How to Fit Your Cat for a Halloween Costume
This blog post comes to us courtesy of Lynn Maria Thompson, proprietor of OldMaidCatLady.com.
Yes, you read that correctly! If you are brave enough to try dressing your cat in a Halloween costume, you’ll need to measure kitty to make sure it fits properly. This step-by-step guide will help you.
1. Gather your supplies: tape measure, pen and paper to record the measurements, cat treats, gauze bandages, antiseptic, healing salve. Put everything in the room where you'll be measuring the cat so you can access it quickly. Somewhere like a small bathroom with few hiding places and a door that closes securely, is a good choice.
2. Now locate the cat. He was there just a moment ago! Oh, that’s right -- cats can read our minds. This may take longer than anticipated.
3. When you find kitty, entice him out of his hiding place by dangling the measuring tape alluringly just out of reach. Too close and it could disappear forever. When he comes out after it, quickly grab him, carry him into the bathroom and close the door to keep him from escaping. Think calming thoughts, but be prepared for some growling and hissing.
4. There are three important measurements to be taken for fitting the Halloween costume. All are in inches, as this is how American costumes are sized. First is the neck girth. Place the tape measure around the cat’s neck in the place where a collar is worn. It should not be wrapped so tightly that kitty is choking, just enough to allow two fingers to fit comfortably inside. Write it down on the pad…if you can find your pen, which the cat is now likely batting around the bathroom as a toy.
5. The second measurement is the chest girth. Take this just behind the front legs, at the point where the cat’s chest is at its largest. Wrap the tape measure around the cat’s body...no, kitty, you can’t chew on the tape measure...stop it, kitty! Now, where were we? Ah, yes. Once you’ve obtained this number and stopped the bleeding from your wounds, write it on the pad.
6. The final measurement is the cat’s body length, from base of neck to base of tail. The cat is likely rolling on his back now or curled up to play with your feet, so you can’t get directly to his spine. Distract him with a few treats and quickly take this measurement while he’s standing or crouching to eat them. Write it on the pad.
7. Cleanse and bandage your wounds and use the sizing chart you’ll find on your retailer’s site with the costumes to get the best fit. Will kitty be an angel, biker, or super hero? Order your costume of choice and wait eagerly for it to arrive.
Once you have the costume, you’re on your own when it comes to getting your cat into it. But just remember to first assemble those necessities: bandages, antiseptic, salve…
Lynn is the proprietor of OldMaidCatLady.com, where you’ll find over 2,400 items from 70+ suppliers for cats and their people. They carry cat costumes, treats, and even calming remedies that may help you measure your cat. If you are cat lover, MyUS can ship your cat costumes to you - no matter what country you live in.