A few years ago, we were lucky enough to add someone new to our family. She came in the form of a fluffy, white Persian cat who was missing more than a few teeth. The shelter we adopted her from was upfront: She had a stage 4 heart murmur and wasn't exactly known for her pleasant disposition.
It didn't matter that she steadfastly ignored me the entire time at our first meet-and-greet: I was in love. So I brought Mishka home with me that day, and she's been going strong for the last five years.
Mishka is the kind of cat who looks angry even when she's not . It's just funny, because people see photos of her and automatically assume she hates everything that's ever existed in the world, but I happen to be reasonably certain that's not true. For example, I know that she loves to sit next to my son at the piano while he plays, and I know that she enjoys lying on top of the piano when the sun comes in through the window.
One thing that she does not really love, however, is dressing up in costumes. This makes my recent experience with her quite comical indeed.
1. Cowboy/Cowgirl
This particular costume was requested by one of our writers, Karen Belz, and who am I to say no? It became all the more fantastic when I realized that I have an actual saddle in my home. (My son and I take horseback riding lessons! Isn't it funny how things sometimes come together?)
OBVIOUSLY, the weird little fake arms are one of the best things about this costume, but will we collectively ever get over that HAT?! Because I personally may not ever.
Shop Now: Miyakoo Pet Dog/Cat Halloween Costume (Amazon, $14.99)
2. USPS Worker
Listen, in these troubled times, it's become abundantly clear that our US Postal Service workers (and heck, the entire postal system) are truly essential. I've never been so cognizant of everything I rely on the post office for, nor have I ever been so aware of how reassuring it can feel to see your regular mail truck making its way up the street. It was a joy to buy this costume, and the little hat it comes with is just absolutely the cutest.
Shop Now: US Mail Carrier Costume (USPS, $17.99)
3. Bumblebee!
Earlier this year I planted a pollinator garden for the first time ever because (a) I love bees and (b) I didn't have much else to do. The garden is super cute, and it's actually still blooming — I planted rounds of zinnias and marigolds, so they'll all continue to bloom throughout the fall. We live in the Southern US, so we should have at least a few more weeks left to enjoy the results.
Anyway, there have been many butterflies and a few bees visiting, which has brought me endless delight, but clearly the most delightful visitor was this very darling bumblebee, even though she was a tiny bit confused about what she was doing outside all of a sudden.
Shop Now: Frisco Bumblebee Dog and Cat Costume (Chewy, $13.99)
4. Politician
In case you have somehow missed it (what!), this year is an election year in the United States! Right now, we are faced with some pretty awful circumstances and two choices who are definitely very different. I won't tell you who to vote for, but I will tell you that your friendly neighborhood Politician Kitty approves absolutely everything in this particular message.
Shop Now: Frisco Front Walking Pawlitician Business Suit Dog and Cat Costume (Chewy, $15.99)
5. Vampire
This costume was actually the easiest out of all of them, because I just had to loop one strap around her neck and the other around her stomach and boom — she's a vampire! Also, the contrast of the red on her fur is quite fetching, no?
Shop Now: Frisco Vampire Cape Cat and Dog Costume (Chewy, $10.99)
6. Princess Leia ... Kind Of
I am a big fan of Star Wars in general and Carrie Fisher specifically and in perpetuity, so it's truly a wonder that I haven't plopped a pair of Princess Leia buns on the cat's head sooner, to be honest. Luckily, these are like $5 and they're here with me now forever and ever and ever, amen.
Shop Now: Star Wars Dog Cat Headband (Amazon, $4.99)
7. Bread
I'm not sure exactly what I imagined this photo would look like, but I'm pretty sure that somewhere in my head, I thought maybe I'd try to get Mishka to pretend like she was having a picnic in the sun. I guess you could say we almost got there, since she did decide to have a snack.
Shop Now: Frisco Bread Cat Costume (Chewy, $6.99)
8. Doctor? Nurse? Lifesaving Medical Professional!
Here's the deal about dressing up your cat in many, many pet Halloween costumes: Your cat will probably get sick of it. By the time we made it to this adorable hero medical worker costume, she was juuuuust about done. But how cute is that little medical bag?! THE CUTEST.
Shop Now: NACOCO Dog/Cat Doctor Costume (Amazon, $12.99)
9. Shark!
I am actually pretty obsessed with the shark costume and want to try it out on my other pets if they'll consent, but no matter what, it was pretty amazing to see Mishka in all of her shark-themed glory.
Shop Now: Frisco Shark Attack Dog and Cat Costume (Chewy, $14.99)
Psst: If you choose to purchase an item on this list, LittleThings may receive a small cut. Each item and price is up to date at the time of publication; however, an item may be sold out or the price may be different at a later date.
