National Cat Day is Thursday, October 29. It started in 2005 as a push to get shelter cats adopted, and it has turned into the one day a year when the cat gets the spotlight on purpose instead of just taking it. If you have been meaning to fix the scratched sofa arm, the carrier that lives in a closet, or the bed the cat ignores, this is the week to do it.
Rather than list everything a cat could own, this guide sorts gifts by the kind of cat you live with. Most cats are two or three of these at once; start with the one that causes the most trouble.
The climber: a cat who treats the fridge as a lookout
A cat who ends up on the fridge, the bookshelf, or the top of the door is not being difficult. Height is how cats feel safe and keep an eye on the room; the AAFP/ISFM environmental guidelines put elevated resting places near the top of what an indoor cat needs. What to look for: a tree tall enough to clear the back of your sofa (40 inches and up), a wide, heavy base that does not rock when the cat lands, and at least one enclosed condo or roofed perch so the climber has a place to retreat as well as a place to watch. Put it in a spot with a view, not in a hallway, and the fridge usually loses its appeal.
The scratcher: a cat who has opinions about your sofa
Scratching is not a habit to break; it is how cats stretch, mark, and keep their claws in shape. The fix is a surface they prefer, placed where they already scratch. Sisal wins on texture because it shreds satisfyingly without coming apart, and a piece that is stable enough to lean into wins on everything else. If floor space is tight, a pad that hangs on a door or sticks to a smooth wall at sofa-arm height does the same job standing up. Cats who bat as much as they scratch like something with moving parts on top.
The napper: a cat who sleeps in the laundry basket
The laundry basket is popular for a reason: walls on all sides, a soft floor, and your smell. A bed that offers the same thing gets used; a flat mat in the middle of the floor usually does not. Look for a bolster that wraps all the way around (7 to 8 inches is tall enough to lean on), a cover that unzips and goes in the machine, and a base that does not skate across hard floors. A tunnel attached to a bed covers the hide-first, nap-second routine in one piece. Raised beds with scratch panels suit cats who want to be slightly above the floor and sharpen their claws before settling.
The hunter: a cat who ambushes your ankles at 2 a.m.
Ankle attacks are usually a cat with nowhere to put the stalk-chase-pounce sequence. Toys that move on their own after a swat (a spring spiral that wobbles back), or that a cat can hide inside (a coiled tunnel with teasers at the opening), give that energy somewhere to go before bedtime. Crinkle fabric and a bell add the sound that keeps a cat in the game; a pinch of catnip gets a slow starter interested.
The foodie: a cat who pushes the bowl across the kitchen
A bowl that slides, or one deep enough to press on the whiskers at every bite, gets pushed, tipped, or abandoned half full. A raised, wide, stable bowl is a small change the cat notices at every meal. Ceramic is heavy enough to stay put on its own; a lighter stand needs a rubber anti-slip strip. A removable stainless insert makes daily washing quick.
The traveler: a cat who vanishes when the carrier comes out
The carrier that only appears on vet day is the carrier the cat hates. One that is soft, opens from the top, and lives in the living room with a blanket inside becomes furniture instead of a threat. Mesh on three sides keeps the air moving and lets a nervous cat see out; a safety clip inside keeps the harness attached while the door is open. Carriers that unzip into a tent double as a den at a hotel or a friend's house.
FAQ
When is National Cat Day?
October 29, every year. It was founded in 2005 to encourage shelter adoptions, and adopting is still the most fitting way to mark it if you have room for one more.
What if I only buy one thing?
Buy the thing that solves the loudest problem. For most homes that is a scratcher placed next to the sofa, because a cat with a better surface stops using yours.
Do cat beds and bowls work for small dogs too?
Bolster sofa beds, elevated bowls, and soft carriers are usually sized for cats and small dogs alike. Trees and scratchers are for cats.
How does the Cat Day discount work?
Enter CATDAY15 at checkout between Oct 26 and Oct 29, 2026 (through 11:59 PM PT) for 15% off anything in the For Cats shop. One use per customer; it can't be combined with other codes.
Our Pick: The ZEZE Cat Trees
ZEZE Fantasy Farm 46.4-in Cat Tree has five perches and two condos at different heights, so two or three cats can each hold a level. The big one for multi-cat homes.
ZEZE Farm Cottage 47.2-in Cat Tree & Condo puts a solid wood cottage on top for the cat who likes a roof over the lookout.
ZEZE 49.2-in Modern Wood with Arch Cat Tree & Condo is the tallest of the set, with a wood frame that reads as furniture in a living room.
ZEZE 33.8-in Bobo Ball Memphis-Inspired Chair Cat Tree is a 33.8-inch perch you can sit on yourself. For the cat who wants height but also wants your lap.
Our Pick: The ZEZE Cat Scratchers
ZEZE Ramen Bowl Cat Scratcher is a sisal bowl with plush toppings. Scratch, then nap in the bowl.
ZEZE Lily Pot Cat Scratching Post is a curved sisal stem with catnip flowers on top, set in a weighted pot.
ZEZE Calla Lily Bloom Cat Scratcher stacks two sisal balls at different heights plus a crinkle leaf, for cats who bat as much as they scratch.
ZEZE Arch Sisal Cat Scratcher Pad hangs on a door, sticks to a smooth wall, or lies flat. The one for small apartments.
Our Pick: The ZEZE Cat Beds
ZEZE Cabana Dog & Cat Sofa Bed with 7.8-in Wraparound Bolster, Butter Pink wraps a 7.8-inch bolster around all four sides, with a cover that unzips for the wash and an anti-slip base.
ZEZE Cabana Dog & Cat Sofa Bed with 7.8-in Wraparound Bolster, Ocean Blue is the same bed in Ocean Blue.
ZEZE Seasalt Latte with Boba Elevated Cat Bed with Removable Cushion, 3 Rotating Sisal Balls, Pom Toy & Scratch Panels, Multicolor, Medium combines a raised bed, three rotating sisal balls, and scratch panels in one piece. Our most-ordered item this month.
ZEZE 2-in-1 Rainbow Crinkle & Hanging Balls Chew Resistant Blanket Cat Tunnel Bed with Catnip, Multicolor, Large attaches a crinkle tunnel to a wide bed, with hanging balls at both openings. Hide, then nap.
Our Pick: The ZEZE Cat Toys
ZEZE Interactive Forest Snake Crinkle Spring Spiral Cat Toy, Green is a spring spiral that wobbles back after every swat, so one tap keeps the game going.
ZEZE Forest Snake Catnip Tunnel Spiral Cat Toy with Bell & Hanging Teasers, Green is a coiled tunnel a cat can live inside, with a bell and hanging teasers.
Our Pick: The ZEZE Elevated Bowls
ZEZE Trophy Elevated Ceramic Dog & Cat Bowl with Side Handles, Yellow, Large: 6-cup is one piece of glazed ceramic with a 7.4-inch opening, a tilted rim, and a footed base. Also the nicest-looking thing on the kitchen floor.
ZEZE Retro Stripe 5.1-in Raised Elevated Dog & Cat Bowl with Removable 304 Stainless Steel Insert & Anti-Slip Base, Pink, Large: 5-cup is a 5.1-inch stand with a removable stainless insert and a rubber anti-slip strip.
Our Pick: The ZEZE Travel Carriers
ZEZE 3-Panel Mesh Opening Nice Expandable Dog & Cat Travel Carrier with Side Expand Tent, Multi-Pocket, Safety Clip & Luggage Strap, Multicolor, 39.3-in opens on three mesh panels, and both sides unzip into a tent that doubles the space at a hotel or a friend's house.
ZEZE Maillard Brown Color Traveling Block Dog & Cat Carrier with Top Mesh Sunroof, U-Shape Head Window, Side Pocket & Safety Clip, 16.9-in is a canvas carrier that looks like a tote, with a mesh sunroof and a padded base.
Cat Day code: CATDAY15 takes 15% off everything in the For Cats shop from Monday, Oct 26 through Thursday, Oct 29, 2026 (11:59 PM PT). One use per customer; it can't be combined with other codes.
