Cats Wearing Clothes

cute little kitties in hats, or tutus, or mushroom costumes

I’m sure you’ve seen photos of cute little kitties in hats, or tutus, or even hand-knitted mushroom costumes. We laugh, smile, and share photos and videos with our friends and family, too. We even call our coworkers over to our cubicles to sneak a peek at the latest beret-wearing cat pictures and videos. Although, unless our boss is an animal lover, we hope he doesn’t show up at our desks to see what all of the laughing is about. For all we know, our bosses are likely in their offices laughing at the same beret-wearing kitty pictures and videos.

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I know that some people enjoy dressing their cats in all kinds of wonderful gear. You see them styling around with custom outfits with tops, hats, and even boots on their paws. I even saw one family dress everyone, including the cat, in Halloween costumes. They were bright and very colorful. It was a happy story for some and very upsetting for others. The mom was so proud of what she’d created, while the cat tried every maneuver possible to shed the pumpkin head. Feeling totally defeated, the cat decided to hide behind the sofa.

For our cats, they’ve always been "naked.” Now, of course, the caveat here is our cats started off completely feral. At this point, most of them would be considered semi-feral. Half of them will allow me to pet them and the other half will only sit within a few feet of me. However, there is no way they’d allow me to put a collar or any other wearable item on them.

Now, I know I will get raked over the proverbial coals for what I’m about to say, but I just don’t get it! I’m just not convinced of the need to dress up our cats and make them wear hats, clothing and boots. I’m definitely not convinced that our cats like putting on the tutus, tiaras, and necklaces that some people make their cats wear.

I could understand dressing your cat in a sweater if it was cold outside and your cat spent a lot of time outdoors. But, even with that, cats usually have a thick layer of fur to keep them warm. They are also smart enough to come inside when it is too cold or to find a warm place to get away from the wind and elements. I know with my own feral and semi-feral cats, they rarely leave their heated beds or my garage when the weather is cold and snowy. Often, they will choose to snuggle in one bed together in order to keep extra warm and toasty.