Gifts for cat lovers: 15 personal ideas for cat owners

The best gifts for cat lovers are about the owner's own cat. A portrait made from a photo of that cat, a donation in its name, or a safe plant for its window tells the owner that you know their cat by name. This guide gives 15 personal ideas for cat owners. For anything the cat will chew, scratch or sniff, it follows the advice of cat welfare charities and the ASPCA. If you are also shopping for a dog owner, read the guide to gifts for dog lovers.

Gifts made from a photo of their cat

1. A royal portrait of their cat

At Purrealism, you add one photo of a cat and choose one of 15 royal portrait styles. The gallery already shows three cats: a white and ginger cat as a Maharani, a grey cat as a Mughal emperor, and a ginger cat in a red and gold royal robe. You can give the portrait as a digital pack, which is a high-resolution file with no watermark, or as an art print. Prints come in 8 × 10, 12 × 16, 18 × 24 and 24 × 36 inches, on matte or glossy paper. An 8 × 10 inch print fits on a desk or a shelf.

2. A photo book of the cat's life

Collect photos from the first week at home to today. Ask family members for the photos on their phones too. Under each picture, write one line: the day the cat arrived, its favourite sleeping spot, the box it would not leave. Our guide to how long cats live sets out a cat's life stages, from kitten to senior, if you want to give each stage its own page.

3. A wall calendar with 12 photos

Pick one photo of the cat for each month. Mark the cat's birthday or the day it was adopted, so the owner can plan for the day.

4. A mug or cushion with the cat's face

A printed mug or cushion shows the cat to its owner every time they use it. Pick the sharpest photo you have, with the face looking straight at the camera.

Which royal portrait suits their cat's coat

The three cats in the gallery give you a place to start.

• Ginger cat: the Regal Feline, in the Indian Royalty style, shows a ginger cat in a red and gold royal robe. It is the closest example of a ginger coat in royal clothes.
• White and ginger cat, or another two-colour cat: the Maharani portrait dresses a white and ginger cat in a green and gold gown. The green keeps the ginger patches clearly separate from the clothes.
• Grey cat: the Mughal Emperor portrait shows a grey cat wearing a jewelled crown and pearls.
• Black cat: none of the three gallery cats is black. Choose a style with light colours, such as saffron or gold, so the dark coat stands out. The Mysore Royal portrait shows this with a black labrador in a saffron turban.
• Tabby or patterned cat: choose plainer clothes, so the pattern stays the main detail.

The guide on how to choose a royal portrait style covers all 15 styles, and how to match a style to the cat's character as well as its coat.

How to get a good photo of someone else's cat

Getting a photo is harder when the cat lives in another home. Here are three ways to get one and keep the gift a surprise.

1. Look through photos the owner has already sent you. Choose one where both eyes are sharp and the whole face is in view.
2. Ask a person who lives with the cat. A partner, a housemate or a grown child can take a photo on a quiet afternoon.
3. Take it yourself on your next visit. Cats Protection, a UK cat charity, says to turn off the flash because it could startle the cat, and to use natural light in a well-lit room. It says the best point to focus on is the cat's eyes. It suggests taking the photo just after the cat has eaten or woken up, when it is more likely to be sleepy and relaxed, and asking a helper to dangle a toy out of view of the camera.

The portrait studio takes one image file of up to 5 MB. For more tips, read how to photograph your pet for a portrait.

Gifts in their cat's name

5. A donation to a shelter or cat charity

Give to the shelter or rescue the cat came from, and write the cat's name on the card. If the owner's cat has died, the guide to gifts for someone who lost a pet has gentler ideas.

6. A cat sponsorship

Some cat charities let you sponsor the cats in their care. Cats Protection describes its sponsorship as a gift for cat-loving friends and family. A sponsor supports a pen at one of its adoption centres. The charity says the pack includes a personalised certificate, a first photo of the cat in the pen and a photo album, followed by new photos and updates.

Gifts for the cat itself, checked for safety

The owner will enjoy these gifts through the cat. Check each one against the advice below, because a cat will chew, bite and sleep on what you give it.

7. A cat-safe houseplant

The ASPCA lists the spider plant, the Boston fern, the parlour palm, the areca palm and the African violet as non-toxic to cats. Search the ASPCA plant list for any other plant before you buy it. Cats Protection says plants marked "caution" should be kept out of reach, especially if the cat likes to chew leaves.

8. A pot of cat grass

Cats Protection suggests giving a cat cat grass to chew on. It also warns that grass may be dangerous if it has been treated with weed killer or insect killer, so grow the pot at home without any sprays.

9. A wand toy

International Cat Care (iCatCare), a cat welfare charity, describes a wand toy as a long rod with a string and a small toy at the end, such as a few feathers or a toy mouse. It says to put the toy out of reach when you are not playing. It also says to avoid pipe cleaner toys, toys made of ribbon or string, and balls of wool, because they can harm a cat's intestines if eaten.

10. A high place to rest

International Cat Care says cats are natural climbers that need to rest and watch over their home from high places, because that is where they feel safe. It suggests a cat tree or tower, and says a shelf needs a non-slip surface, because many wooden shelves are slippery. For an older cat, it suggests a radiator bed, which is warm and sits close to the ground. Ask the owner where their cat likes to sit before you choose one.

11. A scratching post

iCatCare says cats scratch to keep their claws healthy, to exercise the muscles of the front legs and spine, and to mark their territory. It says a post should be as tall as the cat when it stands on its back legs at full stretch, and sturdy enough to hold still when the cat pulls on it. Suggest a spot near the cat's favourite bed, because iCatCare says cats often scratch after sleep.

12. A food puzzle

A food puzzle holds treats, so the cat has to work to get them out. iCatCare suggests a simple one: a small handful of the cat's favourite dry treats inside a paper bag or a cardboard egg box. Make a few and wrap them together.

13. A new cardboard box

iCatCare says that giving a cat a new box to explore two or three times a week is a joy for most cats. Wrap your other gifts in a sturdy box, and leave the box for the cat.

Flowers and time for a cat owner

14. Flowers with no lilies

Cats Protection suggests freesias, roses and snapdragons for a bouquet for someone you love. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says the whole lily plant is toxic to cats: the stem, leaves, flowers, pollen and the water in the vase. The FDA says a cat that licks a few pollen grains off its fur can develop fatal kidney failure in less than 3 days, and that an owner who suspects a cat has eaten part of a lily should call a veterinarian or a pet poison control centre at once. Tell the florist that the bouquet is for a home with a cat, and ask for no lilies.

15. An offer to feed the cat while they travel

Write a card that offers three days of cat-sitting, and keep the promise. Ask the owner for the cat's feeding routine and the phone number of its veterinarian before the first visit.