everything you need to know about planning your cat's party.

{sir william shakespurr & gypsy willow cat}

so it appears that february is National Cat Month! it is that special time of year when we have the excuse to go the extra mile to celebrate our feline friends for the distinguished little critters they are. finding out this news was, naturally, the highlight of my week. to me, every day is cat day, but it's nice to know that the celebration is reaching and being recognized on a national level for an entire month. the next level will be global, of course, but i understand we need to take this progression one step at a time. 

which led me to start wondering. what do people even do to commemorate this occasion? do they give their cats a card? do they pamper them with a spa day? or prepare a special reception in their honor? 

so then i googled it.

and THIS IS WHAT I FOUND. 

so, for all of you out there who began to fret the minute you read it was national cat month, because this holiday sneaked up on you like they all seem to do, and you do not have anything prepared - put your heart at ease. everything is going to work out just fine, because we have access to a slew of cat party planning tips that are quick, easy, and appear rather fool-proof and satisfying for both cats and their owners. to make things even easier, however, i have made an outline below with some extra notes. (italic lines are copied directly from the site).

To Get Things Started:

I. you want to be sure that you keep in mind proper party protocol. PPP.

    A. If you are having a party where both cat and owner is invited, it's traditional to offer some type of entertainment for the cats.  - this is important. you do NOT want to go down in history as the cat party host who had no entertainment. your guests will be talking about it for all of 2012, and not in a good way. 

                1. the website suggests a fish tank, or a bird feeder outside a window as sufficient fun. but DO NOT forget to always have a barricade between the cats and the entertainment, otherwise you will inevitably find yourself in the awkward situation that everyone hates at parties - bird and fish carcasses all over the place. party foul.

     B. Cat Parties...[are] celebrated just as you would celebrate a Christmas party- Cats get gifts that they get to open...as we cat lovers know, it's the paper and boxes that count, not the actual present. so don't worry too much about it. 

     C. ...food for both the cat and people are served and games are played too. 

   

II. now for some ideas, because let's face it; you want this party to be as fresh and hip and classy as possible, all at once. 

    A. a cat and owner picnic. 

         1. this is easy. all you need is a blanket, a grassy knoll, and a lunch for you and your little friend. this moment is opportune for snuggling and cat naps. 

    B. a cat treat baking party! according to the website, these are very popular. 

          1. keep in mind though that this type of party is usually for the owners only. it is a bonding time where cat lovers exchange cat treat recipes and cat stories and giggle over the cute things their cats do and such, all while wearing cat sweaters. 

     C. CAT COSTUMES. 

          1. Cat parties can be a lot of fun when it's a cat costume party. You can even dress up cats to look like people - clearly, the possibilities are endless. 

III. feeding your guests. Most all cat parties have cat treats to give to the guest as a parting gift or door prize. If cats are invited then the bag of treats are given to the cats. It can be store bought treats or homemade treats. Either way, cats love cat treats and you really can't have a cat party without special treat. again, you want to get this right, because this is really an important party. do not embarrass yourself by getting caught being lame, or cheap. you owe this to your cat.

     A. there are many recipes you can find in the world wide web for your cat. but don't forget your human guests! 

          1. It's a lot of fun to serve food that's in the shape of a cat. The most popular at all cat parties is a cake made in the shape of a cat...Meatloaf is another food item that can be cooked in a cat mold and decorated with catchup (not ketchup) or meat sauce and placed on a platter. 

               a. basically, any food item can be made appropriate for a cat party by shaping it into a cat, or serving it on a cat platter. so have fun with it, go wild. 

i really hope this was informative and brought you the same relief and excitement it brought me. have fun planning, and be sure to share pictures and ideas, as i'm sure you will be getting a start on this right a way! 

OH, and happy friday everyone.