A number of ways to bring Disney into the daily life of your Disney pets:
One of my goals with Disney in your Day is to share not just posts about the theme parks, but also about bringing Disney into your home. After all, as someone in Pennsylvania, I spend most of my days not at Disney (unfortunately). Writing is one of the ways that I keep the Disney magic alive, but there are so many other ways too.
I’ve brought Disney into my every day life through my clothing, cooking Disney recipes, home decor, and craft projects, but more recently I’ve been exploring how to bring the Disney magic to my pets, too!
I have two sweet and amazing cats (and I also have a “fur-niece” dog named Cookie). Janeway has been in the family for nine years now, and Mirabel only joined us a few months ago. We’ve had several cats throughout the years, but she’s the first one to have a Disney name, so she’s my first “Disney cat”! I wanted to brainstorm some ways to incorporate Disney into their daily lives as well, so I put together this list. Most of them are great for both dogs and cats. Maybe certain other types of pets too, but definitely not all!
So here are my ways to share the magic and make your pets into Disney pets!
Give them a Disney-inspired name
When you first adopt your pet, consider a Disney name! If you’re a big Disney fan, it’s probably something very meaningful to you. Some people will name their pet after cats or dogs that are featured in Disney movies, like Oliver, Pongo, or Pluto. But you’re not limited to dogs or cats! We recently adopted a new cat and named her Mirabel, after the character in Encanto. And don’t forget to think outside of the box – Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar names count, too!
Some of my favorite Disney names I’ve heard for cats and dogs include Simba, Bagheera, Bruno, Kronk, Lilo, Chewie, Grogu, and Loki. If you have a Disney pet, I’d love to hear what you named it!
Dress them in Disney themed outfits
This will depend on your pet, of course – and dogs are generally more likely to wear clothing than cats! But if your pet enjoys dressing up, there are lots of adorable Disney outfits for dogs and cats.
My brother’s dog, Cookie, loves wearing clothing – and with the new Toy Story movie just out a few weeks ago, I couldn’t resist dressing her up as Woody! This outfit from PetSmart fit her perfectly, and was super soft and comfy. I dunno what you think, but I think she looks pretty happy about it.
And PetSmart actually has a ton of Disney clothing options. There are full costumes that would be great for Halloween (or anytime, I don’t judge!). But there’s also some cute little Disney themed tees or bandanas. And if you’re wondering if they make Mickey ears for dogs – the answer is yes.
Put on a Disney movie featuring cats or dogs
I’ve noticed some cats (and dogs) seem to enjoy watching sports. Some prefer to watch other animals on National Geographic. But have you tried showing your pet a Disney movie featuring dogs or cats?
Whether they pay attention or not, it’s still a fun way to incorporate some Disney into your home with your pet! Here are a few of Disney’s animated classics that strongly feature dogs and/or cats:
- The Aristocats
- 101 Dalmatians
- Lady and the Tramp
- The Fox and the Hound
- Oliver and Company
- Bolt
And next year, Pixar is releasing a movie that features cats called Gatto, so keep your eye out for that!
Play with Disney pet toys
I can confirm that my cats are spoiled just by the amount of toys they have. But they are very playful, and it’s important to play with your pets regularly. And just like humans, they can get bored with the same few things. So we get them new toys regularly, and it’s fun to see what their favorites are!
There are lots of Disney pet toys out there, but the Toy Story ones that PetSmart has really appealed to me! Especially since Toy Story is all about playing with toys – it makes sense to get our furry friends in on the fun, too!
My cats absolutely adored the Buzz Lightyear cat teaser toy. I hope Buzz had fun, because he got pretty beat up by both of my cats! Mirabel loved playing with this one, and even Janeway got in on the action (and she’s my old fat lady cat). Anything that gets Janeway playing is a pretty impressive toy.
I also saw several other small cat toys, like small crinkly plush with feathers on the end. (Those are so much fun to pounce on!). For dogs, there are a number of plush of your favorite Toy Story and Disney characters – I love the Forky one!
Give them a Disney space at home
I’ve found lots of ways to bring some Disney into my home, and your pets’ space can be Disney-ified, too! It can be completely Disney themed, or just a hint of Disney. Consider adding a Disney inspired blanket, pet bed, food dish, or cat scratching pad.
I like the idea of creating a little “Disney corner” for them, and I’m brainstorming what I might do with my cats. I came across this Winnie the Pooh honey pot cat bed and it’s so adorable. It would be fun to do a whole Hundred Acre Wood corner! Maybe pair it with this cool cat tree and some fun wall art in the area.
And, of course, since my cat is Mirabel, I would love to do something Encanto themed. I was hoping someone might make the Casita as a cat tree or big scratcher, but not yet! Maybe I have to build it myself. In the meantime, I have a nice Encanto blanket for her to snuggle.
If you wanted to stick with the Toy Story theme, a few of the plush toys of Woody, Buzz, and Jessie would work well. Add in a cloud patterned blanket like Andy’s wallpaper, and maybe get some wall art with your pet’s name in the Toy Story font.
Do a Disney-themed photo shoot with them
Whether you’ve gone all in with a theme, or just have a number of Disney outfits, toys, and accessories for your pet, you should treat them to a photo shoot! Try to gather all of your Disney stuff and decorate the area.
You can easily do this yourself, but if you really want something special you could also look into hiring a photographer. There are experts out there who do pet portraits, and it would be so fun to do a Disney version of this!
Make your own dog treats
There are a number of recipes online to make your own dog treats, and many of them involve cookie cutters to cut them into fun shapes. Usually they use a bone shape, but to add a little Disney magic, try a Disney cookie cutter! A simple Mickey head is always classic, or you could search for other shapes like princesses, castles, and more.
Get a caricature or silhouette portrait of your pet
When you travel to Disney World, you might have seen a few places around the parks where they do caricatures or silhouette portraits. They will often work off of a photo provided, which means that yes, you can have them do a portrait of your pet! It is recommended to come prepared with a high-quality, printed photo. What a special souvenir that would be, right from the theme parks!
Bring your dog to Disney World
Of course, there is actually a huge way to share the Disney magic with your pet (or at least your dog), and that’s to bring them to Disney World with you!
It might not be for everyone and for every pet, of course, but for some it might be a really special way to share the Disney magic. While you can’t bring them into the parks (unless you have a service dog), they can stay at select resorts. These include Art of Animation, Port Orleans Riverside, Beach Club, and Fort Wilderness.
And if you want them to have some of their own fun while you’re at the parks, you can bring them to Best Friends Pet Care! There are daytime and overnight options.
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Do you have any “Disney pets”? How do you bring Disney into their lives?
I loved seeing Cookie in her Toy Story outfit!
She was a great model! I’ll have to send her more outfits 😉