It’s hard to scroll through your social media feed and not stumble across photos of cuddly cats dressed in clothes, and in the winter, nothing is more likely to pile up “likes” than a picture of a cat in a fuzzy sweater.
But take a closer look at that cat’s face. Does he appear to be enjoying himself? In many cases, cats don’t exactly love wearing sweaters, even when it is cold outside, and may be predisposed to dislike clothing of any kind.
“Cats evolved as both predators and prey. It's in their nature to be able to quickly run, hide, jump and move silently,” says Marci Koski, a certified feline behavior and training consultant and owner of Feline Behavior Solutions in Washington state. “Clothing can interfere with all of these things, which can make a cat anxious or stressed.”
That doesn’t necessarily mean you should avoid cat sweaters altogether, however. In some cases, they are as practical as they are adorable.
When Should Cats Wear Clothes?
Depending on the time of year, the climate where you live and how warm or cool you keep your house, hairless cats or cats with very short haircuts may appreciate the warmth provided by a cat sweater.
Additionally, sweaters are sometimes used in veterinary hospitals post-surgery in order to keep a patient from scratching, licking or otherwise irritating a wound while it heals. Dr. Lori Coughlin, owner of The Cat Practice in Oak Park, Illinois, says sweaters can be preferable to the cones or collars some vets use, which make it very hard for cats to eat and navigate in them. “The downside is that some cats will not leave an area alone, even with a cover,” she says, “and some cats won't allow themselves to be dressed.”
If you decide a sweater, or other item of clothing, is right for your cat either post-surgery (and in conjunction with your vet) or for comfort in the winter, Koski says you’ll want to start slowly by associating the sweater with something positive in order to reduce your cat’s anxiety or stress about it.
“Leave a few treats on the sweater, and let your cat investigate,” she says. “Then, try petting your cat with the sweater on and giving him treats before, during and after.”
How to Pick and Put a Sweater on Your Cat
Once you’re ready to put a sweater on your cat, Koski recommends gathering the entire sweater into a ring shape. “Stretch the neck out as wide as possible with two hands and slip the ring over your cat's head with your fingers between your cat and the sweater, so that the sweater is not hugging your cat's head while you put it on,” she says. Once the whole ring is around your cat’s neck, smooth the rest of the sweater down his body, letting your cat bend his elbows so that it's easier to get his forelegs through sleeves or holes for the legs.
When choosing a sweater, Koski says to consider what you would deem comfortable or uncomfortable. “Anything that fits too tightly, is bulky (especially around the neck), or has fabric that's itchy should be avoided,” she says. Because cats scratch themselves a lot, you should also avoid anything knit in such a way that your cat’s claws can get caught. Finally, avoid anything with bells, bangles or anything that can become detached easily that your cat might chew or choke on. To that end, Koski says you should always supervise your cat when he’s wearing clothing, especially the first few times.