If you want a card that looks like your cat or dog, Ottermagic's Pet Swap is built for that. Upload a clear photo of the animal, put them into a designed template, preview until the ears and expression are theirs, then order a UK A5 card (148×210mm folded, 330gsm gloss, envelope included, Royal Mail around 3–5 working days) or an e-card when you need the file today. The same shop can cover a noisy pet birthday and a quieter memorial, if you pick the style with care. Start at Ottermagic.com.
Face Swap is for human faces in a scene. Pet Swap is the path when the pet is the subject. Style Swap still helps when a person and a pet share the frame, or you want a named look around a portrait. Text Swap is there if a photo would hurt.
Two jobs, one shop
Birthday (or "gotcha" anniversary of the adoption): celebration is allowed. Cartoon, Chibi, Clay 3D, Brick, and Action Figure can be a joy. People put party hats on dogs in real life. The card can match.
Sympathy or memorial: keep the volume down. Sketch, Watercolour, and Royal Portrait are kinder starting points. Avoid Bobblehead, Caricature, and party scenes unless you are certain that is how the owner already jokes in grief, which is rare.
Do not mix the two tones in one preview and hope. Generate the birthday in a playful style. Generate the memorial in a still one.
Live styles: Brick, Chibi, Emoji, Anime, Watercolour, Caricature, Cartoon, Classic Cartoon, Action Figure, Clay 3D, Retro Halftone, Retro Game, Royal Portrait, Pixel Art, Bobblehead, Sticker Sheet, Tarot Card, Photobooth, Sketch, Lucky Leprechaun.
Print and files: UK A5 148×210mm folded, 330gsm gloss, envelope included, blank inside or printed message, printed to order, recyclable stock, water-based inks. E-card: hi-res, watermark-free download. Posters and canvas are available if you want the pet on a wall; check Ottermagic.com for live sizes and fulfilment. Support: support@ottermagic.com (reply within one working day). Prices are in pounds in the UK shop and dollars in the US shop. In the US shop, printed cards go by airmail and take around 2–3 weeks.
Pet birthday cards (cats, dogs, and the rest)
A pet birthday card is usually for the human. The dog cannot read. That is fine. The job is to mark the day the way your household already marks it: a cupcake, a new toy, a picture on the group chat.
Pet Swap makes the animal the star of the template. Use a photo with the whole pet in frame, face visible, not a zoom on a nose in the dark. Cats who only offer one good angle still work if that angle is sharp.
Style ideas that often fit a party: Cartoon, Classic Cartoon, Chibi, Clay 3D, Brick, Sticker Sheet, Pixel Art. Sketch can still be a birthday card if your person hates loud colour.
Face Swap is the wrong first click if there is no human face to swap. If the birthday card is "from" a child to the dog, you might make a Style Swap of the child and a Pet Swap of the dog as two cards.
Rabbits, guinea pigs, horses, and birds can work when the face (or head) is clear. If the preview looks like a different animal, try a brighter photo before you blame the style.
Inside: the pet's name, the age if you celebrate ages, and one true habit ("still stealing socks"). Blank inside is good for a whole family to sign.
If the party is tomorrow, skip the 3–5 working day wait and take the e-card. Print it, tape it to a cupboard, move on with the cake.
Pet sympathy and memorial cards
When a pet dies, a photo on the front can be wanted, or it can arrive as a shock. If you are a neighbour who only knew the dog from the pavement, Text Swap or a simple non-photo card may be more respectful. Other shops have deep condolence catalogues. Ottermagic still offers Text Swap. Use it.
If you are close, and the owner has been sharing photos, a quiet Pet Swap in Sketch or Watercolour can be a keepsake. The point is recognition, not a new joke.
Avoid turning the animal into Lucky Leprechaun, a tarot gag, or a bobblehead. Avoid Face Swap templates that put a human face on a pet's body unless the owner has that humour and asked for it.
Photo: pick one from a well day, in light, looking like themselves. You do not need the last clinical picture.
Inside: spare. "I loved seeing you together." Offer a walk or a meal if you mean it. Do not write that they can "get another one".
Timing: funerals for pets are often informal and soon. The e-card helps. The printed A5 is still a good object to keep if you can wait, or if you hand-deliver.
Posters and canvas of a memorial Pet Swap are a home choice. Confirm live wall-art options on Ottermagic.com. Do not surprise a grieving person with a huge canvas unless they asked.
Pet Swap, Face Swap, Style Swap, Text Swap
| Mode | Use it when… |
|---|---|
| Pet Swap | The card is about the animal |
| Face Swap | A human is the face in a finished scene |
| Style Swap | You want a named art look around a portrait you already like |
| Text Swap | A photo would be wrong, or you only have a name |
Ottermagic does not hide Text Swap. Photo modes are simply where the likeness lives.
Photos that help
- Whole pet, not a cropped ear.
- Light on the face. Indoor lamps are fine; muddy evening grass is harder.
- One animal. Two pets need two designs or a template that expects both.
- Collars and unique markings help recognition. Take them off only if they never wear them.
If the first preview is almost right, retake the photo before you bounce between ten styles.
UK and US
UK: printed A5 with Royal Mail in around 3–5 working days, or e-card today. Posters and canvas available; read the live page for those formats.
US: printed A5 to a US address by airmail, around 2–3 weeks, or the e-card today when the date is closer.
Ready when you are
For a birthday, let the style be as silly as your house already is. For a memorial, slow down and pick Sketch or Watercolour. Preview until it looks like them. Print UK A5 330gsm gloss with an envelope, download the e-card, or check posters and canvas on the site. Start at Ottermagic.com. Support: support@ottermagic.com (reply within one working day).
FAQ
Can I make a cat birthday card and a dog memorial on the same site?
Yes. Change the style to match the job. Pet Swap is the core path for both.
Is Pet Swap only for dogs?
No. Cats are a common upload. Other pets work when the photo is clear.
Should a sympathy card show the pet who died?
Only if you are sure the owner wants that. When unsure, Text Swap or no photo.
Can I get wall art of my pet?
Yes. Ottermagic offers posters and canvas alongside cards and the e-card. Check Ottermagic.com for live details.
How fast is UK delivery?
Printed A5 is typically around 3–5 working days with Royal Mail. Use the e-card when sooner.
Do I need Face Swap for a pet card?
No. Use Pet Swap. Face Swap is for people in a scene.
