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Aug 26, 2023

39 Useful Pet Products That Will Simplify Your Life

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

Because lots of pets = lots of poop that needs scoopin'.

BuzzFeed Staff

Promising review: "If I could give this product six stars, I would. My husband and I use it almost every day. We have three furry dogs and six fluffy cats, which makes for A LOT of hair. We were using a lint roller before we bought our ChomChom Roller. The lint roller didn't work very well and had to be replaced. We have had our ChomChom Roller for months and it still works just as well as it did when we first got it. We can actually invite our friends over now without worrying about all the pet hair." —Morgan Willis

Get it from Amazon for $21.45 (clip the $5 off coupon for this price!).

Promising review: "I am not one to write reviews, but this little thing is amazing!!! We got a new couch a few months ago and my dogs are constantly on the couch, even though I try to keep them off. My cushion covers don't come off for me to wash and vacuuming doesn't work. I have tried vacuuming, using lint remover rollers, other dog hair removal tools and nothing seems to work until I discovered this! Super easy to use!" —Michelle

Get it from Amazon for $22.99.

Promising review: "Our 70-pound lab boxer mix was in misery due to skin allergies. We had spent a small fortune and he had two allergy related surgeries that left him weakened and with serious hair loss. We changed diet, went through food trials, twice! Various prescription allergy medications with no relief. We started using these treats and his coat now looks healthy and normal. His vitality has improved and we haven't visited the vet for months! We are amazed at the change in his skin. The itch has stopped completely. I only wish we had found relief for him sooner." —Kool-aide

Get 90 chews from Amazon for $20.97+ (available in five styles).

Promising review: "I have a whole room filled with cat toys that my cat is not interested in. It's funny how the least expensive cat toy I have makes him go crazy. He plays with this until he's panting like a dog and I have never seen him jump so high. I'm certain this toy will help him lose his belly. He loves it! I highly recommend it!" —Kwoo

Get it from Amazon for $3.53.

Rocco & Roxie is a family-owned small business named after the Magleby family's pets Rocco, a Labradoodle, and Roxie, a former shelter tabby cat. They make a variety of pet supplies, including cleaners, treats, grooming tools, accessories, and toys.

Promising review: "I have six elderly cats, and a few of them oftentimes leave smelly pee puddles to register their disdain at whatever cats get 'peed off' about. It's not a litter box problem and, although I've caught one or two of them doing it, I can't blame them all. This product works great on fresh messes as well as dried ones. After blotting up fresh pee pads, I saturate the area with Rocco & Rossi's odor remover and let dry. For dried stinky stuff, I just saturate the area and let it dry. It has a pleasant odor and completely eliminates the ammonia odor. Believe me, I've tried all kinds of products, and this one works the best. I buy gallons now just to have on hand. It's better than smelling that awful pee!" —mona mia

Get it from Amazon for $19.97.

Promising review: "My cat Gambino Bambino would let you brush him bald!!! He loves to be groomed and comes running whenever the brush comes out. Though we love to accommodate, I know he wanted more. He was constantly rubbing his cheeks and ears on the corner of our walls to get even more scratching. I finally came across this product and knew he would love it! It took a little convincing but once he got a hang of it he's been loving it! We have one in the living room, one in the kitchen, one at the top of the stairs and one in the guest room! He is having a great time!!! Very easy to put together and place on the wall." —T. Mangiaracina

Get it from Amazon for $4.99.

MeowyJanes is a wonderfully named small business based in New Egypt, New Jersey. It specializes in catnip and catnip alternatives.

BuzzFeed editor Chelsea Stuart loves these...or...her cats do!

"I recently tried some of these out with my cats and they were a hit! TBH they've never really been super into catnip — they'll play with it but they don't go wild — so I was excited to see they were into these. They bat them around, rub their faces all over them, and ultimately, when they're done, hide them under a chair or in their cat condo so they can come back to them later."

Promising review: "I have two young Siamese mix cats that chew wires, shoes, wooden spoons. These chew sticks are perfect for them. They sniff the sticks, run on them, and then start chewing. My two cats that are over 10 years old just rub on them but don't enjoy chewing them. If you have a very active cat that does destructive chewing, these are a great substitute." —JEM4612

Get 7–9 sticks from Amazon for $10.21.

Promising review: "The glove is super comfortable and using it couldn't be more foolproof: just put it on and run your hands through your pet's fur. That's it! The silicone grooves pick up so much fur with ease. Like, my dog looks close to hairless. HOW is he shedding so much!?!? After a few runs, I found that I would have to remove fur from the glove before continuing (you can pick up the fur with your other hand or run the glove under some water — either works) but it's no biggie. The silicone actually makes it really easy to keep this clean. We got Rockie when he was 5 and he’d been riddled with skin issues and allergies, so I was pretty nervous to use anything that could potentially aggravate his conditions. However! Not only does this *not* bother his skin, but he…loves this. A lot. He starts snoring after exactly two run-throughs on his back. Also, his coat looks SO shiny after each use! TL;DR: this is one of those inexpensive add-ons that any pet owner should have on hand." —AnaMaria Glavan

Get it from Amazon for $8.99.

Promising review: "I wish I could give this thing seven stars, but five will have to do. I was able to pull entire sheets of undercoat out of our husky without disturbing the topcoat. I've never had anything work so well. It's even easier to keep the fur pile together. The fur stays clumped instead of getting spread out and floating around like with the blade style Furminator. This thing really digs the loose stuff out so much faster and easier. Check the photo to see what 20 minutes will get you." —pvfjr

Get it from Amazon for $12.99.

My colleague Emma Lord, a self-professed shedder, also swears by this broom! Check out here full FURemover Broom review for more deets.

Promising review: "I bought this broom based on the tons of great reviews and I am not disappointed. I love this broom! It is lightweight but sturdy. I have used it on tile floors and carpet and it does a great job of getting the pet hair, lint, and dirt. I like this so much better than our traditional push broom. It is very easy to clean after use just using my hand, unlike our old broom. It also has a telescoping handle so that you can adjust it to whatever height you need. There is also a squeegee for doing the house windows and the car windows. I highly recommend it." —Joyce V

Get it from Amazon for $16.99.

Promising review: "One of my puppers is a super athlete who lives for walks and runs. She is about 9 now and the vet gave her a stellar bill of health save one thing: Her pads were getting really rough and worn from paved trails and city walks, and this may be uncomfortable, especially as summer comes and pavement heats up. I was skeptical about any kind of balm as I figured that it would leave a mess on my floors or one/both dogs would just lick it off their feet. No problems whatsoever, and after a single application, both dogs' pads are really soft and supple. Hopefully the dogs can feel the difference. I can surely see it and feel it. Also, the balm smells like oatmeal cookies, so bonus for that." —LRL

Get it from Amazon for $9.99.

Promising review: "We got this screen so our dog can go in and out freely without letting the bugs in. At first he wasn't quite sure about going through it; in fact he scratched at it signaling us to open it for him. But after a few training treats he figured it out. Installation was so easy! The Velcro, fabric, and mesh all seem very good quality. I'm also happy that we can take down the screen in the winter and store away easily, then just reattach it in the spring. Very happy with my purchase!" —Crystal K

Get it from Amazon for $26.99.

Promising review: "We have an overweight cat that has trouble grooming her back. She was so full of dandruff and greasy fur that I hated petting her. We took her to the vet, and he thought it was allergies. We tried prednisone for a while, and it was clear she was less itchy, but the dandruff remained. The vet suggested different food, so we switched to a different flavor (different ingredients) in the same line, and there was no change. Our poor girl looked miserable. We decided to try a bath, but she's 13 years old so we knew she wouldn't enjoy it. While looking for a shampoo for her, I came across this product and decided to try it before torturing her with a bath. After the first application there was a huge difference! After the second application, her dandruff is GONE. We spray her down and then brush her. She is so soft and shiny! She finally looks healthy, and feels good to pet." —Amber Steele

Get it from Amazon for $6.99 (or Subscribe & Save for $6.64/month).

Promising review: "Our son was having a lot of dander on his back near the base of his tail. We kept up the brushing but it wasn't going away. Looking at the reviews I decided to go for the dander wipes. Well I have used it twice and was blown away. His dander is pretty much all gone now. Plus his hair seems shinier and silkier after his brushing and using the wipes. Not to mention our baby boy looks just like the cat on the packaging. All around I will continue to buy these and use once a week or twice every two weeks to keep up his beautiful orange coat. Thanks Burt's Bees!" —Tom Cincotta

Get 50 wipes from Amazon for $7.48 (or Subscribe & Save for $7.11/month).

Promising review: "My dog Hazel LOVES this duck! She has had it for nine months now, and it's still intact! It somehow made it through her teething as a puppy. She rips and tears apart all of her toys, but this one still looks decent!" —Emily Ann

Get it from Amazon for $7.90.

Promising review: "OMG. This brush is a life SAVER! My dog has allergies, which tends to lead him to itch, sneeze, and shed a LOT. When I say a lot, I mean a lot. After struggling to find something that works…hallelujah!! Here it is! My dog lovedddd his brush time today. I couldn't believe the amount of loose fur it collected! He feels so soft/clean and looks SO shiny! Highly recommend for your short-haired shedding pibbles 🐶" —Kayla

Get it from Amazon for $16.99.

Promising review: "My dogs love this pool, and it has given us hours of entertainment so far. My two smallish terriers are not the most gentle of creatures and so far it is holding up to their abuse: crashing over the sides, digging at their toys on the bottom, stepping on it so water spills out, general roughhouse play. The vinyl appears heavy duty and the boards inside are quite thick. Very happy with it so far...it's definitely going to be a big hit this COVID-19/social distancing summer with the entire family!" —MLA

Get it from Amazon for $21.99+ (available in five sizes and three styles).

Promising review: "So we rescued a new dog and she had a few accidents in the house and this has been a lifesaver to say the least. It has removed every stain and cleaned every spot where she had the accident or spilled anything. It worked amazingly. I highly recommend this to everyone! A must have for every house with pets and kids." —Jyllian Long

Get it from Amazon for $123.59.

For a cat-nip recharge, pop the balls back in the tin so they soak up more of the catnip smell (from the capsules in the tin) and your cat will be ready to play with them all over again.

Simply B Vermont is a small business located in Vermont. They make all kinds of adorable pet accessories and toys for cats AND dogs.

Promising review: "Fast shipping, seller was super thoughtful and attentive, and most important of all our kitties are obsessed with these balls! Even my shyer one is running around with these having an absolute blast even without my tossing them around. It's also wearing her out which is quite hard to do. Highly recommend!" —Ketti Schulenberg

Get a set from Simply B Vermont on Etsy for $15 (available in three styles).

Promising review: "One of my cats has a health condition that makes it essential for her to drink as much water as possible, so I decided to try this fountain since it mimics the sink faucet more than the others I have. As soon as I turned it on, she came running and she's loving it. It's small and plastic, so it's lightweight but probably easier to break than the metal one I have. It's very quiet and the other cat (who doesn't seem to care about running water) has no problem drinking from the bowl portion. It was easy to assemble and seems easy to clean." —Bonnie A. Franz

Get it from Amazon for $29.14.

Promising review: "This bowl performs as advertised. I admit there is still a small amount of spillage, but nowhere near the amount my dog used to leave behind using a traditional water bowl. I easily mitigated this by using an absorbent bath mat. Overall, I am very pleased with this product and recommend it so as long as you don't have a 'water digger' LOL. I've seen some reviews stating moldy smell, but if you love your pets, you will refresh and clean their water bowl every day much as you would do with human beverage holders commonly called cups. I guarantee that daily refreshed water in a clean bowl will never have mold or stagnant water issues. It is super easy to take apart and clean; literally two minutes of your time once a day is worth it to give your beloved pet clean water. Moldy water bowls are not a result of a defective product, just lazy owners." —LT Odnol

Get it from Amazon for $16.33+ (available in three colors).

Promising review: "My dog has had chronic ear infections for years now. Every other month or so she’d get an infection and $200 later we’d have meds from the vet who confirmed what we already knew. I finally decided to give an unprescribed treatment a try and it worked AMAZINGLY. Followed the instructions for a week, and her ear is completely healed! Much easier to pay $20 as opposed to $200 when you get the same results! I highly recommend." —Fromal16

Get it from Amazon for $23.79.

Promising review: "Had been awhile since I was a cat owner, but decided to give this top entry version a whirl when I came home with a new buddy on Easter. I wanted to try a less expensive version that the higher priced because I was worried the cat might not figure out the logistics. But, after setup he hopped right on in and did his business. So far it's as advertised; the lid with grooves does help capture loose litter on the way out. And this design would be much easier to clean out without the sharp box edges." —Serena

Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in three colors and two styles).

Promising review: "Our poor older pup started having some incontinence issues and had several accidents in the house. I was really frustrated until I found these. They work amazingly well. They're small, so if the area was larger I had to use two or three, but they pulled up stains and saved the house from being smelly. I even used one on an older stain (that I'm pretty sure wasn't pet related) and it came up after leaving it on for about 24 hours. I make sure to keep a supply of these in the house at all times now." —MC

Get a pack of 20 from Amazon for $38.74.

Promising review: "As a former vet tech, rescuer, and pup momma, I've come across some chewers that take the cake. Of course, one of my own is the worse of the worst. My monster lab/poodle mix can DESTROY just about anything I buy for him. He snaps the ultra Kongs in half without blinking and will crack even the largest Nylabones within a few minutes. Even toys marketed as indestructible with money back warranties fall to their death in his jaws. That said...HE LOVES THIS BONE and hasn't managed to do much damage to it, which makes it one of the best chew toys I've ever encountered." —CKayy

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in four sizes and three flavors).

Promising review: "My dog's molars were turning black and he had a ton of build up on his canines. In the photo (above), just imagine everywhere you see slight yellow, instead covered in black and brown gunk and hard plaque. His gums were beginning to look inflamed. And, of course, his breath could kill a horse. After one week of constant use (a cap full for every bowl of water) you could see an obvious difference in tooth color. I was blown away. (Why can't human mouthwash do such a good job on our teeth?) After three weeks, his molars were almost completely clean. After a couple months of use, the plaque on his canines was soft enough to brush some of it off, which was totally impossible before. Plaque covered the canine approximately 70%. Obviously that's no longer the case. Idk what insane solvent this is made of, but it keeps his gross mouth clean as a whistle. Now I don't have to worry about my picky princess mutt losing his teeth because he can't be bothered to chew anything." —BaconPancakes

Get it from Amazon for $10.59+ (available in two sizes and two flavors).

Promising review: "Works as advertised. Love this product!! I have a 15-year-old pug/beagle/bulldog mix and have tried so many natural things to get the top of her nose to be smooth again and not look dry and crusty. This product made her nose look completely normal in two days!! I used it three times a day. Simply amazing." —sharon smith

Get it from Amazon for $5.95 (or Subscribe & Save for $5.65/month).

Promising review: "I have an auditory processing disorder and that makes squeak toys very difficult for me. I always had to be very careful as to what toys my good girl could have. This has solved all the problems! The only sound I can hear is the air being pushed out and she goes nuts for it! Best of both worlds! If only all dog toys were like this!" —V. F.

Get it from Amazon for $18.20 (available in five other animals).

Promising review: "With three dogs, two small and one large, scooping the yard is a never-ending job. But with the Arm & Hammer swivel bin and rake, there is no more bending to pick up the doggy droppings. I am able to easily use the rake to push the droppings into the bag covered bin. When I am done cleaning up the yard, I just simply remove the plastic bag from the scoop, tie it off, and dispose. I do spray the rake off with the hose sprayer and then clip the rake onto the scooper for easy storage. I really like this handy scooper. It makes a very icky job much easier to handle." —Kelly Eldred

Get it from Amazon for $19.99.

Promising review: "Our cats love their new sunbeds! Perfect for snoozing, spying on the neighbors, and squirrel-watching! Easy to assemble, sturdy, and attractive." —26.2 Mama

Get it from Amazon for $20.99+ (available in two colors).

Promising review: "Works like a charm! I recently found myself a cat mama of an abandoned week-old kitten. I bought this knowing she needed just something to cuddle up to in her bed. Turns out it basically hypnotizes her to sleep. She crawls to it, kneads it, and eventually her meows turn to silence. I wish the purring lasted longer but for $10 it is a lifesaver. She's pooped on it a couple times so I've had to throw it in the washer and dryer minus the battery pack. It's held up great." —S Leytem

Get it from Amazon for $11.99.

Promising review: "I got this for my rescue cat who needs to have some attention nearly constantly and does not like the front-loading carriers. This was super easy to clean and perfect for easing his nervousness as he could see everything going on around him." —Samamtha

Get it from Amazon for $27.99+ (available in three sizes).

Promising review: "This product is great. My puppy is a digger and we have red clay type dirt. It gets her paws clean fast and easily. So much better than having to get a bath every time she digs." —Mandi Bultman

Get it from Amazon for $15.08+ (available in three sizes, eight colors, and with or without a lid).

Promising review: "Great product, works as advertised. I love The Stuff!! My Pomeranian dries in half the time and her coat is so silky and shiny. She looks like she went to the groomers every time I give her a bath." —A. Wilkinson

Get it from Amazon for $17.91.

Promising review: "I don't usually bother to review but this was so much nicer than I expected! Larger, well made, WOW! I hate to admit senility. I love my dog. Imagine forgetting if I fed her or not? I don't want her overfed or overweight. This is the best thing! I stuck it to the top of her food storage. Now no question. A++++ Seriously such better quality and size than I expected!!!" —Suzy

Get it from Amazon for $12.95+ (available in seven styles).

Promising review: "When I opened the package I had serious doubts that these were worth the money. Now? Well, I do not fully comprehend the magic involved in creating these ring...things...but they were an instant hit, to the point that I feel certain I will be stocking these babies for the rest of my cat's life. They're not flat; they're a 'wiggly' shape with little nubs sticking up at various intervals. My cat loves flinging them about and carrying them around in her mouth. They're a fairly sturdy plastic, not like the flexible plastic rings off of milk jugs and whatnot. Upside: They're hefty enough that they can easily be tossed a considerable distance, which is a huge plus if you have a fetch-loving kitty. Downside: Stepping on one while stumbling sleepily through the dark will make you pray for death. Both for yourself and others." —Tinkerfly

Get a four-pack from Amazon for $4.99.

ScratchPad for Dogs is a small biz based in Atlanta.

Promising review: "Love this scratch pad! We adopted our dog almost a year ago and he's been terrified of clippers and grinders since day one. We've never been able to maintain his nails due to his super reactive anxiety around nail care. That's all changed since we got the Scratch Pad a few weeks ago! He took to it right away and his nails have shown significant improvement in just a few sessions!" —Kira Armajani

Get it from ScratchPad for Dogs on Etsy for $46.95+ (available in four styles and three grit levels).

Door Buddy is a small business started by the Johnson family, who needed a way to keep their 9-month-old away from the cat's food and litter box in the laundry room.

Promising review: "I love the Door Buddy! I found another use for it. The Door Buddy is also good for introducing a new cat into the household. I adopted a new kitten and my adult cat was outraged! I separated the kitten by putting him in the guest room. After a couple of days I used the Door Buddy to just crack the door open so my adult cat could safely sniff the new kitten. Every two days I adjusted the DB to allow the door to open a little more. In a week my adult cat was trying to play with the kitten through the door! This is a great product and so easy to set up and use. Thanks!" —A. Hill

Get it from Amazon for $16.94.

Promising review: "Easy to set up and now we're ready for fall to roll in! We needed a bed for our anxious chocolate lab. Although we're relaxed around the bonfire, she paces and we don't want her lying down on the hot concrete anyway. This was our perfect solution and it even has a bolster she can lean into, which she enjoys." —Melissa Buckingham

Get it from Amazon for $82.95.

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.

Promising review: If I could give this product six stars, I would. We have had our ChomChom Roller for months and it still works just as well as it did when we first got it. Promising review: Promising review: his coat now looks healthy and normal. His vitality has improved and we haven't visited the vet for months! I only wish we had found relief for him sooner. Promising review: He plays with this until he's panting like a dog and I have never seen him jump so high. He loves it! I highly recommend it! Promising review: This product works great on fresh messes as well as dried ones. It has a pleasant odor and completely eliminates the ammonia odor. I buy gallons now just to have on hand. It's better than smelling that awful pee! Promising review: once he got a hang of it he's been loving it Very easy to put together and place on the wall. Promising review: If you have a very active cat that does destructive chewing, these are a great substitute. Promising review: The glove is super comfortable and using it couldn't be more foolproof: Not only does this *not* bother his skin, but he…loves this. A lot. He starts snoring after exactly two run-throughs on his back. TL;DR: this is one of those inexpensive add-ons that any pet owner should have on hand. Promising review: I wish I could give this thing seven stars I've never had anything work so well. This thing really digs the loose stuff out so much faster and easier. Promising review: It is lightweight but sturdy. I have used it on tile floors and carpet and it does a great job of getting the pet hair, lint, and dirt. It is very easy to clean after use just using my hand, unlike our old broom. There is also a squeegee for doing the house windows and the car windows. Promising review: No problems whatsoever, and after a single application, both dogs' pads are really soft and supple. Promising review: Installation was so easy! The Velcro, fabric, and mesh all seem very good quality. we can take down the screen in the winter and store away easily Promising review: After the first application there was a huge difference! After the second application, her dandruff is GONE. We spray her down and then brush her. Promising review: His dander is pretty much all gone now. Plus his hair seems shinier and silkier after his brushing and using the wipes. Not to mention our baby boy looks just like the cat on the packaging. Promising review: She has had it for nine months now, and it's still intact! She rips and tears apart all of her toys, but this one still looks decent! Promising review: Promising review: it has given us hours of entertainment so far it is holding up to their abuse it's definitely going to be a big hit this COVID-19/social distancing summer with the entire family! Promising review: It has removed every stain and cleaned every spot where she had the accident or spilled anything. It worked amazingly. Promising review: Even my shyer one is running around with these having an absolute blast even without my tossing them around. Promising review: As soon as I turned it on, she came running and she's loving it. It's very quiet and the other cat (who doesn't seem to care about running water) has no problem drinking from the bowl portion. Promising review: This bowl performs as advertised. It is super easy to take apart and clean; literally two minutes of your time once a day is worth it to give your beloved pet clean water. Promising review: I finally decided to give an unprescribed treatment a try and it worked AMAZINGLY. Followed the instructions for a week, and her ear is completely healed! Much easier to pay $20 as opposed to $200 when you get the same results! Promising review: So far it's as advertised; the lid with grooves does help capture loose litter on the way out. And this design would be much easier to clean out without the sharp box edges. Promising review: They work amazingly well. I even used one on an older stain (that I'm pretty sure wasn't pet related) and it came up after leaving it on for about 24 hours. I make sure to keep a supply of these in the house at all times now. Promising review: That said...HE LOVES THIS BONE and hasn't managed to do much damage to it, which makes it one of the best chew toys I've ever encountered. Promising review: After one week of constant use (a cap full for every bowl of water) you could see an obvious difference in tooth color. I was blown away. (Why can't human mouthwash do such a good job on our teeth?) After three weeks, his molars were almost completely clean. After a couple months of use, the plaque on his canines was soft enough to brush some of it off, which was totally impossible before. Promising review: Works as advertised. This product made her nose look completely normal in two days!! Promising review: Promising review: there is no more bending to pick up the doggy droppings I really like this handy scooper. It makes a very icky job much easier to handle. Promising review: Promising review: Turns out it basically hypnotizes her to sleep. She crawls to it, kneads it, and eventually her meows turn to silence. Promising review: This was super easy to clean and perfect for easing his nervousness as he could see everything going on around him. Promising review: Promising review: works as advertised My Pomeranian dries in half the time and her coat is so silky and shiny. Promising review: I don't usually bother to review but this was so much nicer than I expected! Promising review: they were an instant hit, to the point that I feel certain I will be stocking these babies for the rest of my cat's life Upside: They're hefty enough that they can easily be tossed a considerable distance, which is a huge plus if you have a fetch-loving kitty. Promising review: He took to it right away and his nails have shown significant improvement in just a few sessions! Promising review: The Door Buddy is also good for introducing a new cat into the household. In a week my adult cat was trying to play with the kitten through the door! This is a great product and so easy to set up and use. Promising review: Easy to set up anxious chocolate lab. This was our perfect solution and it even has a bolster she can lean into, which she enjoys.
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