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10 cat-themed Halloween costumes, from Garfield to the Aristocats

These Halloween costume ideas for cat lovers range from a classic black cat to Catwoman, Garfield and the Cheshire Cat, with notes on building each look

Few animals belong to Halloween as completely as the cat. Bats and spiders share the season's imagery, but the cat arrives with centuries of folklore attached. In European tradition, black cats were linked to witches as familiars, the animal companions said to assist them. That association crossed the Atlantic and still shapes the decorations, greeting cards and costumes that appear every October.

For people who share their homes with cats, that history makes the holiday an easy match. A cat costume celebrates a favorite animal without any need to explain the choice. It also leaves room for range. Cat characters run through storytelling from 17th-century fairy tales to 1990s television. A costume can nod to folklore, literature, comics, television or animation.

The 10 Halloween costume ideas for cat lovers in this list draw on that full spread. Charles Perrault published his version of "Puss in Boots" in 1697. Lewis Carroll introduced the Cheshire Cat in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in 1865. Catwoman first appeared in Batman comics in 1940. Disney $DIS 0.50% released The Aristocats in 1970, and Jim Davis launched the Garfield comic strip in 1978. Salem, the sardonic black cat of the 1990s sitcom Sabrina the Teenage Witch, brings the list closer to the present.

Each of these ideas asks for a different level of effort. A plain black cat can come together from clothes already in a closet. A Puss in Boots look calls for a hat, boots and a prop sword. The Aristocats work best for a family or a group of friends. Big-cat looks based on lions, tigers and leopards depend more on makeup and pattern than on any single garment.

The list also covers costumes that celebrate cat ownership itself. One idea turns lint rollers and fur-covered sweaters into a lighthearted nod to life with a cat. Another covers matching looks for an owner and a pet, with attention to the animal's comfort and safety.

Most of these ideas need no trip to a costume shop. They start with basic clothing, face paint and a few props. The slides that follow explain what defines each look, which details make it recognizable and how to build it.

Black cat costume with ears, tail and witch's-familiar styling

A black cat costume needs only four elements: an all-black outfit, a pair of cat ears, a tail and a painted nose with whiskers. Each piece can be made with glue, pins and basic craft supplies.

The look draws on centuries of folklore. In Europe and North America, black cats were long linked to witches. They were often cast as a witch's familiar — an animal companion believed to help with magic. In much of the U.S., a black cat crossing a person's path is considered bad luck. In parts of the U.K., the same sighting has traditionally been read as good luck. Black cats still sit beside cauldrons, broomsticks and crescent moons in Halloween decorations.

The base layer can be any black clothing. A turtleneck with leggings works, as does a fitted long-sleeve top with black jeans or a plain black dress. Shiny fabrics reflect camera flash. Matte cotton or knit reads closer to fur in photos.

Ears are the detail that turns ordinary black clothing into a costume. A plain headband serves as the base. Triangles cut from black felt or craft foam can be glued to it or wrapped around it. A smaller triangle of pink or gray felt inside each ear adds depth and makes the shape easier to read from a distance.

A tail can come from a black sock stuffed with fabric scraps, a length of black fabric rolled into a tube, or a spare black belt. Pinning or tying it to the back of the waistband keeps it secure. A piece of craft wire threaded through a fabric tail lets it hold a curve instead of hanging straight down.

Paws are optional. Black gloves with small felt pads stitched or glued onto the palms suggest them without much effort.

Makeup finishes the face. Black eyeliner or face paint covers the tip of the nose and draws three thin whiskers on each cheek. A winged eyeliner line can suggest the almond shape of a cat's eye.

The witch's-familiar angle gives the costume a story. A small bell collar, a ribbon tied at the neck or a toy broomstick connects the outfit to its folklore roots. It also makes the look easy to pair with a friend dressed as a witch.

Cheshire Cat costume from Alice in Wonderland

A Cheshire Cat costume rests on two elements: bold pink-and-purple stripes and an oversized painted grin. The character comes from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, where the cat perches in a tree and talks in riddles.

Carroll did not invent the name. The phrase "grin like a Cheshire cat" was already in English use before the book appeared. Cheshire is a county in northwest England, and Carroll was born there. He turned the old saying into a character whose grin outlasts the rest of its body.

That vanishing act gives the costume its focus. In the book, the cat fades away slowly, starting with the end of its tail and finishing with the grin. Alice then reflects that she has often seen a cat without a grin, but never a grin without a cat.

The colors come from a later adaptation. John Tenniel's original illustrations for the first edition were black-and-white wood engravings. Disney $DIS 0.50%'s 1951 animated film Alice in Wonderland gave the cat the pink-and-purple stripes most people now picture.

Clothing can carry the stripes without a full bodysuit. A striped long-sleeve top works, as do striped leggings, tights or a hoodie in alternating pink and purple. Someone with only one striped piece can pair it with solid purple to keep the palette consistent.

The grin is the character's defining feature, so the face paint deserves the most attention. A wide crescent grin painted past the corners of the mouth reads clearly from across a room. Rows of white........

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