Siouxsie: It's that time of year again ... the time when our humans go out hunting for wonderful goodies for us and for the cat-loving humans among their friends. So to help you in your efforts to find gifts, we're going to give you some suggestions on where to find great stuff for cats and cat lovers.

Thomas: Most cats love catnip, and the best catnip we've ever had comes from Dr. Pussums. The owner of Dr. Pussums grows her own organic "curiously strong" catnip and makes a variety of great catnip treats. I particularly like the catnip-marinated toys. *purrrr* For a household with several cats, consider the Party Pack, several catnip-stuffed toys prepackaged together. For the serious 'nip-head, get the Nickel Bag. Every cat should experience the joy of Dr. Pussums catnip!

Dahlia: Toys are a big hit, too. One of my favorite toys is from PetStages (the same company that makes LifeStages toys for human babies). PetStages offers toys for a variety of play needs for cats of all ages. PetStages toys can be found at pet stores and online at pet supply outlets.

Siouxsie: You can always get food treats. Pit'r Pat "feline breath mints" are yummy and they're supposed to help a cat's breath smell better too. Rolling treat balls that dispense yummies at random intervals when they're batted around can help a fat cat get exercise and have fun too. These items are available at pet stores and through online pet retailers.

Thomas: For interactive play time, we recommend Da Bird and the Cat Teaser. These are toys that can encourage kitties to play and have fun, and they'll bring lots of laughs to humans too. If you have a cat that stays up all night playing, a good vigorous play session with one of these toys can help Kitty relax and settle down for the night. You can find these items through pet stores and online pet retailers.

Dahlia: For the cat-loving humans on your gift list, there are lots of wonderful cat-themed gifts available. Our friend and fellow cat lover Shelagh makes an assortment of cat-themed jewelry with sterling silver and semiprecious stones, making them both lovely and affordable. Visit her shop, Dolphin Designs, online. And if you wish, tell her we sent you.

Thomas: You can purchase a custom-created whimsical wooden "cat angel." This is a great gift for cat lovers and a wonderful way to remember a departed animal companion. If you send a photo of your cat, the lovely ladies at Wood Cats and Dogs will create a two-dimensional or three-dimensional portrait of your cat friend.

Dahlia: We just opened up a new shop at Spreadshirt (a custom online printing house) where you can purchase clothing, purses and even mugs and mouse pads decorated with designs created by our very own Mama. She made a Triple Moon Cat design (available in white, silver, and glow-in-the dark ink) which was inspired by me! Can you believe it? Me! She also has Happy!cat merchandise available there, too. A portion of any profits from the Spreadshirt shop will be donated to our local no-kill animal shelter.

Siouxsie: And, as always, you can still buy lots of lovely cat-related designs at our CafePress shop, including two wonderful cat designs by Monica Richards.

Thomas: Carrie Hawks' Tigerpixie Art Studio is a repository of beautiful, whimsical paintings and prints featuring cats. Mama has one of Carrie's beautiful pieces hanging in a place of honor in her house. Carrie has something for every budget.

Dahlia: If you're looking for books, I highly recommend Cat Massage by Maryjean Ballner (1997, St. Martin's Press). Mama borrowed this book from the library, and I've had many Power Purr and Mega Meow Moments as she's practiced these techniques on me.

Siouxsie: If your cat-loving friend is a Reiki practitioner, the book Animal Reiki by Elizabeth Fulton and Kathleen Prasad (2006, Ulysses Press) has some great information on how Reiki can be adapted to treat a variety of animals.

Thomas: Readers of graphic novels or manga will love Anafae (Book 1), written by Monica Richards and illustrated by Monica Richards and James Neely. This lovely and beautiful work is set in the not-too-distant future in a post-apocalyptic world, where Anafae, Mother Nature incarnate, and her animal companions (including a cat, of course!) is bringing life back to a dying planet. This isn't a political polemic, just a great fantasy story of regeneration and rebirth. You can purchase a copy of Anafae at Monica Richards' website.

Dahlia: While you're there, check out some of the other beautiful cat-related art Monica creates. *purrrrrr*

Siouxsie: For the cat lover with a sense of humor, pick up a copy of Bad Cat: 244 Not-So-Pretty Kitties and Cats Gone Bad by Jim Edgar (2004, Workman Books). This book is a collection of photos and amusing captions from the website My Cat Hates You. Mama and her friends have laughed their way through this book many times since she got it as a holiday gift last year. And I've learned some great lessons on how to terrorize dogs and other cats. Heh heh heh.

Thomas: Of course, if your cat-loving friend already has everything, consider making a donation in her or his name to your local no-kill animal shelter or a national animal welfare group. Noah's Wish (providing worldwide disaster relief for animals), the ASPCA, the Humane Society of the United States, and Alley Cat Allies (providing trap-neuter-return and health care for feral cats in cities all over the US), among many others, are doing wonderful and worthwhile tasks for our less fortunate cat friends here in the United States. Many other countries have equivalent organizations.

Dahlia: Hopefully you've now got some great gift ideas for the cats (and cat lovers) in your life. If you have any other gift recommendations, please let us know. There's still lots of time before the big holidays, and we love to support independent craftspeople, artists and merchants!

Got a question? Need some advice? E-mail us at advice@paws-and-effect.com. None of the material in this column is meant to be a substitute for regular veterinary care.