Lifestyle

Crazy Cat Lady Chic: Check Out My Cool Cat-Themed Collection!

By Alissa Wolf

, November 24, 2014

Like a lot of crazy cat ladies, I adore a lot of kitty-centric things, and I have amassed various feline-themed items through the years. But while a lot of cat clothing, jewelry, and objets d’art can be downright tacky, I am proud to say that my collection is tastefully cute, classy, and chic, with a number of valuable, limited edition items — along with stuff that’s just plain fun.

For example, pictured above is an elegant ceramic cat that I use as a paper weight, which I got from Dollar Tree, believe it or not. I have had the cat notepaper and matching envelopes, which were made by the Fante stationery company, for many years.

Below are some of my other prized kitty possessions, with purchasing info provided where possible.

1. Cat clothes and accessories

Cat clothes, jewelry, and accessories can be super corny, banal, or just plain dumb. The ones I’ve found are quite stylish.

I purchased the above faux suede platform wedge shoes from online Chinese retailer Aliexpress for $24.99 last year. I cannot tell you how many compliments these have received. People often stop me to ask where I got them. This retailer carries a huge array of colorful cat footwear, including dress shoes, flats, sneakers, and sandals. Its prices are reasonable. Visit the Aliexpress website here.

Above is my limited-edition Nicole Miller black kitty handbag, which my brother and sister-in-law got me for my birthday a few years ago. It’s made from imitation leather and a velvet front panel, with the cat image stitched with white, gold, and pink thread. It’s embellished with gold faux gemstone eyes. My sister-in-law got this rare edition at a designer consignment store in Philadelphia; I have yet to see it anywhere else. Regardless, this is one of my most prized kitty-themed possessions.

As a huge fan of black cats, I went gaga for the sterling silver, crystal, and imitation onyx pendant (above right) that a former boss found on Amazon.com and gave to me as a birthday gift a few years ago. While it’s currently out of stock on Amazon, I found a similar piece — with real onyx — on the JC Penney site. Meanwhile, I purchased the Heirloom Finds Crystal and Enamel Black Kitty Dangle Earrings from Amazon, and they are still available here. I got the whimsical, intricately detailed Wild Things Flat Abstract Cat Head sterling silver bracelet from a jewelry boutique in New Orleans several years ago. It was available on Amazon, but it is currently out of stock — although it might return at some point. I did locate matching earrings and some other similar pieces on the Big Zoo website.

I bought this kitschy but chic Mossimo Supply Co. cat sweater from Target in the spring of 2014 to wear to Grumpy Cat’s second birthday bash held in Manhattan in April. Although I can no longer find it, because it’s out of season, Target might reintroduce it next spring. You might even be able to find it on a sale rack. In the meantime, I did see some other cool Mossimo Suppy Co. kitty clothing here.

2. Cat serving pieces

Through the years, I have added a number of unusual cat-themed tableware and serving pieces to my collection. Pictured above is the limited-edition, circa-1970s Gloria Vanderbilt teapot that my mom gave me as a housewarming gift when I moved into my first apartment some 35 years ago. Although it is no longer manufactured, you can find it on eBay. As for the kitty mug, I bought that at a Japanese import store, whose name I can’t remember, in Greenwich Village when I was a student at New York University. I originally had a set of six with cats of various colors, which, unfortunately, broke. This is the lone survivor. I have never seen any others like it, before or since.

I got these adorable Sitting Pretty Kitties painted ceramic salt-and-pepper shakers from Kmart a few years ago. They have been the hit of many dinner parties. Although Kmart doesn’t stock them anymore, I did find them on eBay.

3. Feline artwork and objets d’art

This exquisite batik watercolor on rice paper portrait of my beloved Omar holds a very special place in my heart — I lost him to a vaccine-associated sarcoma in June 2013. It’s the work of San Antonio, Texas-based pet portrait artist Kenneth Moore, who sells his creations through his online enterprise PetPics4U. People can commission the artist to create portraits of their pets by sending him a picture. Kenneth, who I profiled on another pet website, sent this to me as a gift after I lost Omar. I had it professionally mounted in a silver painted wooden frame at Michaels; the lady who framed it for me greatly admired it. I truly treasure this lovely tribute to a very dear pet.

I purchased this three-foot-tall painted wooden cat statue at a gallery in the quaintly hip, arty little mountain town of Waynesville, N.C., where I was working as a magazine editor for a few years. It’s a limited-edition piece that was made in Indonesia. It’s hard to find, but I saw some comparable ones at Pier 1 Imports.

As you can see, I possess a most impressive collection of cat-centric items. I might be a crazy cat lady, but at least I am tasteful about it.

Read more about cats and fashion on Catster:

Learn how to live a better life with your cat on Catster:

About the author: Alissa Wolf is an award-winning journalist and lifelong animal lover who lives near Atlantic City, N.J. with her cats, the dashingly handsome Murphy – the proud owner of a vast collection of bow ties – and Lily, an occasional feline fashion model. She writes about a variety of pet topics on her blog Critter Corner. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.