Some households send Christmas cards from the humans. Others let the dog take the credit. A card “from the cat” is the same idea with worse manners. On Ottermagic you upload a clear pet photo, run Pet Swap so they are the star of the design, preview until the likeness is obvious, then order a UK A5 card or take the e-card. Printed cards are 148×210mm folded, 330gsm gloss, envelope included, made to order in the UK and posted with Royal Mail in around 3–5 working days. US cat people can order the same card from the US shop, sent by airmail to a US address in about 2–3 weeks. Anyone who left this until the last week should buy the e-card. Start at Ottermagic.com with a picture where you can see the eyes and most of the animal.
This page is the signed-by-the-pet Christmas card. Family photos that merely include the dog, first Christmas with a baby and a hound, and mixed household portraits sit in family, pet, and first-Christmas Style Swap. A year-round dog-and-cat guide is Pet Swap dog and cat cards.
Why Pet Swap fits this joke
A photo of the dog in a paper hat is already funny. It is also a bit sad when the hat is crooked and the eyes are closed. Pet Swap puts that animal onto a finished template in a named look, so the card reads as a character rather than as a snapshot of a stressed pet.
Style Swap still works if you want the whole scene: dog on the sofa, tree in the background, someone in pyjamas. Use it when the room is part of the gag. Use Pet Swap when the animal should fill the front.
Text Swap can say “Love from Biscuit” with no picture. Cute. Less keepable. If you have a photo, use it.
Styles that suit pets
Cartoon and Classic Cartoon. Clear markings, readable face, good for a card that has to make sense at a glance on a mantel.
Clay 3D and Bobblehead. Novelty without losing the breed. Useful for a dog with a very specific face.
Photobooth. A close, face-on pet photo, as if they sat in the booth on purpose. Cats rarely cooperate; if you get one decent frame, this is the look.
Watercolour and Sketch. For the household that wants “from the cat” to sound fond rather than chaotic. Older pets often look better here than in a loud caricature.
Chibi and Anime. Rounder, softer. Helps when the photo is a bit messy.
Pixel Art. For the person whose cat already walks across the keyboard.
Brick, Action Figure, Retro Halftone, Sticker Sheet, and the rest of the live list are fair game. Preview two. Pets vary. A black cat in Photobooth is a different problem from a golden retriever in Clay 3D.
Caricature of a pet can look mean if the animal already has a droop or a squint. If the preview feels unkind, switch to Sketch.
Photo tips (the difference between “our dog” and “a brown shape”)
Get the whole animal in, or at least the full head and chest. Eyes visible. Crouch. Wait. Phone photos are fine.
Light is the whole game for dark fur. A black cat on a navy blanket at 9pm is a classic failure. Turn a lamp on. Sit them near a window. Take several frames; cats blink on purpose.
Do not use a photo where a human hand covers half the muzzle. Do not use a photo of the pet mid-yawn unless you like that expression as the official Christmas face.
Two pets in one photo will fight for Style Swap. Pet Swap is easier with one animal. If you need both, make two cards, or pick the photo where they are both large and run Style Swap.
More on uploads: how to choose a photo. Black cats and low light also turn up in the National Cat Day Pet Swap guide.
Sign-offs and paw-signature messages
Write as the pet. Keep it short enough to fit inside an A5, or leave the card blank and scrawl it yourself.
From the dog: “Happy Christmas. I have been told I am on the nice list. This is a lie, but I would still like ham. Love, [Name], who lives here.”
From the polite dog: “Wishing you a quiet house and a long walk. I will be under the table. Love from [Name].”
From the cat: “Happy Christmas. I knocked the decorations down so you would have something to do. You may thank me in treats. [Name].”
From the cat who owns the humans: “I allowed them to send this. Sit where I can see you. [Name].”
Paw line you can add under any of the above: “(Signed in biscuit crumbs.)” or a simple “Paw print goes here” if you are handwriting.
Two pets: “We formed a union. The terms are cheese and a radiator. Happy Christmas. [Dog] and [Cat].”
E-card, far away or late: “I cannot post myself through a letterbox, so here is my face. Open the file. Send ham.”
If the recipient does not like animals, do not send this card. Send a human one. The joke only works on people who already talk to the pet.
Print, e-card, and a matching portrait
UK printed A5: 148×210mm folded, 330gsm gloss, envelope included, blank inside or printed message, recyclable stock, water-based inks, Royal Mail around 3–5 working days. Check Christmas posting deadlines.
Printed A5 for the US: the same card from the US shop, sent by airmail to US addresses in about 2–3 weeks, so allow about three weeks before Christmas.
The e-card is the hi-res, watermark-free download after payment. That is the path when the dog decided to pose on 22 December, in either country.
Posters and canvas are available if someone would rather hang the pet than file the card. See current options on Ottermagic.com. A Christmas wall-art guide is personalised Christmas posters and canvas.
Support: support@ottermagic.com (reply within one working day). Checkout shows pounds in the UK shop and dollars in the US shop.
Ready when you are
Let the dog (or the cat) send Christmas. Upload a clear pet photo, run Pet Swap, try Cartoon, Clay 3D, Photobooth, Watercolour, or Pixel Art, and only pay when it looks like them. Print a UK A5 or download the e-card. Start at Ottermagic.com.
FAQ
What is the best Christmas-from-the-dog Pet Swap card in the UK in 2026?
The preview that looks like your dog. Ottermagic Pet Swap with a well-lit photo is the method.
Can I send a Christmas card from the cat to the US?
Yes. Use Pet Swap or Style Swap, then order the printed A5 from the US shop (sent by airmail to a US address, about 2–3 weeks) or, if Christmas is less than about three weeks away, buy the e-card and send the file.
Should I put a Santa hat on the pet first?
Only if they tolerate it. A stressed hat photo often looks worse than a normal photo restyled. Pet Swap does not need costume props.
Can I sign it from the humans and the pet?
Yes. Style Swap a family-plus-pet photo, or send a Pet Swap card with a human message inside. The dedicated family-plus-pet page is family and pet Christmas Style Swap.
We do not have a good pet photo.
Take one in daylight this weekend. If you truly cannot, Text Swap can still put their name on a designed front.
