What do you get for cat lovers who have a lot of stuff already? The ones who’ve got plenty of toys, lots of cool cat apps on their tablets, cat sweatshirts, cat T-shirts, plush kitties, kitty knick-knacks of all types and descriptions, and a library full of cat books. Here are some gadgets and gizmos they’re bound to love.
1. Furry Plush Headphones
Kitty ears and your favorite tunes: Who could ask for more? From the crazy-cool folks at ThinkGeek come this awesomely fun way to listen to your favorite music on that long bus ride.
2. Party Animal Dancing Cat Speaker
If you remember Teddy Ruxpin, you’ll probably think this is just a little creepy. Plug your favorite audio device into this little gem and it’ll dance to your tune. I wonder what it’ll do when Skrillex drops the bass?
3. Catmate C20 Automatic Cat Feeder
If your cat wakes you up demanding breakfast before you’re ready to get up, this could be just the thing for you. They have a mechanism that opens the lid according to a dial timer you set just like an old-school kitchen timer. In addition to “night before” setting, you can also set it before you leave for work if you know you’ll be a little late, so your kitty has a snack before you come home and serve dinner. I have a friend who uses these for her cats and she thinks they’re awesome. You can put canned food in the Catmate C20 because it comes with an ice pack to keep it fresh.
4. Oppo Groomo Cat Brush
What do you get when you combine a lint roller and a cat fur comb? The Oppo Groomo Cat Brush. This crazy-cool idea is brought to us by our friends at Japan Trend  and yes, the company does ship to the United States.
5. Dropcam
Want to keep an eye on your cats while you’re away? No problem! Just install a Dropcam in a place where they like to hang out. An iPhone and Android app allow you to check in throughout the day. Check out Kitten Associates’ Squee TV for an idea about how rescue groups can use Dropcam to introduce potential adopters to their cute charges.
6. Petcube
Talk to your cat and play with her while you’re away from home with this crazy-cool new device that includes a speaker and laser toy. Use the accompanying iPhone or Android app to keep your kitty on her toes! This one’s kind of a tease because it’s not quite on the market yet: The inventors just reached their Kickstarter funding goal earlier this month. Once it’s available for sale, I suspect workplace productivity will decrease rapidly.
7. Solar Powered Cat Tantalizer
Before Skymall and TV shopping channels, there was Hammacher Schlemmer, home of silly gadgets that you never knew you needed until (of course) you saw them. This solar-powered cat tantalizer can keep your cats entertained while you’re away by automatically operating an interactive "thing on a string" toy.
8. Frolicat Sway Magnetic Teaser Toy
This interactive kitty toy attaches to a table or shelf by means of a magnet. It can allow your feline friend hours of fun even when you’re not around to fling a teaser toy. Also check out Frolicat’s Twitch for another fun away-time play toy.
9. Emergency Meow Button
Who needs the “Easy” button when you can use the Emergency Meow Button? If you need to decrease the stress level in your office — or maybe annoy the crap out of your office dogs or cat-hating colleagues — this is the thing for you.
10. Kit-Cat Clock
What kitty gadget list would be complete without the venerable Kit-Cat Clock? This sweet timepiece has been gracing homes since 1932, and now you can get it in original black or a variety of other cool colors to suit any decor.
Do you know of any other cool gadgets for cats and cat lovers? Please share them in the comments.
About JaneA Kelley: Punk-rock cat mom, science nerd, animal shelter volunteer, professional cat sitter, and all-around geek with a passion for bad puns, intelligent conversation, and role-play adventure games. She gratefully and gracefully accepts her status as chief cat slave for her family of feline bloggers, who have been writing their award-winning cat advice blog, Paws and Effect since 2003.
