How to celebrate Valentine day with your cat

February 14^th – the day of love. St Valentine’s Day is an annual celebration of love and friendship. People celebrate in various ways – sending cards, buying gifts and spending time together. Whichever way it is celebrated, the underlying message is one of love and admiration. For many people, their pets, their cats, are part of their family and are so loved and cherished. For some, their cat may be their only friend or companion. Therefore, is it possible to celebrate Valentine day with your beloved cat? Of course it is, why not! And here’s our guide to celebrating Valentine day safely and joyously with your cat.

Suitable Valentine gifts for your cat – and what to avoid!

Sending your loved one a card and a gift is one of the most popular way to declare your love on Valentine’s day. But not all gifts that we appreciate as people are suitable for cats. Many are actually dangerous to cats.

Unsuitable Valentine gifts for cats:

Chocolate

A very popular Valentine gifts that people give to each other is chocolate. But chocolate is very toxic to cats and veterinary advice should be sought immediately if your cat has eaten any. The toxic ingredient in chocolate is theobromine. It’s in all kinds of chocolate, white, milk and dark. The darker the chocolate the more theobromine it contains. Consuming chocolate can cause tremors, abnormal heart rhythm, seizures, and even death.

Alcohol

This is another popular gift for Valentine – a nice bottle of bubbly will often accompany a box of chocolates. But again, alcohol, even in small quantities, can be dangerous to cats. This includes wines, beers, liquor and even foods containing alcohol.

Flowers

Bouquets of flowers, and in particular red roses, are hugely popular on Valentine’s Day. According to the National Retail Federation around $2 billion worth of flowers will be sold during the week of Valentine’s Day – and this is just in the States. Your cat is very unlikely to appreciate the beauty of a red rose. Although roses are not highly toxic to cats, their sharp thorns on the stems may cause damage. If roses are consumed by your cat, then an upset stomach is likely. Another popular flowers in bouquets are lilies. These are very toxic to cats and can lead to death. Even ingesting some pollen from the lily flower, whilst grooming, can cause harm. If one or two petals or leaves are consumed, this can lead to quite sudden kidney failure. Contact your veterinary immediately if you suspect your cat has consumed any part of a lily.

Check out our article ‘Has my cat been poisoned’ for more information. If you think your cat has consumed anything poisonous then contact your vet immediately.

Now that we know what gifts to avoid, what gifts would be suitable for our loved kitties?

Suitable Valentine gifts for cats:

Cat food treats

There are some great choices of cat treats available. They can range from tasty sticks, treats they can lick, little dry treats which are great for hiding in tunnels and activity feeders, or treat them to a gourmet soup or pate. We all love to treat our cats, but it is important that treats do not make more than 10% of their diet. Too many treats in addition to their daily meals will simply result in an overweight cat.

A new toy

A new toy for your cat is always a great investment. Choose from the endless choices of tunnels, robotic toys, wand toys or chew toys. Some toys are better suited for interaction and playtime with you, some are suitable for keeping them entertained on their own. Here are just a couple of our favorites:

A cat tunnel is always a hit. Cats love to hide and peek out. This 5 way tunnel includes hanging toys and is collapsible for easy storage.
A guarantied favorite toy is always the cat wand. Cat play time is very often based on their natural instinct to hunt and catch prey. Try to mimic this in play by making the toys move in a way that mimics a mouse or a bird. . When the toy starts moving her hunting instincts will kick in. This cat wand from EcoCity cat toys is perfect for this and comes with replacement feather refills.

A new bed

Cats spend a lot of times sleeping, in fact, cats spend on average 15 hours a day sleeping. Providing your cat with a variety of options for daytime naps separate from their usual bed is recommended. Our two cats like to vary where they like to nap during the day including on the cat tree, by a sunny window spot or in the grass tub in their catio! But for a long deep sleep, or when the weather gets colder, their fluffy, soft, cozy bed is where they love to be. When choosing a bed for your cat it is important to consider comfort, warmth, privacy and safety. We love this Banbury & Co Luxury Cosy Cat Bed.

Our favorite find though has to be this little teepee. This is a perfect Valentine gift for your cat and will be great as an option for their daytime nap too with its comfortable base. We are constantly making mini houses or hideaways out of cardboard boxes for our cats – upcycling at its best! But it’s so nice to indulge in something a little different and luxurious from time to time.

A cat tree

This is one of the best items a cat will ever have. It provides somewhere to play, a place to nap, a place to scratch, and somewhere to climb. Initially, we tried out a simple cat tree to see whether or not our cats would like it and use it. It was a huge hit. When it’s situated near a window it’s the perfect place to sit and watch the world go by or have a little afternoon nap. We like this one made by PAWZ Road – a 60″ Cat Tree Multilevel Cat Tower. With several fully wrapped sisal scratching posts, toys, a hammock, a hiding area and a plush resting area at the top it is sure to be a hit.

A water fountain

Many cat owners will understand the frustration and worry of getting cats to drink enough water. Cats naturally do not drink a lot of water and they can go for quite a while with no fluid. But this can lead to dehydration. Cats can be very fussy indeed when it comes to drinking water and various factors such as the shape and size of the water bowl, water temperature, freshness and taste, are all factors which can influence the water intake of a cat. A water fountain with its running water could appeal to the fussiest cat. Many cats are curious and fascinated by running water. This water fountain is a great purchase for your cat, a cute design perfect for any home.

Check out our article ‘How much water does a cat need?’ for further information on how much water a cat needs and how to encourage your cat to drink more water.

Despite all the toys and luxuries that can be provided for your cat, the most important gift is your time and attention. Why not give them the gift of your time and simply spend Valentine’s day giving your cat that little extra fuss and attention.

Spending Valentine day with your cat

Here are just a few ways to spend some quality time with your cat:

Playtime

Play is essential to your cat’s mental and physical health. It provides exercise to keep bones and muscles strong and healthy. It will also strengthen the bond with your cat, building the trust between you. We have a great article with plenty of ideas for games to play with your cat, ’18 games to play with your cat’.

Outside time

Indoor cats may benefit from enjoying the experiences of the fresh outdoors. We have a whole article dedicated to this topic ‘Does my indoor cat need outside time’. Spend time taking your cat for a walk on a leash, or in a carrier or just sitting on your lap enjoying the sunshine.

Cuddles and stroking

Simply enjoy some quiet time and cuddles with your cat. Place your cat on your lap and let them enjoy a good fuss and some stroking. Not only will this be enjoyed by your cat, but it will also benefit you! Stroking your cat releases the feel-good hormone – Oxytocin. This helps to improve your mood and release any stress and tension you are holding in your physical body. Science has also proved that a cat’s purr has a beneficial effect on human health. The vibrations rate of a cat’s purr has been shown to have a positive healing effect on joint mobility, bones, tendons and muscles. The release of endorphins activated by a cats purring has also been found to assist in soothing pain.

Grooming

Even though cats spend a great deal of time grooming themselves, they will also enjoy being groomed. Let your cat relax on your lap, gently brush their coats and relax. See our guide on ‘Do I need to brush / from my cat?’ for some top tips on how to groom your cat.

Whether you decided on gifts, quality time, or both, we wish you and your cats a very happy valentine day!