Kitty Party Game Ideas

Pin the Tail on the Kitty

• Although Pin the Tail on the Donkey has been a staple of children’s parties for decades, there’s no rules stating your animal of choice must be of the barnyard-variety. Instead, keep with the kitty theme by using a cat as your main artwork. Since cats’ tails originate from their backsides, draw or print out a large, poster-sized picture of a cat turned away. The same rules for Pin the Tail on the Donkey apply for the kitty version; gather party guests around the kitty poster and hand each one a tail. Each player can decorate their tails to distinguish them, using markers, paints, glitter or crayons. (Use sticky-tack or a rolled piece of tape so the tail adheres to the poster.) Blindfold and spin each player a few times to cause disorientation, then let players try to pin the tail onto the kitty. The player whose tail is closest to the proper location on the cat wins a prize.

Makeup Makeover

• The heavy, lined cats-eye style of makeup may have been born in the 1950s, but it remains on the runways, clubs and streets of today. With a basketful of makeup from the dollar store (or ask partygoers to bring their own to avoid allergic reactions or problems with germs), match up participants and challenge them to create the perfect cat eyes. While traditional cats-eye makeup involves black liquid liner, your game can be about challenging players to create something different, such as an outer space look or a cartoon design. Have glitter and stick-on gems on hand to dress up the makeovers; a camera close by captures all of the action and can help create a great after-party memory.

Name that Kitty

• For a simple party ice breaker or to rev up guests as the evening goes on, stir up the competition with a Name that Kitty game. Cats have been a part of Hollywood, politics and culture for centuries, sometimes making more of a name for themselves than their human counterparts. After printing photos and pictures from the Internet, create flash cards to hold up to the group. Distribute memo pads (pads with a cat or paw print theme make an extra nice touch) and hold up cards featuring well-known cats such as Garfield, the Cheshire Cat, the Cat in the Hat and Morris, as well as not-so-recognizable ones such as Azrael (from the Smurfs), Catbert (from the Dilbert comic) and Crookshanks (from the Harry Potter novels). Award a prize to the player who corrals the most kitties.