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Tomorrow is National Dress Up Your Pet Day. Sure, you may not be able to get your cat into a tutu, tiara, boa, or bow tie, but it’s a fun concept. I saw a lot of dogs, cats, and even a therapy rat and a couple of ferrets dressed up when I attended the 2016 Cat Writer’s Association/Blog Paws Conference. What a kick!
For a special treat to yourself today, visit this website and you’ll see a variety of adorable animals all dressed up. http://www.dressupyourpetday.com
I made a cape for Lily once when she was a kitten to match the one I made our two-year-old granddaughter. She has since outgrown her tolerance for such things, however—Lily and the granddaughter both.
A friend of mine photographs animals at a shelter to help find homes for them. Sometimes 
she dresses them for added interest. A couple of years ago I helped make costumes for a conga line of Chihuahuas.
I think we’ve all seen dogs and horses dressed up for parades—wearing hats, sun glasses, even t-shirts and skirts. And maybe you used to dress a willing puppy or kitten in doll clothes when you were a child. Little did we know someone would one day invent a national day to dress your pet. Who would do that? Possibly someone involved in the pet clothing industry.
Have you noticed the increase in pet apparel in pet stores, department stores, feed stores, and even pet boutiques? Even some stores are accommodating dogs and cats. Harrods in London has an annual pet fashion show.
Do you know someone who dresses their pet? Sure, this time of year you’ll see dogs wearing raincoats and horses wearing blankets for warmth. You see pets wearing Christmas attire and there are some famous dogs photographed wearing sharp-looking clothing. But some people change their small dogs’ clothes every day–putting a different shirt or skirt on Fifi or Fido every morning.
Evidently there are ordinances against dressing your pet in some cities–it’s considered a form of cruelty. An animal might overheat in a leather jacket on a warm day, for example. And a cat could become tangled in the straps and ruffles of a garment. And just imagine how the undressed pets in the neighborhood views the dog or cat walking past their yard still in their pajamas or wearing a dress shirt and tie.
