Life

34 Things Under $40 That Make Having A Dog Or Cat Even Better

We only recommend products we love and that we think you will, too. We may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was written by our Commerce team.

Updated: 
Originally Published: 
Amazon

Pet parents know that while making sure the basic needs of your dog or cat are met is essential, finding the latest and greatest toys and accessories for the beloved fur babies is an event in itself. That's probably why the pet industry is booming and always inventing a constant supply of new and awesome things that make having a dog or cat even better.

From silicone gloves that make grooming feel like a doggy day spa to interactive laser toys that let you play with your cat even when you're out of the house. There's even a kangaroo-like hoodie with a pocket for your pet so they can come along with you wherever you go. The best part might be the awesome things you didn't know even existed. Take maple-bacon flavored ice cream for dogs, for example, which has changed my life with the pup forever.

So here's a jumping-off point for some great pet gear for your cat or dog that's both hilarious and genius.

1

A Pet Waterer That Refills Itself

These pet waterers use gravity to ensure that a constant supply of water is available for your pet. Cutouts along the base allow for easy lifting, and rubber feet prevent the bowl from sliding. These waterers have an extra-wide mouth for easy refills, and they come in two sizes: a gallon and 2.5 gallons. There's also a food feeder version for free feeders.

2

A Shampoo That Keeps Shedding Under Control

TropiClean Shed Control Pet Shampoo is infused with natural ingredients like lime and cocoa butter to help promote healthy skin and a shiny coat. And that translates to less dander and shedding. This shed control shampoo is free of soap, parabens, and dyes. And the results? One of its more than 14,000 reviewers raves: “[...] I HAVE noticed a dramatic difference in the softness and shine of his coat since we started using this shampoo, and it certainly hasn't made his itching any worse (which other shampoos have done) and in fact her has less hot spots since we switched to this. Additionally, I really love the scent! It is subtle and natural and not heavily perfumed and chemical smelling like many others on the market. It smells fresh and natural, but it doesn't smell intense.”

3

A Gadget That Lets Your Cat Brush Itself

Cats love to groom themselves and this self-groomer gives them a helping hand by adding brushes to their arsenal. It can be easily mounted on flat walls or corner surfaces with screws or adhesive strips to help remove and collect your cat’s loose hair. The brush is easy to disassemble for cleaning, and each order includes a pouch of catnip to attract your cat.

4

This Challenging Dog Treat Ball With 5,000+ Positive Reviews

This interactive dog toy keeps your dog mentally and physically active, and it dispenses treats along the way. To keep things interesting, pet parents can tweak the difficulty level by adjusting the interior disc. This ball can also be used as a slow feeder, it's available in two sizes, and disassembles easily for refills and cleaning.

5

These Robotic Fish That Encourage Your Cat To Play

These swimming robotic fish toys stimulate your cat’s hunting instincts to encourage them to play. They start to swim as soon as they are placed in water, and shut off automatically once removed to conserve battery power. Each order comes with four colored fish, eight batteries, and one installation tool.

6

An Adorable Bed For Your Little Cave Dweller

Ideal for dogs or cats weighing less than 15 pounds, this shark-shape bed is a fun hideaway for your beloved little cave dweller. But if your pet doesn’t feel like burrowing, that’s okay too, and this pet bed can also be folded into a plush sofa. The non-skid bottom prevents this adorable bed from sliding, even on hard surfaces, and this bed is machine washable.

7

A Ball Launcher That Comes In A Range Of Sizes

With ChuckIt’s ball launcher, you can throw your dog’s ball further and faster for a challenge while saving you a lot of work. The lightweight plastic handle makes for yuck-free pick-ups, and the ChuckIt balls are brightly colored so your pup can always find it and keep playtime going. Best of all, it comes in a range of sizes to suit your pet.

8

A Cult-Favorite Enzyme Cleaner That Gets Rid Of Stains & Smells

Rocco and Roxie’s unique formula contains enzymatic bacteria that works on contact to eliminate tough organic stains and odors — even those that come from urine, feces, and vomit. This stain and odor eliminator can be used on carpets, floors, furniture, and clothing, and it’s safe to use around pets and children. “New or old urine, this cleaner is phenomenal. The stains sometimes disappear right in front of you [...] Don't know how many products we have tried. This is the very first one that deserved a 5-star review," one reviewer wrote.

9

This Pooper Scooper That Makes Picking Up Pet Waste Easier

This rake and scooper set helps pet parents keep some distance between their nose and their pups' poop. The rotating bin and plastic rake effectively cleans up most surfaces including grass, dirt, and pavement, and both pieces snap together for easy storage when not in use. Each order comes with two odor-eliminating bags.

10

A Cute Pet Carrier With High Visibility

The fully transparent face of this adorable pet carrier offers pet parents complete visibility of their fur baby. Available in two sizes to fit dogs up to 12 pounds and cats up to 14, this pet carrier backpack has multiple ventilation holes, mesh screens, and it’s equipped with a soft interior pad that’s machine washable. Extra-thick padding on the shoulder straps keep things comfy, and there’s also a chest strap for additional support. Each order of this space capsule backpack comes with a water bottle and two collapsible bowls that are ideal for traveling.

11

A Squeaky Chew Toy That Dispenses Treats

This squeaky chew toy is made from vanilla-scented rubber and randomly dispenses treats as your dog plays. With openings that are large enough to hold standard-size kibble, this toy can also pull double duty as a slow feeder. This chew toy comes in two sizes, medium and large, and it’s dishwasher safe (top rack only).

12

A Hoodie That Doubles As A Pet Carrier

Kittyroo is a pet-carrying hoodie with a kangaroo pouch that allows your little kitty to snuggle while your hands are free. And, with a pouch that’s lined with soft brushed fleece, and drawstrings with fluffy tips, your cat won’t want to leave. Machine washable and designed with paw gloves and cat ears, this might be your new favorite hoodie to wear, too.

13

A Slicker Brush That's Easy To Clean

This slicker brush is made with fine wires that are designed to get deep down into your pet’s coat to work out knots and tangles without scratching your cat or dog. When your grooming session is over, simply click the button on the back to retract the bristles and wipe away the fur. “I have tried other types of brushes, and they don't get much hair at all. I was on Amazon and found this one and thought I'd give it a try and I am SO glad I did! I brush him 2-3x a day, and I always find a good amount on the brush. I didn't think I would care that it was self-cleaning, but it is seriously the best feature [of] this brush. So easy! He loves how it feels, and I love how it works," one user wrote.

14

A Calming Aid Disguised As A Tasty Treat

Cleverly disguised as tasty treats, these soft chews are actually a calming aid for your dog. Formulated with thiamine and L-tryptophan to help reduce stress, and melatonin to promote relaxation, this supplement works wonders for stressful situations that arise like traveling, fireworks, thunder, or vet visits. Recommended for dogs 12 weeks and older, this calming aid comes in resealable containers to maintain freshness, and they’re available in packages of 65, 70, and 180 pieces.

15

A Calming Spray That Helps Your Cat Through Stressful Situations

This calming pheromone spray is clinically proven to reduce stress scratching and urine spraying in a majority of cats, and it'll likely make vet visits (and other stressful situations) a lot easier. Just spray it onto surfaces like carriers and bedding — but not directly on your cat — to help ease your fur ball through stressful situations like travel, visitors, and even loud noises.

16

A Food Bowl That Really Slows Things Down

Eating too quickly can lead to health issues for you pet but with its swirl pattern, this bowl helps put the breaks on pets who inhale their food. This slow feeder has a wide base to prevent tipping, and each order includes four non-slip mats to prevent sliding. Suitable for small- to medium-sized dogs and cats, this bowl holds approximately 1.5 cups of food, and it’s available in six colors and designs.

17

A Cat Litter Box That Reduces Smells

This hooded cat litter pan gives cats some privacy as they do their business while also keeping down smells. The plastic door offers easy in and out access, and perhaps, more importantly, it keeps odors from wafting everywhere. This hooded cat pan is easy to clean and ideal for multi-cat households. It even comes with a scooper.

18

This Nontoxic Cat Litter Deodorizer That Auto Turns Off

This fragrance-free cat litter deodorizer neutralizes and eliminates odors from cat litter instead of just masking them and hundreds of customers are in love. While it saves you money by extending the life of your cat litter, this deodorizer can be useful in other areas like garbage cans and diaper bins as well. And the best part: it automatically turns off when it senses your cat approaching and then turns back on once your cat has left so that it can begin eliminating odors. As one fan raved: "We have tried everything to stop the horrid smell of five cats blowing up three litter boxes - we changed litter, we got the stuff to put in the litter, and even went to buy candles or burning oil to rid of the smell. But the second I got this, turned it on, charged it, placed in on the wall — within hours the smell finally stopped being horrid. This is the greatest thing invented since white bread.”

19

A Durable Bouncy Toy That Will Keep Your Dog Engaged And Happy

This squeaky rubber bowling ball is super durable and ideal for aggressive chewers and teething puppies. It’s one toy that has all the bases covered to keep your dog rolling, bouncing, and squeaking to his heart's content. This bouncy bowling pin is easy to clean, it’s available in two sizes, and the bowling pin design makes it easy for your pup to carry around.

20

This Robotic Toy That Can Entertain Your Cat Even While You're Away

With two powerful motors, this robotic cat toy by PetDroid, moves forward, backward, and rolls in fun circles to keep your cat entertained, even if you're out of the house. Pet parents can keep things interesting with interchangeable accessories like feathers, crinkle balls, and birds. This pet robot works on carpet and hard floors, and it can be programmed to turn on every 1.5 hours (and shut off after 10 minutes), so your cat can enjoy it while you’re away without running the batteries.

21

These Grooming Gloves That Feel Like A Pet Day Spa

While these silicone grooming gloves do the important work of brushing away dirt and loose hair, they also feel like an awesome massage for your pet making them an especially good choice for pets who don't love brushing time. Shedding hair sticks to the gloves, and when the grooming session is over, simply peel off the hair and throw it away. These gloves work with both long and short-haired pets, and with the spandex fabric, it’s one size fits most. With over 8,000 positive ratings on Amazon, these gloves clearly have a cult following. "These actually worked great! I have four cats with all different types of fur... long fur and fluffy, short fur but thick, short fur but thinner, medium-length fur. I rubbed all of them down the same day, and for the next week there wouldn't be any fur floating away when we pet them," one user wrote.

22

This Odor Remover That's Powered By Oranges

Made from the oils found in orange peels, this commercial-grade odor remover by Angry Orange easily eliminates tough pet odors. This concentrated formula makes one gallon of cleaning solution, and it’s safe for use on carpets or hard floors, litter boxes, and kennels. "Just a few drops... and I mean a very few drops... in our Rug Doctor keep our house daisy fresh to the point where you can smell cleanliness from the outside. It is STRONG and doesn't seem to just cover up the odors, it seems to absorb and kill them," one customer reported.

23

A Natural Powder That Protects Coats

With a powerful blend of natural ingredients and no talc, this anti-fungal preventative powder controls the growth of yeast, combats itchiness, and deodorizes your dog or cat’s hair while conditioning their skin. Use it daily and your best furry friend can experience less irritation.

24

A Reuseable Hair Remover That Works Without Batteries Or Refills

With a few short back and forth strokes, this pet hair remover easily gets rid of pet hair from couches, beds, and other soft surfaces where your pet likes to hang out. And because it uses no batteries or sticky tape, this roller is reusable and eco-friendly. More than 12,000 reviewers have given it a 4.7-star overall rating making it a pet parent favorite.

25

This Bacon-Flavored Ice Cream For Dogs

Puppy Scoops maple-bacon flavored ice cream mix is a perfect birthday treat or just something yummy to beat the summertime heat, just add water and freeze for scoop-able ice cream. This maple-bacon flavored ice cream is grain-free, and lactose-free, and don’t forget tons of fun. "The ice cream was a hit. I bought this for my dog for her birthday. She loved it. Even my cats got to taste it and they liked it. And .... don't tell anyone, but because of the ingredients, I licked the spoon to see what it tasted like. I'm impressed. I'm not going to sit down and eat a bowl of this stuff, but it didn't make me gag. It just tasted like salty, bacon-flavored milk. I'll buy this again for MY DOG for other special occasions," one user wrote.

26

A Broom That Tackles Pet Hair And Lots Of Other Chores

With natural rubber bristles, this broom works like a magnet, pulling hair from rugs, carpets, and hard surfaces. This multipurpose broom can also help with other household jobs, with a built-in squeegee edge that quickly cleans windows, shower doors, and spills. The telescoping handle is adjustable, extending from 36 to 60 inches, and cleanup is as simple as washing it with warm soapy water.

27

A Chew Toy That Helps With Dental Health

These Arm and Hammer chew toys are strong enough to stand up to aggressive chewers and are infused with baking soda to clean your pup's teeth, stimulate their gums, and help fight tartar. These dental chews are available in mini and large sizes, to suit your pup, and users can choose between gorillas and gators.

28

This Award-Winning Interactive Cat Toy

Chosen as an editor's choice in Cat Fancy magazine, this battery-powered string toy is an awesome way to keep your cat entertained for hours. Cats chase the string trying to stop it, once they let go, the string just picks up where it left off, rotating until your cat gets it again. Pet parents can choose between two speeds, and there’s no assembly required.

29

A Fun Laser Toy That Plays With Your Cat When You're Out

With five adjustable circling ranges, this fun laser toy is an awesome way to keep your cat busy even when you’re not home. This laser can be set to turn on automatically every three hours and shut off after 15 minutes. Pet parents can choose between fast or slow modes, and the silent motor keeps cats focused on the laser, not distracting sounds. Powered with either USB charging or batteries, it's easy to keep powered.

30

An Elevated Pet Bed To Beat The Summer Heat

To cool your pet down, this elevated pet bed lifts your dog or cat 7 inches off the ground, allowing air to circulate below to keep them happy. Coupled with the breathable mesh fabric, your pet will still feel comfy when the mercury begins to rise. The elevated pet bed is easy to clean (just rinse with water), and it’s available in sizes ranging from extra-small to large. Choose between green and gray.

31

A Waterproof Blanket The Protects Your Furniture

Waterproof blankets are a great way to protect your furniture from stains, spills, and even pet fur overload, and with soft plush on one side and fuzzy sherpa on the other, this one is comfy enough to suit just about everyone. This waterproof blanket is available in two sizes and five colors, and it’s machine washable and dryer friendly.

32

This Snuggle Puppy To Help Calm Your Pup

Comfort toys for pets are just as important as the ones that get them super excited. This snuggle puppy is ideal for reducing the stress associated with new home transitions, thunderstorms, vet visits, and more. The pulsing heartbeat and optional heat pack work together to make your dog feel calm and safe, and this snuggle puppy is machine washable, too. With well over 5,000 reviews, this puppy is a pet parent favorite. “Maggie is now on her second Snuggle Puppy. [...] She carries it to her bed every night, which always brings a big smile. This is a toy I will buy as often as needed. It's wonderful, very comforting to the dog," one user commented. Some customers even said it worked for cats, too.

33

A Realistic Spider That Will Raise Your Cat Or Dog's Suspicions

This realistic-looking tarantula toy is creepy-crawly fun for the whole family, pets included. This remote control spider has light-up eyes and even makes a great Halloween prank, plus a fun thing for your cat or dog to chase. "It moves great on our laminate floor. It took a few tries to figure out how to control it, but it wasn't difficult. I like how the legs move, so realistic. It goes pretty quick too. Our cat had fun with it," one fan wrote.

34

These Powerful Clippers That Make Grooming Easy For Everyone

These powerful clippers tackle thick coats and long hair effortlessly and the low noise operation offers less-stress grooming for you and your pets. Color-coded combs remove the guesswork and self-sharpening blades provide a snag-free haircut. Since it's corded, you never have to worry about the batteries running out.

This article was originally published on