The Adorable $25 Advent Calendar My Cat Likes More Than Her Beloved Cardboard Boxes

Last year, I optimistically bought my cat Miss Scarlet an advent calendar full of treats from the grocery store. Naturally, she refused to so much as smell a single treat with interest. So, for the past year, while she has been fastidiously clawing my couch and crawling into cardboard boxes, I’ve been searching for a holiday countdown that she would actually partake in. Then, at a Chewy event showcasing their upcoming releases, I spotted something extremely promising: the Frisco Holiday Advent Calendar for Cats. 

This 12-day advent calendar is exclusive to Chewy and sells for $24.99 online. The cute cardboard box has a gift label printed right on it so you can use it in the days leading up to Christmas, or put it under the tree for your cat. Behind each perforated cardboard door is a unique cat toy, from a tiny stuffed candy cane, to a fluffy pom-pom, to other toys stuffed with catnip or adorned with bells and feathers. 

As much as I would love Miss Scarlet to be wild about every treat, toy, or accessory I get for her, that’s just not the case (except for any flavor of Churu — she is your biggest fan). So I was excited to see how she felt about the Chewy advent calendar, but not at all sure what judgment she would make. 

I set it down on my coffee table and walked away with the intention of opening it up later. Then, I heard something from the other room and came back to see what it was: Lo and behold, Miss Scarlet was pawing at the cardboard doors herself, opening them up and rustling two toys free as I watched in impressed shock. She loves this advent calendar so much she has torn it apart to play with the toys inside. 

The toys themselves are cute, holiday-themed (lots of red and green), and a mix of plastic and plush. While it’s not a full 24-day advent calendar, I prefer that in this case — 12 new toys is plenty. Miss Scarlet has been so excited to play with them, and though of course several are probably already under my couch or oven or wherever she brings them for safekeeping, there are still many in the mix for me to toss and her to play with every day. I also appreciate that the packaging is completely cardboard so you can recycle it when all the toys are gone. 

My only tip, if your cat is eager and good with her paws: Mount the advent calendar higher up on the wall with some Command strips or put it somewhere out of reach if you don’t want them to tear into it themselves. 

Buy: Frisco Holiday Advent Calendar for Cats, $24.99