Outrageously, unbelievably pampered pets!

image: Karl Lagerfeld/Harper's Bazaar

Article by BR Natalie

Some of you might know j'adore Dior.  The style, the history, the man, the myth.  Well this week I decided to extend my fashion horizons and whilst delving into the private life of Karl Lagerfeld I became addicted.  Well actually I've become addicted not with Karl Lagerfeld, but rather his very pampered cat, Choupette.  Who last year released her first book.  Fur real.

Choupette: The Private Life of a High-Flying Fashion Cat chronicles the ridiculously pampered lifestyle of this fluffy white puddy cat; in an impressive 128 pages.  Choupette has two maids, her favourite Madame Françoise keeps a diary of her every move.  She has her own iPad, a private vet, Madame Horn and dines at the table with her daddy, eating off of designer crockery.  Choupette's book contains beauty, health, fashion and lifestyle tips, as well as gorgeous photos of her modelling alongside supermodels.  Again, fur real.

And Lagerfeld isn't the only celebrity to create a life of luxury for their pets.  Former singer Aubrey O'Day tweeted photos of her two pooches Ginger and Marryann flying Virgin first class.  Marryann, who's mane is dyed purple and perfectly coiffured shared the window seat with Ginger and they both tucked in to the first class menu.  But as pampered pets go, this barely scratches the surface;

• Tinkerbell Hilton, Paris Hilton's Chihuahua sleeps in a $325,000 dog house and totters around in pink Chanel sweaters and Louis Vuitton puppy slippers.
• Max Clooney, the now deceased Vietnamese pot-bellied pig, lived in George Clooney's mansion for 18 years.  Max lived a jet setting life, literally,  flying on a private jet piloted by John Travolta and he even caused one of George's girlfriends to move out, when George refused to move the 130kg pig outside.  (Note to self: Learn to love pigs)
• Bit Bit Spears, Britney's Chihuahua gets her bejazzle on with a diamond encrusted collar.

As if the luxe lifestyle of these pets wasn't eye-opening enough, check out this list of beauty products marketed solely (And rather expensively) at pets:

• Petattos are painless and non toxic temporary tattoos for the pooch in your life.  Popular designs include 'butt-sniffer' and 'Dawg'.
• Fursions are designer colognes for your pooches, based on human scents like CK One and Chanel No 5.  Of course if you like your perfumes pricey, Les Poochs is a $3000 scent for the fur buddy in your life.
• Neuticles will help your dog feel like a man again, after you've done your responsible pet owner duty.  Yes they actually make fake man-berries for dogs and if you can believe it, half a million (pairs we presume) have been sold so far.
  
• Top Performance Hair Dye Gel allows you to turn your your boring pet-coloured pet in to a dazzling rainbow beast.
• Pawlish is doggie claw polish produced by OPI.  Again.  Fur real.
  

Now, it's not that I don't understand a certain amount of pet pandering - some might say my kitty Mavis is pandered to. I warm bacon fat for treat time, she'll eat chicken only when it's minced whereas beef must be sliced not minced.  She has her own leopard print Tangle Teezer, plays with hand crocheted toys stuffed with homegrown catnip and she sleeps in a fabulously kitsch Mocka Teepee.  In our defense - Mavis was born blind and endures daily (hourly) cuggles from a toddler.  She needs a few home comforts right?! Ok, who am I kidding.  If I lived a lifestyle of the rich and famous I don't doubt Mavis would be upgraded to the larger teepee, but I think that's as far as I'd take it! Well I hope so.

So over to you - do you pander to your pets?  Are your pooches pampered and your cats cherished with a little luxury?  What do you think about beauty treatments and designer get-up for our paw-legged friends?  Get chatting below!