Black Cat Christmas Ornaments: Glass, Felt and Where to Find Them

The easiest place to find black cat Christmas ornaments is in ornament makers’ Halloween ranges, where many black cat designs live. Old World Christmas sells a shiny black Halloween Kitty, and retired designer glass cats turn up as resale pieces. For low branches and homes with pets, shatterproof and felt black cats are safer picks.

Where to find black cat Christmas ornaments

Black cat Christmas ornaments are scattered across makers rather than sold as one range. The trick is to look in the Halloween section as well as the Christmas one, since black cats sit there more often.

Old World Christmas, for example, lists a Halloween Kitty, about 3 inches tall with green eyes and a gold collar, and other cat designs in its Halloween ornaments collection, and a glass Tuxedo Kitty with a red bow among its regular ornaments. Kurt S. Adler runs a Halloween and harvest range alongside its Christmas lines.

Black cat ornament materials compared

Black cat ornament materials decide where on the tree a cat can go and how long it lasts.

Blown glass. Glass cats have the most detail and shine, and look best near lights. They are also the most fragile. Hang them on upper branches, especially in a home with pets or small children.

Shatterproof plastic and resin. These survive a fall and suit lower branches. Resin cats tend to be heavier, so use a sturdy branch and a strong hook.

Felt and wool. Soft cats are light and safe on any branch. A black felt cat with a red scarf or Santa hat is the most Christmassy of the lot.

Clip-on cats. Clip ornaments sit on top of a branch rather than hanging below it, so a cat can perch as if it climbed the tree.

Why black cats became a goth Christmas motif

Black cats became a goth Christmas motif through folklore. Britannica explains that between the 14th and 18th centuries, black cats in Europe and the Americas were often caught up in witch hunts and trials, and were pictured as witches’ familiars. History.com traces the link between cats and witches back to medieval Europe. That spooky history is exactly why they suit a goth tree.

The luck runs the other way in some places. Britannica notes that in Japan black cats are an omen of good fortune, and History.com says they have stood for prosperity in Scotland as well as Japan, so a black cat ornament also makes a good-luck gift.

Christmas has its own cat story. NPR describes Iceland’s Yule Cat, Jolakotturinn, as a giant cat said to hunt children who are not wearing the new clothes they got for Christmas. It is a fun tag line for a black cat ornament tucked into a gift of new socks or a sweater.

Black cat ornaments on a goth Christmas tree

Black cat ornaments on a goth Christmas tree work best with a contrasting background. On a black tree, pick cats with gold, silver or pink details, such as glitter collars or bright eyes, so they do not disappear. On a white, purple or flocked tree, plain black cats stand out on their own.

Pair them with other spooky-cute shapes. Bats, crescent moons and small pumpkins share the same storybook feel. The black Christmas ornaments guide covers glass, velvet and bat designs that sit well beside black cats, and the goth tree decorating guide explains how to layer them. On a black tree, black wire Christmas lights keep the cords hidden so the cats’ bright details catch the light.

Black cat ornaments around kids and pets

Black cat ornaments around kids and pets need a little planning. The CPSC bans small parts in children’s products meant for children under 3 because they are a choking hazard. Ornaments are decorations, not toys, and those with beads, bells or button eyes can have parts that small, so keep them out of reach. Glass belongs on high branches.

A real cat may treat the tree as a climbing frame. Use soft or shatterproof cats near the bottom, and anchor the tree if your cat climbs.

More goth Christmas gift and decor ideas

A boxed black cat ornament is an easy gift for a cat lover. Our goth gifts guide sorts presents by personality, including the witchy friend. Black cat stockings are in black stockings, wreaths and garland, black cat knits in goth Christmas sweaters, and the whole look starts at the goth Christmas decor hub.