Crazy Cat Trends You Need To Watch Out For In 2016 (and by crazy, we mean awesome)

It’s no secret that us “crazy cat people” treat our fur babies like, well, babies. I am happily guilty of this myself (much to the dismay of my parents, who are desperately wishing for some human babies).

And as for the label of “CCL,” or Crazy Cat Lady, I embrace it. In fact, consider it a title of honour. I imagine myself as a member of a wonderful club…a fine group of people that all feel the same glowing satisfaction and eternal joy that I do when my furry friends play with a drinking straw or curl up in my tote bag. A note for the record: I buy them toys and beds, but you know how it goes.

How far will you go to show your crazy cat love for all the world to see? Check out these crazy cat trends and I’ll let you decide. Do they put the “purr” in purrfect or the “ow” in meow?

1. Shaving a cat shape into your hair

For those of us who feel that a cat tattoo may be too permanent, there is a new and fantastic option for displaying your adoration for your kitty. Imagine it now…you walk into the room, swishing your hair from side to side, and then BAM! You turn around and everyone sees it…Fluffy’s adorable face on the back of your head. Heads are sure to turn, and Fluffy will definitely be flattered that you are sporting this badge of honour!

2. Drinking wine with your cat

“Is this really a new trend?” you ask. “I have been drinking wine and watching Tigger chase the red dot for years.” Aha! Well this takes it to a whole new level. You can now serve your cat his own “wine,” a product that was originally launched in Japan in 2013 and has made its way to North America. Don’t worry though; it’s not actually wine or alcoholic at all! (and of course, pets should never consume alcohol)
Imagine it…Tigger enjoying his own fine glass/bowl of cat vino alongside you with your beverage of choice, lounging on the patio watching the sunset (or if you are like me, perhaps you are both on the couch watching The Bachelor).

3. Cat yoga classes

Your cat may be relaxed, but are you? Why not pair your two favourite relaxing activities, catting and yoga, into one? There are different views as to where this trend first got started, but it’s now available in most cities. The Edmonton Humane Society in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, offers weekly “Cats on your Mats” yoga classes where adoptable cats are brought in to snuggle and purr their way around while you get your stretch on. (hmmm…are downward dog poses still allowed?)

4. Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector - the app

Unfortunately for most cat lovers, we aren’t able to adopt as many fur babies as we’d like. This app will help fulfill your cat adopting dreams! Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector, a free app, is delightfully uncomplicated and addictive. The premise is simple: you buy fun goodies to attract virtual kitties to your virtual yard. You can take photos for your online “Catbook” album and collect fish from each furry visitor, which you can use to buy more goodies and attract more kitties. Some of the kitty visitors are quite rare – believe me, a sighting of Tubbs, Joe DiMeowgio, or one of their other buddies is sure to make your day.

5. DIY projects for your cats

This trend is not necessarily crazy, but of course, that depends on how far you’re willing to go! After all, DIY projects for your cat can save you money and promote sustainability, both of which are perfectly logical things to do. All one needs to do is log in to Pinterest or google “DIY for your cat” to discover a never-ending list of projects that will make Muffin your biggest fan (or even if not, Muffin will inevitably find some joy in helping you with the project, for example by holding the ruler while you measure, or sleeping on your DIY materials). In any case, it’s up to you. You can make it simple, such as the Quick ‘n Easy T-Shirt Cat Tent and some Easy DIY cat toys. Or… Go all out and embrace the craziest (ie. awesomest) and most extensive projects, like this cat lover, who turned his house into an indoor cat playland!

Now, I will let you paw-se and reflect. Are these a-mews-ing or catastrophic? Will you put any of these on your to-do list?

Let us know about your most loved and loathed cat trends!

About the author

Julia Jones-Bourque is a cat lover from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada who is the proud human to three cats: Gummy, Romey, and Oscar, all adopted from the Edmonton Humane Society. When she is not working at her day job in marketing and communications, Julia is probably petting Gummy, hugging Romey, and telling Oscar to “get down from there.”