Finding a costume for your cat can be quite complicated. On one hand, you want to choose something that you like. On the other hand, you need a costume that your cat will actually wear. Often, those two things don’t line up!
Therefore, we did the hard work of finding costumes that would fit into both categories. Keep reading for the best cat costumes on the market this year.
For those who want a complete costume for their cat, we recommend the Rubie’s Costume Company Serape Cat Costume. It includes both a traditional rainbow poncho and a sombrero. This costume looks like it was well put together and has more pieces than most other outfits.
The elastic chin strap keeps this hat comfortable and secure. It is unlikely to fall off unless your cat yanks it off themselves.
There are many sizes available, though your cat will likely need the smallest one. We do recommend checking the sizing before purchasing, though, just to make sure.
If you’re looking for a costume that requires little effort on your part, this option is easily the best overall cat costume.
Pros
Three pieces
Elastic chin strap
Many sizes available
Cons
Hat does come off with some effort
2. Frisco Red Plaid Cat Ruffle Collar With Bells – Best Value
Compared to some other costumes, the Frisco Red Plaid Cat Ruffle Collar With Bells is simplistic. However, it is also a good option for cats that struggle to be in other costumes. It is also quite inexpensive. Therefore, it is the best cat costume for the money.
This costume is easy to put on with the built-in elastic. Your cat should be comfortable wearing it, especially if they are already used to wearing a collar. You can even put it on over their collar.
The festive holiday design and added bells make this collar quite stylish. It is perfect for the holiday season and works great if you’re looking for something quick and easy.
Pros
Easy to put on
Doesn’t come off
Inexpensive
Cons
Simplistic
3. Frisco Front Walking Snowman Costume – Premium Choice
If you have a bit more money to spend, we recommend the Frisco Front Walking Snowman Dog & Cat Costume. This costume has a body piece and a separate headpiece for maximum comfort. This also makes it easier to put on. There is a chin strap on the headpiece that secures it and fuzzy straps on the neck and belly for the body piece. All these fastenings make this costume comfortable for your feline and difficult for them to take off).
However, this costume is expensive, mostly because it includes multiple pieces. With more material, the costume costs more to make.
For those looking for a simpler graduation outfit, we recommend the Rubie’s Costume Company Graduation Hat Costume. As the name suggests, this costume is a simple graduation hat. It can be used to recognize your dog’s achievements, like basic training or other sorts of accreditation. However, you can also just use it as a simple costume.
The short, elastic straps are easy to put on and comfortable underneath your cat’s chin. Simply slide it over your cat’s head, and you’ll be done!
Pros
Elastic straps
Simple design
Comfortable
Cons
Simplistic
5. Frisco Holiday Antler Headband & Bell Collar Cat Costume
The Frisco Holiday Antler Headband & Bell Collar Dog & Cat Costume is fantastic for the holiday season. This set of antlers and bell collar is perfectly festive. However, the antlers may have a hard time staying on since they can easily be targeted with a paw and pulled off.
However, if your cat will leave it on, this costume is cute.
There are a few different sizes, but most cats will likely need the smallest size. Check the sizing chart just in case.
An adjustable chin strap enables you to easily put it on and take it off. This can make it fit better on your cats too.
The Frisco Front Walking Santa Dog & Cat Costume is an adorable costume. It comes in two pieces and makes it look like your feline is walking around as Santa Claus. The body piece is separate from the headpiece. The beard itself is also detachable, though it isn’t technically another piece.
The elastic ear and chin straps keep this costume firmly on your feline. There is also a hook-and-loop neck strap that helps keep the pieces in place.
While this costume does have more parts than others, it is quite cute once you get it on. It is a matter of getting your cat to keep it on, though. All the straps and pieces can irritate some felines.
Pros
Elastic ear and chin straps
Two pieces
Cons
Difficult to put on
7. Rubie’s Costume Company Hula Girl Dog & Cat Costume
The top piece stays on through the use of elastic ear and chin straps. The bottom piece has a hook-and-loop fastening that goes around the cat’s neck. Overall, this piece is easy to put on and seems to be comfortable for most felines.
This outfit does run a bit small, though. Keep this in mind when you are figuring out what size to get for your feline. Based on most customer reviews, you should size up.
It doesn’t get much funnier than this costume. With the Frisco Santa Rider Dog & Cat Costume, you can dress your feline up like a reindeer with Santa flying on their back. This two-piece costume comes with the back piece that has Santa on top of it. The separate headpiece makes your cat look like a reindeer.
Overall, this is a large costume, given that it includes a full back piece. It is expensive for this reason, so you should ensure that you really want it before you decide to buy it.
The headpiece comes with elastic ear and chin straps to keep it on properly. However, it is easier for your cat to take off this headpiece because the antlers stick up and are easy for your cat to grab onto. The body piece has hook-and-loop straps at the neck and belly.
While the Frisco Front Walking Elf Dog & Cat Costume is adorable, it can be hard to get your cat to stay in it. The hat doesn’t seem to stay on well due to its size, which can make this costume a bit frustrating.
The headpiece is separate from the body piece. Like most other options, it is fastened with elastic ear straps and a neck strap. It is easy to put on, but your cat can simply slide it off if they grab hold of it.
In other words, it is not a great option to actually keep on your cat.
Pros
Two pieces
Cons
Expensive
Hard to keep on
Buyer’s Guide: Finding The Best Cat Costume
There are several options out there if you’re looking for a costume for your cat. While there are only a few companies that make pet costumes on the market, they have quite a range of options, so you have plenty to choose from.
However, not all these costumes are suitable for every cat. Depending on your feline and your preferences, the exact costumes that work for you may be limited.
For this reason, there are several things that you should keep in mind before you decide on a costume. Here, we go over important decisions that you’ll need to make when choosing the perfect cat costume.
Image Credit: danilobiancalana, Shutterstock
What Type of Cat Costume Should I Buy?
You probably already have some idea of a costume that you’d like to purchase. Even if you don’t, there are going to be some costumes that you like more than others.
Therefore, you should choose an option that you like. Don’t settle on something just because it is cheaper or seems like it may be easier to get your cat to wear. If you don’t like the costume, the odds of you actually putting it on your cat are low.
We included a variety of different costumes on this list to help you decide, but there are tons of other costumes out there. If you’re looking for something specific, you’ll probably be able to find it!
Will Your Cat Wear It?
There are several costumes that may look nice, but your cat may not actually wear them. This often occurs when the costume is too complicated or comes with too many pieces. There are also cases where your feline may be able to easily take off a particular piece, which can make it frustrating to keep them in costume.
For instance, you may want to avoid getting your cat costumes with particularly tall hats or those that are particularly large. Cats seem to be able to pull these types of hats off the easiest, which usually means you’ll have a hard time keeping them on.
If your cat is particularly against costumes, you may need to settle for something simple. For instance, some costumes are basically only a collar. Since most cats wear collars, anyway, this piece probably won’t give them much of a problem.
How Much Does It Cost?
Costumes have varying prices. Some are quite expensive, while others are extremely cheap. Obviously, you want to find one that is within your budget. Therefore, you’ll need to find something that is affordable for you.
There are many cheap options out there, and the cost isn’t necessarily tied to quality. Therefore, you shouldn’t throw out an option just because it costs less. In many cases, cheaper costumes are simply smaller and have less material. They aren’t necessarily lower-quality, though.
Image Credit: sivilla, Shutterstock
Is It Easy to Put On?
Preferably, you want a piece that is easy for you to put on your feline. Elastic straps are usually the easiest, though some cats find them stressful because it feels like something is squeezing them.
Hook-and-loop closures are also common and easy to put on. They don’t squeeze your cat quite as tightly as elastic, so your cat may like this type of closure more.
Multi-piece costumes may look more complete, but you also have to wrestle more pieces onto your cat. While this isn’t always a problem, you may occasionally have issues. Some cats can be eased into one piece, but they may not stay put for another. Therefore, in these situations, your best option is usually to choose a one-piece costume.
Conclusion
There are a few different cat costumes out there that are perfect for the holiday season (and any other time of year!). Our favorite is the Rubie’s Costume Company Serape Cat Costume. This costume is cute and comes with a few different pieces. It is typically quite easy to put on and doesn’t come off easily.
For those who need something inexpensive or simplistic, the Frisco Red Plaid Cat Ruffle Collar With Bells is a solid choice. It is only a collar, so many cats that otherwise won’t wear costumes will not have a problem with it. Plus, it’s nearly impossible for your cat to pull off.
We hope that our reviews have helped you choose the perfect costume for your feline.
Nicole is the proud mom of 3 rescue fur babies, Baby, a Burmese cat; Rosa, a New Zealand Huntaway; and Mac, a Lab/Mastiff. A Canadian expat, Nicole now lives on a lush forest property with her Kiwi husband and new baby daughter in New Zealand. She has a strong love for all animals of all shapes and sizes (and particularly loves a good interspecies friendship) and wants to share her animal knowledge and other experts' knowledge with pet lovers across the globe....Read more
