Cat Quotes for Cards: Famous Quotes, Puns and Messages for Cat Lovers

Cat quotes are an easy way to make a card feel personal for someone who loves their cat. Mark Twain, Lewis Carroll, Rudyard Kipling and many other writers wrote about cats, and a short line from one of them fits nicely at the top of a birthday card, a thank-you note or a card for a new kitten.

Below are famous and funny cat quotes, cat sayings and cat puns, plus birthday wishes, messages from the cat, thank-you notes, new kitten messages and gentle messages for the loss of a cat. Each famous quote lists the book or letter it comes from.

Article contents

• How to Use a Cat Quote in a Card
• Mark Twain Cat Quotes
• Famous Cat Quotes from Other Writers
• Funny Cat Quotes
• Short Cat Sayings for Cat Lovers
• Cat Puns and Sayings for Cards
• Cat Birthday Wishes for a Cat Lover
• Birthday Messages from the Cat
• Thank You Notes for a Cat Sitter or Vet
• New Kitten and Cat Adoption Card Messages
• Cat Sympathy Messages for the Loss of a Cat
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Use a Cat Quote in a Card

A quote works best when you add a line or two of your own after it.

1. Pick a quote that fits the person. A funny line suits a birthday card, and a gentle one suits a thank-you or sympathy card.
2. Write the quote in quotation marks and credit the author. Put the name after the quote, such as (Mark Twain) or (Lewis Carroll).
3. Add a personal line about their cat. Use the cat's name and mention something it does, like sleeping on the laptop or waiting by the door.
4. Close with a warm sign-off. "Love," "Best wishes" or "Give Milo a scratch for me" all work well.

Example: "Congratulations on adopting Luna! Ernest Hemingway once wrote, 'One cat just leads to another,' so I expect to hear about a second kitten soon. Love, Aunt Beth"

Mark Twain Cat Quotes

Mark Twain kept many cats, and he wrote about them in his novels, travel books and notebooks. These Mark Twain cat quotes fit well in a card for any cat lover.

• "A home without a cat ... may be a perfect home, perhaps, but how can it prove title?" (Mark Twain, Pudd'nhead Wilson)
• "When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade, without further introduction." (Mark Twain, "An Incident")
• "Of all God's creatures there is only one that cannot be made the slave of the lash. That one is the cat." (Mark Twain, notebook, 1894)
• "If man could be crossed with the cat it would improve man, but it would deteriorate the cat." (Mark Twain, notebook, 1894)
• "A cat is more intelligent than people believe, and can be taught any crime." (Mark Twain, notebook, 1895)
• "The principal difference between a cat and a lie is that the cat has only nine lives." (Mark Twain, Following the Equator)

Famous Cat Quotes from Other Writers

These famous cat quotes come from well-known books, essays and letters.

• "When I play with my cat who knows whether I do not make her more sport than she makes me?" (Michel de Montaigne, Essays, translated by Charles Cotton)
• "One cat just leads to another." (Ernest Hemingway, letter to Hadley Mowrer, 1943)
• "I am the Cat who walks by himself, and all places are alike to me." (Rudyard Kipling, Just So Stories)
• "If you would know a man, observe how he treats a cat." (Robert A. Heinlein, The Door into Summer)

Funny Cat Quotes

These funny cat quotes are a good fit for a birthday card or a note to a friend who has a cat with a big personality.

• "Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat: "we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad." (Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)
• "Well! I've often seen a cat without a grin," thought Alice; "but a grin without a cat! It's the most curious thing I ever saw in my life!" (Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)
• "Cats have nine lives, you know," said Sir Wilfrid heartily. "Possibly," answered Tobermory; "but only one liver." (Saki, "Tobermory")
• "Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want." (Joseph Wood Krutch, The Twelve Seasons)
• "It is in the nature of cats to do a certain amount of unescorted roaming." (Adlai Stevenson, veto message as governor of Illinois, 1949)

Short Cat Sayings for Cat Lovers

These short cat sayings are not quotes from anyone, so you can write them in a card without a name after them.

• Life is better with a cat on your lap.
• Home is wherever the cat decides to nap.
• A sunny window and a sleepy cat make any day better.
• Once you share your home with a cat, the best chair belongs to someone else.
• A purring cat can make a long day feel a little shorter.
• Cats choose their people, and you were chosen.
• There is always room for one more cat.

Cat Puns and Sayings for Cards

Cat puns are a simple way to make someone smile. Use them in birthday cards, thank-you notes or a card for a new kitten.

• Have a purr-fect birthday!
• Wishing you a meow-velous day.
• You are simply claw-some.
• Thanks for being such a paw-some friend.
• I hope your birthday is feline fine.
• You've got to be kitten me, it's your birthday again!
• Happy birthday to someone with real cat-titude.
• This card is litter-ally full of good wishes.
• I'm not kitten around, you are one of my favorite people.
• Have a hiss-terically good birthday.

Cat Birthday Wishes for a Cat Lover

These cat birthday wishes are for a friend or family member who loves their cat. Add the cat's name to make the card more personal.

• Happy birthday to my favorite cat lover! I hope your day is as cozy as a nap in the sun.
• Happy birthday! Give your cat a scratch behind the ears from me.
• Wishing you a birthday full of cake, quiet time and purring company.
• Happy birthday! I hope your cat lets you have the good spot on the couch today.
• Happy birthday! May your coffee stay hot and your cat stay off the keyboard.
• Happy birthday! I hope your cat has something special planned, like letting you sleep in.
• Happy birthday! You take such good care of everyone, including the cat who runs your house.
• Happy birthday to the kindest person I know, and the only person my cat actually likes.

Birthday Messages from the Cat

A card signed by the cat is a fun choice for a spouse, a parent or a roommate. Sign it with the cat's name.

• Happy birthday! I saved you the warm spot on the bed. Love, your cat
• Happy birthday, human. I have decided to let you sleep past 5 a.m. today. Love, Whiskers
• Happy birthday! In your honor, I did not knock anything off the counter this morning.
• You are my favorite person who opens the food cans. Happy birthday!
• Happy birthday! I will sit on your lap all evening, even when you need to get up.
• Happy birthday! I left you a present by the door. You're welcome.
• Happy birthday! Thank you for the treats, the warm blankets and the sunny windows. Love, your cat
• I may act like I don't care, but I do. Happy birthday. Love, your cat

Thank You Notes for a Cat Sitter or Vet

A short thank-you note lets a cat sitter or a vet team know how much their care meant to you. Mention the cat by name and one thing you noticed.

Thank You Notes for a Cat Sitter

• Thank you for taking such good care of Oliver while we were away. He looked happy and relaxed when we got home.
• Thank you for keeping our cat fed and happy while we were gone. We could enjoy our trip knowing she was in good hands.
• Thank you for the photo updates. Seeing Mochi asleep on the couch made our week.
• We are so grateful for the time and care you gave our cats. Thank you for treating them like your own.
• Thank you for being so patient with our shy cat. You are the only sitter she has ever come out to see.

Thank You Notes for a Vet

• Thank you for looking after Simba so carefully. We appreciate how patiently you answered all of our questions.
• Thank you to the whole team for helping our cat feel better. She is back to her old self and chasing her toys again.
• Thank you for taking such gentle care of our cat during her surgery. We are so grateful.
• Thank you for being so kind to us when we said goodbye to Max. Your compassion meant a great deal to our family.

New Kitten and Cat Adoption Card Messages

A card for a new kitten or an adopted cat is a nice way to welcome the newest member of the family.

• Congratulations on your new kitten! I can't wait to meet her.
• Welcome home, little one. You picked a wonderful family.
• Congratulations on adopting Luna! She is lucky to have found such a loving home.
• Your house just got a little louder and a lot happier. Congratulations on the new kitten!
• Congratulations on your new cat! Wishing you many years of purrs, naps and happy days together.
• Welcome to the family, Milo. Please go easy on the curtains.
• Thank you for giving a shelter cat a home. It was a kind thing to do, and I know you will be very happy together.
• Congratulations on your adoption day! Here's to many cozy evenings together.

Cat Sympathy Messages for the Loss of a Cat

When someone's cat dies, a short and sincere card can be a real comfort. Use the cat's name and mention something you remember about them. For more ideas, see our pet sympathy messages.

• I am so sorry about Tiger. He was lucky to share so many good years with you.
• Thinking of you and the quiet, happy years you shared with your cat.
• I am so sorry for the loss of your sweet cat. She knew she was loved every single day.
• Your home will feel very different without Bella. I am thinking of you.
• I will always remember how Smokey greeted everyone at the door. I am so sorry.
• She was part of your family for so long, and I know how much you will miss her. Sending you love.
• I am sorry you lost your companion of so many years. Please call me if you would like to talk.
• Thinking of you as you miss Oscar's purring and his favorite spot by the window.
• You gave Cleo a wonderful life full of comfort and love. I am so sorry for your loss.
• I know how much you loved your cat. I am here for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a famous quote about cats?

One of the best-known cat quotes is from Mark Twain: "When a man loves cats, I am his friend and comrade, without further introduction." Ernest Hemingway's "One cat just leads to another" is a short favorite for new kitten cards.

What should I write in a birthday card for a cat lover?

Start with a birthday wish and add a line about their cat, using the cat's name if you know it. A cat pun or a short funny quote also works well. You can even sign the card from the cat.

What do you write in a card when someone's cat dies?

Say you are sorry, use the cat's name and share a memory if you have one. A few sincere sentences are enough, and you can offer to listen if they want to talk.

Should I credit the author when I write a quote in a card?

Yes. Write the author's name in parentheses after the quote, such as (Mark Twain). It shows where the words came from, and it is the polite thing to do.

Did Mark Twain have cats?

Yes. Twain kept many cats and gave them unusual names, including Sour Mash, Zoroaster and Blatherskite. He wrote about cats in his novels, travel books and notebooks.

For more ideas, see our dog quotes for cards, our funny birthday wishes and messages and our guide to pet sympathy messages.

If you need a card for a cat lover, our Playful Cats Watercolor cards and Cat Patterns note cards come in boxed sets of 12 with envelopes and are printed on 100% recycled paper. Both sets are blank inside, so you can write any of the quotes or messages above. You can also see all of our cat cards.

More quotes for cards: gratitude quotes, dog quotes, cat quotes, national park and nature quotes and ocean and beach quotes.