At least once a year, our magazine likes to inform readers about the newest, trendiest up-and-coming products for our furry companions. And every year, there are a few hit items that dominate the competition. Some of them lean into pet psychology while others are ultra-conscientious about their impact on the planet. All of them are loved by pets and their humans alike. So dive in, as we list this year’s winners for the top new pet products.
CATS
- Tuft + Paw Litter – Let’s start with the most basic one, a staple need for every cat hooman. Tuft + Paw’s litter is made of a non-toxic, sustainable clay that has four stand-out properties. The first is that it emits significantly fewer fumes and dust than the other litters on the market, which means cats are less stressed out about using their litter box because their sensitive noses aren’t being ambushed by the fumes that we may not be able to notice from the other side of the room. This leads to the second stand-out property: the litter does not track across the floor when the cats step out of the box. The third property is that the litter clumps well, making scooping it much easier. Finally, the fourth stand-out property is that the litter is flushable. I will say that it is important to be scooping at least twice a day, if you have multiple cats, or else the toilet will get overwhelmed from flushing too many litter clumps at once. As long as you are consistent about scooping it as often as is needed, it is a great litter that is eco-friendly, non-toxic, and more enjoyable for the cats to use.
- PetSafe Litter Box – Let’s do one more”function” item before we head to “fashion”. The litter box from PetSafe is all the rage right now. Like with other smart litter boxes, it activates a few minutes after it has sensed movement in the box and automatically filters the droppings into a collecting area at the back of the box. However, the litter box is more affordable than its counterparts, most likely because it does not seal the droppings after they are filtered out. That being said, TikTok and Instagram users are obsessed with it. One aspect of it that can be improved upon is that the tray on the bottom, which holds their custom special litter, needs to be continually replaced. For my PetSafe litter box, I ended up finding a permanent prototype on Amazon, that normally costs $50, and is on sale at the moment for $40. While not from the actual brand, it fit perfectly and did the trick, allowing me to use a litter of my choice, and to not need to routinely buy the disposable trays. The PetSafe litter box does not work well with clay cat litter – instead, this cat litter made from crystals, which is a cheaper version of the one sold by PetSafe, is a great substitution.
- VETRESKA Scratching Tangerine – Now for the really fun stuff! VETRESKA is a boutique pet supply company that specializes in toys and accessories. Their scratching post, which resembles a giant tangerine, is an absolute eye-popper at a surprisingly reasonable price. Vetreska is a small and growing business, which was “started by a group of friends who met while studying at New York City’s Fashion Institute of Technology”. The goal of their company, in their words, is to “give you new ways to show your pets just how much you care about them.” Stories and pictures showing many different cats around the world painting provide ample evidence that cats are aesthetes just as much as humans (and probably more than most humans), and it can only be assumed then that they love beautiful cat furniture as much as the next hooman.
DOGS
- GlowStreak Disc-O LED Ball – If you were like me, approximately fifteen years ago you positively squealed with delight when you first discovered the clear bouncy balls that light up like a kaleidoscope of dancing colors when bounced. When I first showed one to my best friend, she immediately wanted to give one to her dog – a desire I heavily dissuaded her from doing, since I was worried a dog might choke on the battery inside. It is thus extremely exciting for me that an LED ball for dogs, designed to be used by them safely, has now been invented. What’s even cooler is that it is waterproof, which makes it an excellent visual aid if you enjoy taking your pup to the local pond after dark.
- “Hunger for Words” Talking Pet Starter Set – If you have not yet heard about the scientific experiment that was conducted teaching a dog to “talk,” now is the time. A dog was taught to communicate his needs to his human by pressing on selections of dozens of different buttons that each were programed to say a word in the English language, for example “I”, “you”, “need”, “want”, “food”, “ball”, and so on. Though there is of course no way to prove to the ultra-skeptics among us that he actually knew what he was saying, the videos of him stringing together sentences are convincing. Now, this talking pet starter set, with up to six buttons for recording individual words, is for sale, giving humans around the world the chance to give it a try with their puppers.
Skeptic or not, you can not deny that seeing if your dog will communicate with you in English words is very curiosity-inducing. Give it a shot, and let us know how it goes!
DOMESTIC BIRDS
Squawk Box Subscription – For humans with a beloved bird in their lives, Squawk Box, a subscription that sends a new box of bird treats and toys every month, is an excellent, comprehensive gift. It will cover all the bases when it comes to figuring out which breeds like which toys and treats.
WILD BIRDS
Bird Buddy – Bird Buddy is a bird feeder on steroids. This nifty feeder, which is built in a way that birds can comfortably perch on it while eating, has a camera strategically set up behind the perch, so you can capture videos on your phone of all the birds eating at the feeder up close and personal. The phone app then lets you save and categorize the pictures of different birds that come to your feeder. Bird Buddy comes with cool optional add-ons too, such as a mini solar panel for its roof, that saves you from needing to regularly charge the feeder. While the feeder’s price is pretty steep, right now the website is advertising that it is at the lowest price it has ever been at 30% off. For the bird watcher, we all know and love, this is a gift they will remember every day with every visiting bird.
Hand-Blown Glass Mosaic Hummingbird Feeder – Sometimes, a picture is worth a thousand words, and these mosaic glass hummingbird feeders on Etsy are most definitely one example where the picture does all the talking. BUT REMEMBER!!! Only feed hummingbirds water and sugar – The red powder/juices that pet stores sell to feed hummingbirds can cause their beaks to stick, resulting in them suffocating and dying. Simply fill the feeder with a mix of 1 part regular sugar to 4 parts water, swish it a bit, and voila, you have made them the simple “juice” they want and need to survive. Make sure that the sugar you use is plain, regular sugar – things like monk sugar and Splenda can also be deadly to birds.
Which wraps up this year’s recommendations of things to buy your itty bitty kitty, pippy puppers, and flighty feathered friends! “Cat” or “kitty”, “pup” or “puppy”, big and small, we love them all, and we know they’re going to love these products.
Featured photo by Krista Mangulsone on Unsplash
XOXO,
Your Fashion Bestie
