usually, yes. Most people find it comforting rather than upsetting, and there is no expiry date on it. If you are unsure, a gift card lets them decide when and whether they are ready.
Do you ship outside the UK?
Yes, we ship worldwide from our Cambridge studio. Orders going outside the UK may attract customs or import charges on arrival, which are set by the destination country and paid by the recipient, so allow extra time.
Get the cat right and you will be talked about for years. 🐾
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