The hood is the part that decides whether this works, and it is worth thinking about before you order rather than on Christmas morning. Some cats accept a hood without comment. Plenty will not have anything over their ears at all, because their ears are how they track the room, and covering them removes information they rely on. You will know within about four seconds which sort of cat you have, and the honest advice is to believe them the first time.

For the cats who do accept it, the cape shape is the right compromise. It fastens at the front, drapes over the back and leaves all four legs entirely free, so the cat can walk normally, sit normally and leave the room with their dignity intact. The fabric is cotton, which breathes and does not build static against fur the way some synthetic plush does, and it comes in four designs: green elk, Christmas red, Christmas white and a knitted red.

• Cotton
• Hooded cape with antlers
• Green elk, knitted red, Christmas red or Christmas white
• Legs left completely free
• Supplied as one piece
• 200g to 250g listed weight

Check the measurement first. The manufacturer's size field is blank. One safety point that matters more than the fit: never leave a hooded cape on an unsupervised cat. Hoods and ties catch on door handles and cat flaps, and a cat who feels caught pulls harder rather than backing out.

Who it's for: tolerant cats, Christmas photographs and cards, small dogs who wear things happily, and households who want a costume that comes off in one movement.