The Best Vet-Recommended Pet Products

According to Pew Research, 51 percent of pet owners consider their pets not just family members, but family members who are just as important as humans. And that means we might spoil them just a little bit. If you’re looking for fun or useful products for your pet, here are some of our favorites, backed by vet recommendations.

_{Prices are accurate as of November 15, 2024. Subject to change.}

Automatic Litter Boxes

Who among us loves to scoop litter boxes? That’s right, no one. An automatic litter box does it for you, dropping the waste into a trash drawer beneath the litter box itself. “If every cat owner had one, I think they’d be much happier with taking care of the litter box, and the smell that a litter box omits,” says Dr. Eliza O’Callaghan, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at Small Door Vet. “It’s also particularly good for cats that have urinary issues where they need to go to the litter box a lot of times. It can actually alert you to them having a flare up and then you can intercept it quickly.”

The Whisker Litter-Robot 4 and Casa Leo Loo Too are the best on the market at the moment, each with an accompanying app to tell you how much your cat weighs, how often they use the box, and when to empty the trash bag in the base. Litter Robot is a bit more stylish, while Leo’s Loo Too is a bit less expensive. Keep in mind that automatic litter boxes are large, so if space is limited, a regular box will likely be best.

While both of these brands are an investment, cheap automatic boxes from no-name companies have proven to be deadly — either save up for a reputable one or stick to the old-fashioned pan.

Better Litter

For an extra-nice scent, Shichic makes fragrant litter out of roses and tofu that completely covers up the litter box smell in our house, available in pellet and crushed form. Pellet litter doesn’t track around the house like clay litter, or get stuck in your cat’s paw pads. But if you’re using an automatic litter box, you’ll need to use the crushed version.

Shichic says the litter is flushable, but we don’t recommend it (this goes for all flushable litters). Timothy Wood, the founder of Texas-based home services company Fix It Today, says to only flush a small amount at a time and with a lot of water. He says some of the materials in the litter (particularly corn and pinewood) can expand in water and may cause a clog over time. If you’re used to scooping anyway, just throw it out like normal.

Comfy Beds

Your pets probably lounge on the couch or your bed. Still, having their own designated furniture is important too, especially for critters that need comfort and ones that have achy joints. But which one to pick is more of a pet’s choice. “It’s actually what the individual animal prefers,” O’Callaghan says. She recommends firmer beds for dogs with arthritis and those who prefer to lay on a cold floor. Soft, plushy beds are great for cats and smaller dogs.

Our new puppy is obsessed with her soft and comfy bed from Approved by Fritz — it’s water-resistant, washable, and made completely out of recycled bottles. Our older dog prefers the firmer Orvis RecoveryZone couch-style bed that we had personalized with her name. It’s designed to minimize pressure points on her joints and boost circulation, and it’s also washable and made from recycled materials.

Ear Wash and Wipes

Ears can get gross, so we like Dogtopia’s ear wash and wipes for keeping them clean. “We have a lot of dogs that have either chronic ear infections or they’re just dogs that produce more debris out of their ears,” O’Callaghan says. “Giving a little squirt into the canal and then squelching the ear [by smooshing the ear around] clears the canal, and then the dog shakes and the debris comes up to the top. Then you would get the wipe and wipe it away.” For cats, the wipes are more useful — unless you want to try and drip liquid into your cat’s ear. (Good luck.)

Dog Crate with Puppy Divider

Any pet parent knows puppies grow like weeds. Diggs has a crate for that. The Evolv crate has a movable puppy divider to accommodate a growing pal. It even doubles as a playpen with a top that easily comes off. 

Car Harness

If your pup comes with you everywhere (and why shouldn’t they?), you can’t go wrong with a high-quality pet car harness like the one from Ruffwear. It’s heavy-duty and attaches to the seatbelt for maximum safety. O’Callaghan notes that a harness is the best option for dogs frequently in the car — you never want to secure them with just a collar because it can be disastrous in even a small fender bender. Your pup can become a projectile in the slowest-speed accidents.

Treats

Don’t forget those healthy treats! O’Callaghan says to pick ones with a base animal protein like chicken or beef, and as little as possible extra ingredients and fillers — the ones you’re used to finding at the grocery store are unfortunately not healthy long-term. Some ideal treat brands include Farm to Fluffy (available in chicken, beef, or salmon), Marcy’s Pet Kitchen (perfect for pups with allergies), and Portland Pet Food Company (a woman-owned company with products cooked in human-grade kitchens).

Just for Fun

Not everything you buy for your pet needs to solve a particular problem. Sometimes it’s just fun to spoil them or yourself in their honor. We love learning our pets’ lineages using Ancestry’s dog DNA kit and Basepaw’s cat DNA test, which also includes useful information about potential health risks.

Another just-for-fun item is getting a custom pet portrait made to fully establish Fido or Whiskers as a part of the family. I’ve used this company for pictures of my own pets, as well for getting gifts for fellow pet-loving friends.

Nicer Air Travel

If you’ve ever flown with a pet, you know it can be anxiety-inducing at best. Small animals are shoved under the seat in front of you and large dogs are forced to the baggage area — which we can only guess is a terrifying experience. For your next trip, consider splurging with BARK Air, the new airline created just for dogs that allows them to sit next to you in a seat. Calming pheromones are pumped through the cabin, and treats, water, bone broth, and other surprises are served throughout the flight. It’s unfortunately exorbitantly expensive for the time being, so we hope that prices go down eventually. But if you can afford it, your dog will thank you.

Feature Image Credit: VYCHEGZHANINA/ iStock