I’ve always been an animal person but then Mochi, my little Chartreux, came into my life and I became an official cat person. She’s playful, she’s curious, she’s not particularly coordinated and her favorite meal is flowers in whatever bouquet I’ve just finished arranging. She’s also my unofficial co-hostess for my dinner parties. She weaves between people’s feet and jumps up on the counter to get a scratch from me. 

So when her birthday came up this year, I thought it was time to celebrate her with some of her favorite things. My first thought was what to do for the cake, and that’s where I partnered with Fancy Feast. I was so excited to introduce Mochi to the Purely Fancy Feast Filets, especially the salmon filet. Not only is the product 100% real, natural salmon, there are only three ingredients: salmon, salmon broth, and salt. The result is the perfect cat complement – an elegant little treat that can be enjoyed whole, flaked, or on top of her regular meal. I used parts of three filets (salmon, chicken, and tuna) to create a little birthday “cake” using cookie cutters to mold each level. Usually Mochi prefers stealing salmon from my plate – but she went right for her cake!

To make the party a little more festive, I did two incredibly simple DIYs.

MINI FLORAL PARTY HATS

Mini party hats (or paper cups turned upside down with elastic attached)

Non-Toxic Flowers

Hot Glue gun + glue

Snip the flower stems to about a 1/4 inch long. Apply the glue to the stems and push onto the base of the party hat, holding in place until set. Continue around the base, and add a flower on the top point. Hold in the fridge until ready to use so the flowers don’t wilt.

DIY KITTEN BALLOONS

Balloons

Construction paper in matching color to balloon

Black construction paper

Hot Glue Gun

Fill the balloon with air or helium. Cut out the black construction paper into narrow strips. Cut out the colored construction paper into the shape of a nose and two ears. Using a hot glue gun (it sounds weird, but it doesn’t burst the balloon), secure the whiskers into an X and glue onto the center of the balloon. Glue the nose on top. Fold the bottom 1/4 inch of the ears into a right angle, and glue them onto the top of the balloon. Tie with ribbon and enjoy!

I can definitely say that having a cat has been one of the most surprising experiences of my life. I had no idea how much her heartbeat would fill an empty home, or how nice it would feel to come home to a warm, furry ball of love. She’s part of the family.