Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to express your love and affection for those who hold a special place in your heart – including your cat. Here’s how to plan a date with your cat on Valentine’s Day to show them how much you love them.
Take a romantic walk with your cat
Start your Valentine’s date with your cat by taking a romantic stroll around the garden. Walk slowly and take time to pause and enjoy the sights and sounds around you. You may like to stop and sit for a while. Time spent in the garden is always popular with cats. It gives them the opportunity to watch and stalk insects, butterflies, lizards or anything that moves really.
This part of your date will be easier if your cat is trained to walk on a leash. Otherwise, you might be left standing alone if your cat runs off after seeing a low flying bird or leaf dancing in the breeze.
Food is the way to a cat’s heart
You know what they say; the way to a cat’s heart is through their stomach. That’s definitely true in our house – our cats love food and meal times are the most exciting part of their day. To ensure your Valentine’s date with your cat is a success, you’ll need delicious food.
What is your cat’s favourite treat? Whilst fish isn’t recommended for cats every day, a piece or salmon or stinky fish may be just the meal to get them excited. Rotisserie chicken is usually popular too. Our cats, who are raw fed, also enjoy pieces of red meat, chicken hearts or quail necks.
Another option is to bake your cat a batch of homemade tuna cat treats. These are quick and easy to make with just a few simple ingredients and your cat with love them. The combo of tuna and catnip always has Charlie and Max licking their lips for more.
Swap the flowers for cat grass
Whilst Valentine’s Day flowers are appreciated by us humans, they are not suitable gifts for cats. We don’t have flowers or indoor plants in our house, because our cats like to nibble them (and we can’t supervise them 24/7). Flowers and indoor pants can make cats very sick. There are so many plants and flowers that are poisonous to cats, it’s best to skip this romantic tradition.
Instead, we recommend a bouquet of cat grass or a cat grass plant to put in the windowsill. Alternatively, place some cat grass in pots around your garden, so your cat can enjoy them on your walk. Keep in mind, you may need to monitor how much grass your cat eats. Cat grass can make a cat vomit – so whilst it’s ideal for bringing up hairballs, too much vomiting on date night may spoil your plans.
Chirpy Cats blog also have a wonderful cat grass pond you can make yourself. With step-by-step instructions, this could be the perfect Valentine’s date present for the cat in your life.
A Valentine’s gift for you and your cat
Unfortunately your cat doesn’t have a credit card. Your cat can’t order online or pop to the shops for your gift. Therefore you’ll need to organise your own gift for your Valentine’s date and pretend it’s from your cat.
We suggest you treat yourself to special something you’ve had your eye on for a while. But you need to keep 2 things in mind. Your gift must be a reasonable size and it must come in a cardboard box. You get the gift and your cat gets the box. Every cat wants another cardboard box to sit, play or sleep in, so it’s the perfect Valentine’s date gift.
If you already have a lot of cardboard boxes at home, consider taping them together and constructing a cardboard fort. If you cut access holes in the sides of some of the boxes and join them together you can also create a cardboard maze. Playing in cardboard boxes will keep your cat happy for hours.
Other Valentine’s gifts for your cat
Not all cats like cardboard boxes as much as other cats. Or, perhaps you’d just like to buy your cat a special cat toy for your Valentines Day date. Our cats enjoy DaBird, the red dot laser toy, and running through a crinkle cat tunnel.
Pamper your cat with a relaxing massage
Nothing says ‘I love you’ more, than a relaxing massage. If your cat enjoys being brushed, start with a general grooming session. Use a cat brush or glove and run your hand from the top of your cat’s head to the tip of their tail. This will effectively remove any excess, loose fur and help minimise hairballs.
Next, you can move on to a relaxing cat massage. Start by talking to your cat in a soft and gentle voice. To begin the massage, focus on the areas your cat likes most. Most cats enjoy a good scratch under the chin, being stroked behind the ears or on top of their head, so spend some time here. You can then move to the rest of their body, gently stroking and massaging their fur.
Be guided by your cat, they’ll let you know what they like and what they don’t. They’ll also tell you when to stop. My cats will happily tolerate massage for around 10 mins, then they’ll get up and walk away. That’s my cue they have had enough.
One last treat at the end of date night
As your Valentine’s date is drawing to a close with your cat, it’s time to get into the good stuff. That might be a glass of wine for you, and catnip for your cat. If your cat is not one of those cats who go wild for catnip, you could try a few of your cat’s favourite treats from your hand – it’s the perfect way to bond.
The perfect end to your Valentine’s date with your cat
To end your Valentine’s date with your cat, it’s time to curl up together and relax on the sofa. You can chat about your date (you do have conversations with your cat, don’t you?), or simply cuddle and relax to the sound of your cat’s purr. Stroking your cat is not only enjoyable for your cat, it’s also beneficial for your health.
If you prefer to watch a movie together, we recommend the wildlife videos for cats by Paul Dinning. Our favourite cat TV video features birds and relaxing nature sounds. It’s perfect for listening to together at the end of the day. Cat TV can also be effective in helping to reduce your cat’s anxiety and stress, when you are away from the house for extended periods of time.
You’re never without a date on Valentine’s Day, if you have a cat in your life. They are they perfect companions for a romantic walk in the garden, or a cuddle on the sofa.
What other ideas do you have for a special Valentine’s Day date with your cat? Let us know in the comments below.
