How to Put a Halloween Costume on Your Cat

You might wonder: why put a Halloween costume on your cat? People put silly costumes on their dogs, so why not go a step further and put a silly costume on a creature that is bound to dislike it? Mostly, because it is fun and makes for some great pictures.

Cats and Halloween have often been tied together thematically so have a little fun this October. I'll give you some tips for dressing your feline friend as well as some ideas for where to purchase said costumes.

Tips for Dressing Your Cat in a Halloween Costume

Cat Halloween Costume Tip 1: Wear protective clothing like long garden gloves and a long sleeved shirt before attempting to place a Halloween costume on a cat. Let's face it: you are probably going to get a scratch or two during this process.

Cat Halloween Costume Tip 2: Approach your cat when the animal is calm, preferably asleep. You may be able to get all or part of the costume on before your cat realizes the indignity of the situation.

Cat Halloween Costume Tip 3: When deciding on a Halloween costume for your cat, you need to consider each individual cat's temperament. Some cats may be better suited to a hat only costume while others may tolerate a hat and torso costume.

Cat Halloween Costume Tip 4: Be sure to NOT hold the cat during this process. The cat should already be on a surface, preferably a bed or cat stand. See tip 2. If the cat is asleep, approach the cat quietly and stroke the cat's fur. Try not to laugh and giggle during the process as these sounds are sure to tip the cat off that something strange is about to happen. You may not want your children in the room while costuming your cat as they will surely be unable to control their wiggles and giggles.

Cat Halloween Costume Tip 5: If you purchased a full costume, apply the torso section first. Gently place the costume over the cat's head and pull down onto the body. Go slowly. Once the body portion is in place, add the head portion. Viola! You have now dressed your cuddly feline in a Halloween costume with, hopefully, minimal blood loss on your part.

Be sure to have your camera ready to take a couple of quick pictures. Once your cat realizes he is costumed, you can be sure the costume won't last long.

Where to Buy Halloween Costumes for Cats

You can check your local pet store for small dog costumes. The best costumes for cats will not have front leg enclosures, but instead will be cape like. Think supercat! If you're particularly crafty, you can sew a cape costume for your cat.

If you want to purchase a Halloween costume for your cat online, check out some of these retailers:
Spoiled Rotten Kitties - offers a choice of 3 cat costumes: king, queen or royal
Pet Costumes - has princess costumes for cats
House Pet Supply - offers a cute mouse patrol costume, camo costume, devil costume, crusader costume and a witch's hat - all for cats!
Feline Fido - for cats who absolutely will not tolerate any Halloween costume, why not buy a Halloween themed collar instead?