Trader Joe’s Made an Advent Calendar for Cats Because the Dog Version Was So Popular

The countdown to Christmas just got a lot more interesting. Trader Joe’s, master of seasonal products, just announced a new addition to its lineup of advent calendars: this one, for cats.

On the store’s official podcast, Inside Trader Joe’s, a Trader Joe’s executive shared news of the calendar. “Last year we came out with the dog advent calendar, which seemed pretty odd until we got out in the stores and there was quite a following for it,” said Colin Fields, vice president of merchandising. “And we heard from our feline-loving customers that we should have something for their cats. So we found it, we developed it, and it’s pretty cool.”

The treats in the calendar are made of salmon and seaweed, two proven cat-pleasers. On the podcast, Matt Sloan, vice president of product marketing, tastes one himself.  “You know what? That’s not good,” he said. “But I’m not a cat.”

“But if you’re a cat, you’ll really like that,” Fields responded. “And after eating 24 of them, your 25th one will be a gigantic one, shaped like a fish.” Your cat’s delight will make the best Christmas gift for your whole household.

The cat advent calendar joins the dog advent calendar — which last year contained treats made of salmon and sweet potato — and the less-exciting but still delicious human advent calendars, filled with chocolates. All will arrive at Trader Joe’s later this fall, along with all our other classic holiday favorites, like Minty Mallows, assorted chocolate-covered Joe-Joe’s, and Jingle Jangle.

Other new products announced on the same episode of Inside Trader Joe’s include an “impossible burger”-style veggie patty, Kung Pow Chicken Mochi Balls, Chocolate Lava Gnocchi, and Organic Chickpea and Lentil Rissoni, a protein-rich rice alternative. While our cats go ham on their new advent calendars, we’ll have plenty exciting new treats of our own.