“So what do you want for your birthday?”
“CAT” I almost always reply without missing a beat.
Annoying and unhelpful, I know; No one’s actually gonna get me a kitty – each of those little furballs come with a hefty price tag in the thousands, and adoption on behalf of someone else isn’t any easier, what with stringent house screenings and all.
God forbid you settle on a generic towel set though, because not all hope is lost. If you’ve got a crazy cat lady (or gentleman) friend whom you need to find a gift for, the next best thing would be to get them something cat-themed. These local stores have a range of cat-related items for humans up for sale, many of which are original creations by the store owners themselves.
Read our other cat-related articles here:
Kittea brings two of the best things in life together: Cats and tea. Each of their blends are inspired by different cat breed and their personalities, and come without preservatives or artificial flavourings so you know you’re consuming only the good stuff.
These come in regular teabags ($15/12 pcs) as well as tea tubes ($6), which are slim test tubes filled with loose leaf tea.
But their bestsellers are their tea tins ($8), each bearing an illustration of its corresponding cat breed. You can also purchase gift sets which come with your pick of either 2 ($16), 4 ($32), or 6 tea tins ($50), all presented nicely in a gift box.
Note: These teas are strictly for hoomans only, so please do not feed them to your cat!
They’ve also come up with their own pins ($15) featuring the Kitticorn, a unicorn hood-wearing cat with a rainbow tail. Snag both the Kitticorn tea tin and the pin in a discounted bundle at just $20 (U.P. $24) – the tea is a fruity mix of chocolate-dipped pineapples, apples, and raspberries.
You can purchase from Kittea online, or check them out in person through one of their many stockists here.
P.S.: Read our article on other underrated tea brands in Singapore here.
Image adapted from: Steak and Eggs Please
Steak and Eggs Please is a Singapore-based artist who illustrates all sorts of animal postcards and greeting cards. But they appear to have a special liking for cats in particular – there’s even a dedicated section on their Etsy store solely for feline postcards.
Image credit: Steak and Eggs Please
Some are pure and wholesome, some are punny, while others verge on sarcastic, but one thing’s constant across all cards: Super high levels of cuteness. The drawings are relatively simple but eye-catching, and do a great job in getting their messages across.
Image adapted from: Steak and Eggs Please
Especially endearing are the postcards printed with grumpy cats dressed up as our favourite local kuehs, such as pineapple tarts and steamed lapis. Similar in fashion are the enamel pins, with cats as the king and queen of fruits, i.e. durian and mangosteen.
Image credit: Steak and Eggs Please
Good news: Steak and Eggs Please offers free delivery in Singapore, so you don’t have to worry about hitting a minimum amount. If you’d like to purchase many cards at a go, it’d be worth going for their bundle offer, which lets you pick any 5 cards for $32.
Those drawn to shiny objects like a magpie would have a hard time resisting the glittery resin brooches ($29) by Alfie De Meow. Packed with mesmerising foil flakes, these brooches shaped like cats in various poses will bring new life to any plain outfit or bag.
For something less flashy, go for their Eco Bamboo Brooches ($15), which will look great against a pale background. Y’know, that whole white-and-wooden Muji vibe that’s all the rage these days.
Image credit: Alfie De Meow
If you prefer less chunky accessories, they do have sleek metal earrings, rings, and necklaces.
Image credit: Alfie De Meow
But what we’ve got our eye on are the acrylic laser-cut creations which come with a Singaporean element, where local landmarks and icons like Marina Bay Sands and the Singapore Flyer have been cleverly incorporated into the jewellery. Fancy a cat casually using GBTB’s Supertrees as scratching posts!
10% of Alfie De Meow’s proceeds go to local cat charities, so that’s an added bonus in making a purchase.
Image credit: @cat_socrates
Both branches of Cat Socrates are an eclectic hodgepodge of all things feline-related – their Tiong Bahru store carries smaller trinkets like stationery and accessories, while their Joo Chiat outlet is mainly stocked with larger homeware pieces like cushions, cutlery, and furniture. Now you know where to make a beeline (or should I say, catwalk) to, for housewarming gifts for that cat-crazy couple you know.
Image credit: Cat Socrates
If you’re a first-time cat-owner who might need some help, check out their handy guide books on caring for and connecting with your furkid. Quirkier titles include a doodling guide, and…bedtime stories for cats/dogs? Now that’s something I never knew I needed. Till now.
Image adapted from: Cat Socrates, @neha.mitra
They do have an online presence, but the listed selection only scratches the surface of their treasures, so we recommend heading down to their physical outlets for a browse. You’d be surprised – although both stores have modest cosy spaces, you could easily find yourself lost in their shelves of whimsical knick-knacks for close to an hour.
Image credit: @prettydayssingapore, @cat_socrates
Tiong Bahru outlet
Address: 78 Yong Siak Street, #01-14, Singapore 163078
Opening hours: Mon-Sat: 12PM-8PM | Sun: 1PM-7PM
Telephone: 6333 0870
Katong outlet
Address: 448 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427661
Opening hours: Tue-Sun: 12.30PM-9.30PM (Closed on Mondays)
Telephone: 6348 0863
Fluffette mainly sells simple bits and bobs like stickers ($2) and enamel pins ($8-$10), but their stuff is far from basic. Each one stars a different puss with its own special costume and mood traits – you’ll find anything from gluttonous grumpy cats, cats as bakers, and cats in animal onesies for a bout of animal-ception.
Image credit: Fluffette
We’d like to draw your attention to the earrings ($6) in particular, with come in complementary mismatched pairs such as Superman and Batman, Mario and Princess Peach, and Aladdin and Jasmine, just to name a few.
They’ve also added handmade ceramic teacups and flower pots to their set of offerings. Just imagine sipping a warm brew of matcha from one of these cuties, or filling them with succulents and having them line your mini home garden.
Image credit: Fluffette
All their items are limited edition, so once they’re gone, they’re gone for good – no reprints or remakes will be done for the sake of exclusivity.
You probably know of The Tiramisu Hero as an inviting pet-friendly shophouse cafe which specialises in, well, tiramisu. Recently, they’ve added their own line merchandise to their repertoire – starring none other than their cat mascot Antonio, who’s always seen a black cape and eye mask a la Zorro.
Dress up your laptops and files with their waterproof vinyl stickers ($3 each), or wear it loud and proud with their pride tees, featuring Antonio brandishing a rainbow flag. There’s even a pink version of the t-shirt specially made for Pink Dot 2019.
Fret not if you don’t share the same colourful sentiment, as they also have other prints in neutral colours that are just as paw-some.
Address: 121 Tyrwhitt Road, Singapore 207548
Opening hours: 11AM-10PM, Daily
Telephone: 6292 5271
Website
Image credit: Purrballs
Purrballs is centred around 6 original characters inspired by the stray neighbourhood cats in Singapore. With its 3 founders being an artist, crafter, game designer, this online store’s self-manufactured wares range from art books to handmade jewellery and even their very own Catventure card game, which you can get separate expansion packs for.
Image credit: Purrballs
Avid scrapbookers will want to add their adorable stickers and washi tape to your collection of craft supplies – these come in different themes like cherry blossoms, traditional local snacks, and Christmas.
Image credit: Purrballs
Image credit: Cat Mama Shop
You’ll be shopping for a good cause at Cat Mama Shop, which is owned by Cat Welfare Society as part of their fundraising efforts to help feed, sterilise, and rehome strays. Their wares get switched up periodically, so you can look forward to something new every now and then. But generally, they offer a range of stationery, home items, clothing, and accessories.
Image credit: Cat Mama Shop
Some of these products are donated by CWS’ volunteers who help source while on their travels – we’ve seen a bunch of kitschy pouches and thick socks from Japan on the site. Grab ‘em before they’re gone!
Image credit: Cat Mama Shop
Image credit: Suddenly Cat
Those with a penchant for Japanese brands like Neko Atsume, Bananya, and Nyanko will go gaga browsing the kawaii items from Suddenly Cat. This Singapore-based online store ships in their merch from abroad, so you don’t have to wait weeks for your goods to arrive like how you normally would.
Image credit: Suddenly Cat
They also stock up on all sorts of Pusheen items, from kitchenware to stickers and plushies of all sizes.
Image credit: Suddenly Cat
Other than that, you can also find smaller indie labels from countries like Taiwan and Korea on their site, with watercolour postcards, stickers, and brooch pins.
Image credit: Suddenly Cat
Self-collection is available during weekends at West Coast Plaza by appointment.
Opening hours: 10AM-10PM, Daily
Telephone: 9643 5430 (WhatsApp preferred)
Website
Getting a present for your cat-obsessed buddy will be a breeze now that you’ve got an almost inexhaustible list of options with these quirky stores. It helps that most of their items are practical, and even those that are more novel than functional are so unusual that they’d be hard to pass up on.
If you’re an animal lover, these other articles might interest you:
And if you’re a dog owner, check these out:
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