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Subscription boxes are the perfect way to brighten up a month and actually get something good in the mail. We’re seeing them for makeup, gourmet foods, books, and, of course, for our pets. I’ve ooh-ed and ah-ed over BarkBox for dogs, so I could hardly wait to find an amusing cat subscription box for my always-curious kitties—and me.
We got online and checked out the goodies from:
- Litterbox (goodies for the cats and you)
- KitNipBox (toys and natural treats)
- Meowbox (toys and healthy treats)
- Pet Treater Cat Pack (treats and toys)
- RescueBox (premium pet product subscription box that donates food and vaccinations shelter pets)
- CatLadyBox (This one’s for the cat mom, not the cat. But we want to know, where’s the box for the cat dude?)
Read on for the full cat subscription box details, including pricing, frequency, and what’s in the box.
Does Your Cat Need a Subscription Box?
Getting packages delivered to your door brightens up the day—even if your cat turns out to be more interested in the box itself than in the contents. I interviewed several friends and neighbors about their experiences with subscription boxes, and their reviews were mixed.
The biggest complaint was having to deal with surplus toys that failed to delight the felines. The biggest rave was for the clever notes and high-quality items that turn up, creating a fun element of positive surprise for the cat parent.
“Cat Lady Box is my little happiness every month,” confesses my friend Hannah, a veterinary clinic staff person and cat owner. “I love the goodies, and the girls love the toys!”
The bottom line: If your cat is mad for sparkly, jangly, bouncy toys or a terror with treats, sign up for a subscription box right now! If your cat is more into catnaps than catnip, you might want to save your money.
We’ve checked out six of the best cat-themed subscription services so you’ll have an idea of what you’re getting into and what’s coming your way. Most give you an option to order a sample box filled with their most popular products so you and your cat can test it out.
Finding the Right Cat Subscription Box
Read on for a quick profile of each service, including pricing and any notes on sample boxes. Pro tip: Some sites let you sign up for emails, or like their Facebook pages, and those contain lots of details on box contents, plus discounts.
Best Cat Subscription Box for Kitty—and You: Litterbox
Pricing: $30/month. Free shipping in the contiguous U.S.
What’s in the box: Their main business, as you might guess from the name, is litter-related products: all-natural clumping litter, litter-trapping mats, and litter boxes—traditional or self-cleaning. They also sell premium catnip products, toys, cleaning products, cat beds and furniture, and some very cool cat-themed t-shirts (limited to sizes S, M, and L). You’ll get a mix of those goodies in your box.
Signing up: It’s as simple as one page. Put the subscription in your cart, fill out your information, and your subscription is on its way. There are no hidden fees.
What we like:
- An established subscription business in litter products.
- A toll-free number for customer service.
- Their hassle-free cancellations promise—a good sign, as not all subscription services make it easy to untangle yourself.
Sample options: They also have a la carte curated boxes, no subscription required. Choose from boxes focusing on catnip, hemp, animal toys, or the “crazy cat box”: an assortment of toys including a laser pointer. These boxes are between $35 to $60; you can also buy any of their products individually.
Best Cat Subscription Box for Toys and Treats: KitNipBox
Barrie K
Pricing: $19.99/month for a renewing 12-month subscription (or a non-renewing gift subscription); $29.99/month for the larger Multi-Cat KitNipBox. Free shipping to the U.S.
What’s in the box: Cat toys and all-natural treats. The regular KitNipBox has five goodies, and the Multi-Cat KitNipBox has seven. The company’s FAQ promises that all edible products are made in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
Signing up: Easy. Select a subscription plan, fill out your shipping and billing information, and you’re done. Subscriptions auto-renew but can be canceled at any time by logging in and editing the subscription one week in advance of a shipment.
What we like:
- A helpful “What’s in the Box” page showing client photos of nine recent boxes, with a link to a list of the items.
- Shipping to Canada and Australia (additional shipping fees are stated clearly).
- All edible products are made outside of China, where regulations and ingredient sourcing can be problematic.
Sample options: You can buy a one-time gift box for $29.99 using the Give a Gift tab on the website.
Best Cat Subscription Worth Waiting For: Meowbox
Pricing: $22.95/month, available as monthly or every-other-month subscriptions. They currently have a waiting list. Free shipping to Canada and the U.S.
What you get: This Canadian company creates subscription boxes containing cat toys and treats produced in Canada or the U.S.
Signing up: Oops! When we tried to sign up, we were told they were temporarily sold out. We signed up for the waitlist.
What we like:
- For each cat subscription box shipped, the company contributes a can of food or its monetary equivalent to shelters and rescue organizations. You can track the donation and see which organization receives it.
Sample options: Individual cat toys and treats can be purchased from the online Meowbox shop, such as the Baguette Mini Kicker ($6) or the delightful Fair Isle Cat Sweater ($28). Or give a non-renewing, one-time gift of a box for $29.95.
Best Cat Subscription Box for Cats—and Dogs: Pet Treater Cat Pack
Pricing: $15/month for the regular cat subscription pack; $25/month for the multi-cat pack. They ship (free), but only to the contiguous U.S.
What’s in the box: These cat subscription boxes are small but sweet, with three or four toys and edible treats in the regular pack and five to eight items in the multi-cat pack. The treats are made in the U.S., Canada, or Europe. Gifts can be ordered as stand-alone packs, or three-, six-, or 12-month non-renewing subscriptions.
Signing up: Disorganized and confusing. The “Try It Out Now” option is buried two steps in, so you don’t know about it until you’ve already decided to subscribe. You are also required to provide breed and weight information about the pet—which you might not have, especially if you are ordering this as a gift.
What we like:
- $17 “Try It Out Now” pack.
- Customer service via chat, email, and phone.
- Request for detailed information on your cat’s age and breed, and the ability to specify if your cat suffers from allergies to food/treats.
- Partnership with the Brown Dog Foundation to support shelters.
Sample options: It’s easy! Just $17 for a one-time box shipment.
Best Cat Subscription Box for Charity: RescueBox
Pricing: $29.95/month. Free shipping in the contiguous U.S.; $5.95 per box to Hawaii and Alaska.
What’s in the box: Rescue Box is a project of theanimalrescuesite.com, so each $29.95 cat subscription box you buy triggers a donation of 10 pounds of food to a shelter. Unfortunately, there aren’t a lot of details available about the treats, toys, and accessories.
Signing up: Straightforward. Click the cat icon, enter shipping and payment information, and your subscription box is on its way.
What we like:
- Simple pricing.
- Charitable mission—The Animal Rescue Site has been translating online purchases into shelter donations since 2015, in partnership with Greater Good.
- An option to send a subscription box to your favorite shelter.
Sample options: There is no single-box purchase option available. You’d have to subscribe and then cancel after the first box.
Best Treat Yourself Cat Subscription Box: CatLadyBox
Pricing: $34.99/month for the Cat Lady Box; $39.99/month for the Crazy Cat Lady Box, which includes two items for the cat as well as the heap of goodies for the cat mom. Shipping is free in the continental U.S., $12.95 to Hawaii and Alaska, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
What’s in the box: It’s fun being a cat mom! You get jewelry, accessories, home decor items, and t-shirts (in sizes S to 3XL). Plus cat goodies if you upgrade to the “crazy” subscription box. Each box has a theme, such as the Black Cats box before Halloween, the Cat Mom’s Day pack around Mother’s Day, and the Meowy Holidays collection. (To see typical goodies, check out their “Shop Past Boxes” page.)
Signing up: Pick your box, tell them your t-shirt size, and then choose from a month-to-month subscription or a discounted three- or six-month pre-paid plan. Provide shipping and payment information, and you’re done. Cancellation is easy and explained well.
What we like:
- T-shirts and apparel in sizes from small to 3XL.
- Quick and easy signup.
- Detailed FAQ.
- The “Shop Past Boxes” tab, where you can buy individual items.
Sample options: You’ll need to subscribe and then cancel after the first box.
Can You Cancel?
All of the plans we reviewed provide easy-to-find and easy-to-use pages for canceling a cat subscription box. Most had customer service phone numbers as well.
Further Reading
Featured image via RescueBox