Cat Lover Christmas Gifts: 13 Handmade Ideas for the Person Whose Cat Runs the House

Cat lover Christmas gifts are some of the most fun presents to make, because cat people are easy to delight and impossible to fool. They know their cat is the real boss of the house, and they love anything that celebrates it. Store bought cat gifts can feel generic, but a handmade one shows you know them, and their cat, by name. These ideas are cozy, inexpensive and safe, and most can be finished in an evening. Some are for the human, some include a little treat for the furry boss, and every one of them will make a cat person smile..

Cat Lover Christmas Gifts Start With a Cardboard Castle

Every cat person knows the truth: the box is the best part of any gift. So make the box the gift. A cardboard castle with little towers and windows becomes a hideout the cat will claim the moment it is unwrapped. Fill it with a few small handmade toys and a treat for the human, and you have the perfect present. Cats and homemade gifts are two of our readers’ favorite things, as our DIY cat beds post shows. Whose cat will move in first..

You will need: a sturdy cardboard box, extra cardboard for towers, craft knife (adult only), non toxic paint, tape.

How to make it: 1. Cut windows and a door with adult help, keeping the edges smooth. 2. Add cardboard tube towers and a crenellated top. 3. Paint it, let it dry fully and fill it with small gifts.

Felt Mice in a Gift Tin

Little felt mice are quick to sew and every cat seems to go wild for them. Stitch a teardrop shape, add a tiny ear and a felt tail, and stuff it with a pinch of dried catnip. Felt mice are the easiest cat lover Christmas gifts to make in a batch. Pack five or six in a small tin with tissue paper. Use only felt for the tail rather than string, and remove any toy that starts to fall apart. Which color mouse will the cat chase first?

You will need: wool or acrylic felt, embroidery floss, needle, polyester stuffing, dried catnip, a small tin.

How to make it: 1. Cut two teardrop shapes, two ears and a short felt strip tail. 2. Stitch around the edge, adding the tail and ears as you go. 3. Stuff with fiber and a pinch of catnip and stitch closed.

Cat Lover Christmas Gifts for Mornings: A Cat Ear Mug

A plain white mug becomes a cat lover’s favorite with two little painted ears near the rim, a pink nose and whiskers. Use oven bake ceramic paint pens so the design lasts. Every morning coffee becomes a reminder of who is really in charge. Add a pack of cocoa or tea and wrap it in tissue. Who on your list would love a cat mug?

You will need: a white ceramic mug, ceramic paint pens in black and pink, rubbing alcohol, oven (adult).

How to make it: 1. Clean the mug with rubbing alcohol. 2. Draw ears, a nose and whiskers with paint pens. 3. Bake following the pen instructions and let it cool in the oven.

Cat Portrait on a Wood Slice Ornament

A tiny painted portrait of their own cat on a wood slice ornament will become a treasured keepsake. Work from a photo, keep the shapes simple and focus on the eyes and fur colors. Even a simple silhouette with the cat’s name looks charming. Add the year on the back. Cat lover Christmas gifts do not get more personal than this. Whose cat would you paint first?

You will need: wood slice ornaments, acrylic paint, fine brushes, a photo of the cat, clear sealer, ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Sketch the cat lightly in pencil. 2. Paint the main colors, then the eyes and whiskers. 3. Seal it and add a name and ribbon.

Cozy Window Perch Cushion

Every cat loves a sunny window, so make that spot extra comfortable. Sew a simple cushion cover for a window perch or a sill pad from soft fleece or an old sweater. It is a gift for the cat that the human will love watching every day. Choose washable fabric so it stays fresh. Which window is the favorite in their house?

You will need: soft fleece or an old sweater, a small cushion insert or batting, sewing machine or needle and thread.

How to make it: 1. Measure the sill or perch and cut two fabric pieces with seam allowance. 2. Sew three sides right sides together and turn it out. 3. Insert the cushion and stitch the last side closed.

Cat Lover Christmas Gifts for the Nightstand: A Paw Print Ring Dish

A small air dry clay dish with a paw print pressed into the center is the perfect spot for rings and earrings. Make the print with a little clay stamp or carefully trace a paw shape, paint it gold and seal it. It is a sweet, useful gift that sits on a nightstand all year. Who would keep their jewelry in a paw print dish?

You will need: air dry clay, a rolling pin, a small bowl for shaping, a paw stamp or toothpick, gold paint, sealer.

How to make it: 1. Roll the clay flat, cut a circle and press it into a bowl to shape. 2. Press in a paw print and let it dry. 3. Paint the rim and paw gold and seal it.

Knitted Cat Ear Hat

A cozy hat with two little cat ears on top is fun for adults and kids. Knit or crochet a simple square hat and the corners naturally become ears when it is worn. It is one of the easiest knit projects and one of the most smiled at gifts. Make it in the same color as their cat for an extra laugh. Who would wear cat ears all winter?

You will need: chunky yarn, size 10 needles or a large crochet hook, a yarn needle.

How to make it: 1. Knit a rectangle as wide as the head and twice the height. 2. Fold it in half and sew up both sides. 3. Weave in the ends; the top corners become ears.

Cat Lover Christmas Gifts to Carry: A Cat Face Tote Bag

A plain canvas tote becomes a statement bag with a simple cat face painted on it. Fabric paint and a stencil make it easy, or freehand a few lines for ears, eyes and whiskers. It is handy for groceries, library books and, of course, cat food runs. These cat lover Christmas gifts get used every week. What color tote will you start with?

You will need: a canvas tote bag, fabric paint, a stencil or pencil, brushes, cardboard to put inside the bag, iron.

How to make it: 1. Slip cardboard inside the bag so paint does not bleed through. 2. Paint the cat face with fabric paint. 3. Let it dry and heat set it with an iron.

Yarn Ball Wreath With a Tiny Felt Cat

A wreath covered in colorful yarn balls with a little felt cat tucked in looks like a cat’s dream come true. Wrap a foam ring in yarn, glue on mini yarn balls and a pair of tiny knitting needles, then add a felt cat. Hang it on the door so visitors know a cat lives here. Keep loose yarn out of reach of the real cat. Which door will it hang on?

You will need: a foam wreath form, yarn in several colors, small foam balls, hot glue (adult help), felt, toothpicks or mini needles, ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Wrap the wreath form fully in yarn. 2. Wrap foam balls in yarn and glue them on. 3. Cut and glue a little felt cat and add a ribbon hanger.

Cat Name Plaque for the Food Station

Every royal needs a sign. Paint the cat’s name on a small wooden plaque and hang it above the food bowls or bed. Use simple letters and add a crown or paw print for fun. Of all the cat lover Christmas gifts here, it is the cheapest to make, and it always gets a laugh. For a matching touch, paint the same name on a food storage jar. What would their sign say?

You will need: a small wooden plaque, acrylic paint, letter stencils or a paint pen, sealer, sawtooth hanger.

How to make it: 1. Paint the plaque a base color. 2. Add the cat’s name with a stencil or paint pen and a little crown. 3. Seal it and add a hanger on the back.

Wand Toy With Ribbon and Bells

A homemade wand toy gets lazy cats moving and makes the human laugh. Tie fabric ribbons and a felt shape to a short dowel with a sturdy cord, and add a large bell that cannot come loose. Play with it together and put it away afterwards so the cat never chews unsupervised. It is a quick, cheap gift that gets used every single day. Who has the laziest cat you know?

You will need: a wooden dowel, sturdy cord, fabric ribbon strips, felt, a large securely attached bell.

How to make it: 1. Tie the cord tightly to one end of the dowel. 2. Knot ribbons and a felt shape at the other end of the cord. 3. Stitch the bell on securely so it cannot come off.

Cat Lover Christmas Gifts for the Cat Too: A Felt Stocking

Yes, the cat needs a stocking too. Sew or glue a small felt stocking, add the cat’s name and a paw print, and fill it with handmade toys and treats. Cat people will hang it right next to everyone else’s. It is the gift that says you see their cat as family. These cat lover Christmas gifts make the morning extra fun. What would you put inside?

You will need: red and white felt, fabric glue or needle and thread, felt letters, a paw print stamp, ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Cut two stocking shapes and a white cuff from felt. 2. Glue or stitch the edges and add the cuff. 3. Add the name, a paw print and a ribbon loop.

Framed Cat Photo and Whisker Keepsake

Cat lovers often save the whiskers their cats shed, and a little frame turns them into a sweet keepsake. Place a favorite photo of the cat inside a frame with a small paper pocket for the found whiskers and a handwritten date. It is the most sentimental of all cat lover Christmas gifts, and often the one that brings happy tears. Which photo of their cat would you choose?

You will need: a small frame with a mat, a printed cat photo, a tiny paper envelope or pocket, a fine pen.

How to make it: 1. Place the photo in the frame. 2. Glue a small paper pocket to the mat for whiskers. 3. Write the cat’s name and the year below it.