Many caregivers treat animals as equal household members, not to say – their children. No wonder that some of them want to prepare an Advent calendar for a cat. How can this be done? Here is the instruction!
If you are up to date with the offer of pet stores, you surely know that you will find there a ready-made cat Advent calendar. However, this is not always a good solution. It may contain, for example, treats that your cat refuses to eat! In addition, there may also be toys that do not interest your little one on a daily basis. A much better solution is to prepare such a calendar yourself. And, contrary to appearances, it is not difficult at all!
Did you know you can make a cat advent calendar yourself?
Advent calendar for a cat does not differ in principle from the one prepared for people. First of all, it is a calendar with twenty-four panes. They represent twenty-four days that pass from the beginning of December until the first day of Christmas – the last window opens on Christmas Eve. In the past, the Advent calendar was primarily related, as the name says, with religious motives. It is now more commercialized and completely secular.
Standard calendars usually have the form of a house-shaped cardboard box or simply a book. It is a bit different with the more complex ones. Traditional houses, passed down from generation to generation, even had special mechanisms that independently opened new windows after the strike of midnight. In some, you had to answer the question or solve a puzzle first in order to activate the ratchet. There are also calendars in the form of separate boxes, e.g. hidden at home or hung on a belt. They all have one thing in common – the windows are numbered and only one can be opened each day.
What gadgets for a kitten?
Cat advent calendars do not have to be very different from those prepared for humans. It will be most convenient to prepare them simply in the form of a few boxes or packages, preferably prepared separately for each day. Then you can give your cat the appropriate box on a given day, without worrying about whether it will accidentally destroy more of them, attracted by interesting smells, sounds or simply out of curiosity.
Preparing your own calendar is so beneficial that you will always put in it what your purr needs. Got a picky cat? Prepare an advent calendar for a cat with toys – you surely know best what your pet needs. Or maybe your cat is a gourmand, but suffers from allergies? Then you choose the delicacies that you can actually eat.
Remember that not only what is on the advent calendar, but also the advent calendar itself is to be fun for your little friend. Therefore, try to pack all the products in such a way that they interest your pet. These can be, for example, rustling accessories, bells making sounds or other elements that will tempt the cat to play and be interested in the process of opening the boxes!
Also read: Advent calendar for a dog. How to make it?
How to make an advent calendar for a cat with toys?
Are you wondering how to prepare a cat Advent calendar yourself? Check out this manual – it will make it much easier to get started!
Gift wrapping
Of course, the most important thing is to prepare all the things you will need to wrap your gifts. In the case of cats, give up ribbons and threads, because animals can eat them, which will end up tragically for them. Instead, put on paper packages that are glued with, for example, non-toxic glue for children, or simply folded in such a way that gluing is not needed. It’s also a good idea to use old boxes. Remember that cats themselves are also a great gift idea!
What exactly should you pack your gifts in? You will definitely need paper, for example traditional, ecological, gray wrapping paper. You can write a number on it so you will know when the gift is to be opened. But that’s not all – remember that cats love rustling things! Therefore, thin, decorative wrapping paper will be perfect, especially the acid-free one, which will not harm the cat when eaten during the madness with the package. You can use, for example, special cardboard inserts to fill the inside of the package. It is true that it will be difficult to clean them, but such natural confetti will surely appeal to your cat!
Gift selection
Then select these cat toyswhich will work best for a calendar. All the small items are a particularly good choice, because you can simply pack them easily and will not take up much space. This is a great way if you just want to replace some of your cat’s toys, especially damaged ones. Use for example mice for a cat – those with a bell can be hung in the package, thanks to which they will ring and encourage the cat to play before the package is opened. On the other hand, those with catnip will surely make your little cat get involved in the entire process of opening a given window.
Remember that you can also choose gifts that will then form a whole with the gift you prepare for the cat under the Christmas tree. If it is going to be a puzzle game or a maze with balls, hide one of its elements on the calendar for the animal every day. This way you will make sure that the main gift will not get bored so quickly!
Also read: Interactive toys for the cat – ranking
Cat Advent Calendar – you need to know that!
You already know how to more or less prepare an Advent calendar for a toy cat. However, that’s not all you need to remember! Take into account that animals are more or less like children in terms of patience and understanding for such actions. You have to make sure that everything is safe, pleasant and real, with a surprise at the end.
Safety first and foremost
You already know that you shouldn’t use strings, threads or ribbons for an Advent calendar. Like the angel hair that caregivers are warned about every year, these products are especially dangerous. If they are eaten, it is often necessary to have surgery to save the cat’s life. For this reason, an advent calendar for a cat should do without them.
You are not a master of manual games and you do not know how to deal with closing packages, especially those made of paper? You can always invest in simple cardboard boxes, which will then be a great storage – if they are large enough – or just a scratching post. An alternative solution is to use just plain baby glue; just check that it is non-toxic. All children’s items are also rather safe for animals when it comes to accidental ingestion.
Remember that cat advent calendars – especially those made by yourself – are simply safe for them. It is a bit different when it comes to calendars for people. They usually contain a variety of snacks, such as chocolate or xylitol sweets, that may tempt your cat. Remember that they are toxic to him though. Therefore, rather avoid leaving them in plain view and do not let family members share sweets with your cat. Let your furry dog stay with the things that were created with him in mind!
Toys… but not only!
Although you already know how to make an advent calendar for a cat with toys, remember that this is not the only solution you can bet on. Not every cat will want to play. In some cases, animals have no interest in toys that are not activated by the caregiver. In this case, completely different solutions come to your aid. Many of them are available immediately, and some you don’t have to pay at all!
The first alternative to toys is, of course, food. You can fill out the advent calendar for your cat delicaciesbut here are some important points to keep in mind. First of all, treats should come in a small package. If you do not have these at hand and you want to plan a calendar for the entire twenty-four days in advance, use wet food, for example. Farmina N&D Kitten Prime Chicken & Pomegranate 80g. A tiny can will be perfect for one meal, and the cat will surely be delighted!
Treats as a gift!
But what if you care about delicacies, but the ones that your pet eats are only available in large packages or are you afraid that your cat will simply eat too much of them? In such a situation, choose, for example, a small, string-closed package of flavors, such as Carnilove Salmon with Mint Crunchy Snack 50g. You will get the treats out of it only when you pack them into a given box, and then use the rest to reward your cat or just pamper him. Thanks to a special closure, you do not risk that the delicacies will lose quality or spoil.
Does your cat have a very restrictive diet and doesn’t like to play alone? It may seem that this is a dead end situation, but it does not necessarily have to be! First of all, the cat Advent calendar is supposed to please your pet. So, put a paper ball inside and leave a note next to it that it is a voucher to play with the guardian. And then spend a few hours with your pet playing, preferably one in which he actually realizes his instincts – for example, involving the execution of a hunting chain. If he seems unconvinced by the toy, maybe Over Zoo Catnip in spray 250ml will convince him to do so?
Be more patient than your cat
Some cat advent calendars may seem so interesting and beautiful that they can be successfully decorated. Just remember that this is your impression. Your cat, who can easily get into every ornament in your home, may have a different opinion. For this reason, avoid leaving packages in plain view, and be sure not to hang them on a string that your pet might swallow while playing. Remember that you must give your cat packages according to the days for which they are intended – your pet cannot read and does not know how to do it! Probably, when he smells catnip or delicacies, he won’t want to wait either …
- And that’s history! – You can also buy the advent calendar for the cat ready-made! This is a great solution for all caregivers who do not have time or ideas to implement this type of project themselves. Just make sure that it comes from a well-known and respected manufacturer. Thanks to this, you can be sure that the toys or treats contained inside are of good quality, and your cat can safely enjoy them!
A cat advent calendar is a brand new idea – a secular version of a traditional religious calendar that has been around for over a century. You can buy it ready-made, but it will be much more fun to prepare it yourself. Even if you are not a master of manual games, you can easily create interesting gifts.
Remember that you know your cat best! This is a great idea especially for the owners of those cats who suffer from food allergies, have digestive problems or simply do not play with any toys they get. All the accessories for the calendar preparation can be found in the Apetete store. Do you have your own ideas for an advent calendar? Do you know tricks that should be used while preparing it? Share them in the comment!