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If Your Cat Is A Pain In The Butt, These Clever Things Are Life-Changing

The smartest pet products work with their instincts.

by Maria Cassano
We may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

Even if your cat loves the finer things, cats’ survival instincts are intact, so they can’t help but hunt, hide, climb, scratch, or scarf down their food so fast that they barf. As a result, the smartest pet items work with a cat’s instincts — not against them. If your cat is a pain in the butt, shoppers confirm that these clever things are life-changing.

01Dishwasher-Safe Silicone Mats That Slow Your Cat’s Eating

Place these slow-feeder mats inside a large pet bowl, or use them as standalone bowls. They’re made from flexible, dishwasher-safe silicone that’s compatible with both wet food and kibble. Most importantly, their raised spiral design helps to slow down eating to prevent choking, vomiting, and upset tummies.

02A Teething Dental Toy That Has Cats Obsessed

This strawberry toy redirects teething cats away from forbidden objects like fingers, toes, and wires while simultaneously supporting their dental hygiene. It’s soft, chewy, and textured to remove buildup. Plus, it’s coated in catnip oil and finished off with an enticing green feather. “My cat has been obsessed since the moment I opened the box,” one reviewer wrote.

03A Litter-Trapping Mat With A Brilliant Design

Tired of finding litter all over your house? This jumbo litter mat has earned an average 4.5-star rating due to its brilliant residue-trapping design. Its double-layered honeycomb construction removes all types of litter from your cats’ paws, allowing it to fall through to the waterproof lining where it remains trapped until you can empty it.

04Adhesive Scratching Pads That Protect Your Walls & Furniture

If you simply can’t get your cat to stop scratching the furniture, these adhesive felt scratching pads protect the upholstery while giving them something more satisfying to destroy. Cut them to size, peel off the backing, and stick them to sofas, dressers, walls, floors, glass, and stairs. They also come in several colors to match or contrast your surfaces.

05Delicious Treats Designed To Reduce Allergies

To your cat, these allergy-relief supplements taste like delicious treats with a crunchy exterior and a creamy center. To you, they’re an easy way to care for your pet year-round. Ingredients like fish oil, tart cherry, and probiotics aim to soothe itchy eyes and skin, minimize sneezing, and support gut health. “My fur children love them,” one reviewer wrote, and “I noticed my baby boy doesn't have eye allergies anymore.”

06A Hanging Toy That Engages Their Hunting Instincts

Wipe the surface clean, peel off the backing to reveal the adhesive, and stick the bracket for this interactive cat toy to the doorway, wall, ceiling, or furniture. It’s USB-C rechargeable with three replaceable lures that bounce up and down, and you can adjust the speed and length. It stops after eight minutes of inactivity, but it automatically restarts when your cat begins playing with it again.

07A Feeding Mat That’s Non-Slip & Absorbent

Available in five colors and six sizes, this feeding mat looks stylish while keeping your home cleaner. The surface is super absorbent to soak up spills, which evaporate in seconds — and it doesn’t cling to hair, dust, or food, so you can wipe it off and rinse it clean. Last but not least, it has a waterproof, non-slip rubber backing, which prevents leaks and keeps it in place.

08Medicated Ear Wipes With 4.6 Stars

Suitable for both cats and dogs, these ear wipes offer an easy way to clean and soothe your pet’s ears at home and on a budget. The round, textured pads remove dirt, debris, wax, and residue, while the medicated formula aims to cleanse and hydrate the inner ear to prevent unwanted odors and infections. It’s backed by a 4.6-star overall rating, too.

09A Litter Box You Can Clean In 30 Seconds

It’s surprisingly affordable, but this Arm & Hammer litter box has earned over 37,000 five-star ratings thanks to its built-in sifting pan. Just lift it up to remove clumps and poop from any litter, no scooping required. It’s made from recycled materials and has a Microban coating to prevent odors. “So simple and fast,” one reviewer wrote. “I timed myself and it took a total of 30 seconds to clean the litter and discard the poop.”

10A Collapsible Rolling Container That Holds 23 Pounds Of Pet Food

Store up to 6.5 pounds of pet food while it’s collapsed, and up to 23 pounds of pet food while it’s expanded. This food-safe storage container has a flexible silicone center with a transparent airtight lid that locks moisture out and freshness in. It also has four rolling wheels for portability, and comes with a food scoop for mess-free serving.

11A Motion-Activated Laser Toy That’s Great For Solo Play

Keep your cat active and entertained while you’re working from home, doing chores, or out running errands. This laser cat toy is motion-activated, turning on when it senses movement from up to 13.1 feet away. It’s also rechargeable for up to two days of cordless working time and creates random laser trajectories that keep your cat guessing for hours.

12Calming Collars Infused With Soothing Pheromones

These calming collars are packed with pheromones, which aim to continuously soothe your cat for up to 30 days each. It is designed to minimize aggression, scratching, meowing, spraying, and anxiety from travel, separation anxiety, and grooming. They’re water-resistant and size-adjustable for a secure fit, but they have a breakaway design.

13A Litter Scoop That Looks Like Decor

No one wants to look at a litter scoop, so this one disguises itself as cute decor. Made from renewable wheat straw, it looks like a cactus in a pot — but the scoop head is wide, deep, and durable with slots that work with most types of litter, including clumping clay, tofu litter, pine pellets, and crystals. This set includes a handle, two scoop heads, a holder, and a roll of biodegradable plastic liners.

14A Soothing Diffuser That Works Without Electricity

“My cat seems much calmer in just a few days,” wrote one reviewer. This calming gel diffuser replicates natural pheromones, signaling to cats that they’re in a safe, familiar space. It aims to reduce anxiety, scratching, vocalization, hiding, and urine marking, and each jar works for up to 60 days and covers spaces as large as 750 square feet.

15Enzyme-Based Detergent To Tackle Pet Odors & Remove Stains

Tackle unwanted pet odors once and for all when you wash items with this pet laundry detergent. Made with bio-based enzymes that break down stains at a molecular level, it removes traces of urine, poop, vomit, food, oil, dirt, drool, and grime. Use it alongside all machine-washable items, including pet beds, blankets, leashes, harnesses, toys, and towels.

16A Washable Couch Cover That’s Actually Chic & Comfy

You don’t have to choose between a chic, comfy sofa and a protected one. This couch cover gives you the best of both worlds. Available in three sizes and five color options, its plush, quilted texture guards your upholstery against fur, stains, and snags. It also has a non-slip backing that stays put, and you can toss the whole thing in the washing machine to keep it looking and smelling fresh.

17Gut-Supporting Treats Cats Come Running For

“I grabbed these mostly to help with digestion, but the biggest win is how much my cats love them,” one reviewer wrote about these healthy cat treats. “The second I shake the bag, they come running.” Made with real chicken, farm-fresh catnip, upcycled sweet potatoes, and a combination of prebiotics and probiotics, they’re designed to deliver gut-supportive nutrition in a tasty snack.

18A Window Perch That Hooks Over Most Sills

The frame is made from metal tubes and solid wood, while the bed has cushioned edges and plush, cloud-like faux fur. No wonder reviewers are “honestly so impressed” with this window sill perch — especially for the price. It hooks over most window sills to give your cat a clear view into the yard, keeping them comfy, warm, enriched, and entertained.

19A Donut Bed That Compares To Cattasaurus

Cattasaurus makes a similar donut bed for almost $100. This one is significantly cheaper and comes with three free cat toys, but it’s “very well made” and just as good as the name brand, according to one reviewer. It’s structured with a felt-like texture, so your cat can tunnel, nap, hide, and scratch to their heart’s content — and it zippers open for easy cleaning.

20Rope Toys That Clean Teeth & Aid Digestion

These chew ropes aren’t your average cat toys — though according to reviewers, they will keep your cat active, engaged, and entertained. Using a combination of catnip-infused cotton rope and a dried gall-fruit bead, they also aim to reduce anxiety, clean your cat’s teeth as they quietly play, and help to support healthy digestion.

21A Grooming Swaddle That Keeps Your Cat Safely Contained

Swaddle a fidgety cat in this grooming wrap to keep them calm and safely contained while you trim their nails, clean their ears, brush their teeth, or administer medication. The outside comes in four adorable patterns, while the inside is lined with a soft yet grippy fabric that clings to itself, keeping them wrapped up like a burrito.

22An Ozone Deodorizer That Tackles Unwanted Smells

Plug in this odor eliminator near your cat’s litter box to tackle up to 99% of unwanted smells. Using negative ions and a low ozone concentration, it aims to neutralize odor-causing molecules in the air to keep your home smelling fresh. It’s also quiet, compact, and filter-free. “Never, ever will I go without this machine again,” one reviewer wrote. “Occasionally it gets unplugged and the difference is so noticeable.”

23The Most Amazing Cat Toy Reviewers Have

Like a real mouse, this interactive MigiMouse toy moves and squeaks, engaging your cat’s hunting instincts. It’s rechargeable and motion-sensored with a long wiggling tail, which has pompom balls inside and a cheese chewer at the end. “This thing is without a doubt the most amazing cat toy I have ever seen, and we have had many,” one reviewer wrote.

24A Machine-Washable Self-Warming Pet Bed Shaped Like A Leaf

This adorable pet bed keeps your cat warm and cozy without the need for plugs, batteries, fireplaces, or sunrays. Its self-warming design uses a flannel fabric and a cotton interior to reflect your pet’s body heat back to them. It’s also stain-resistant, machine-washable, and has a cute leaf design that adds to the aesthetic of your space.

25Brushes That’re Easy To Attach To Corners

If your cat already rubs up against the corners of walls and furniture, you might as well make the most of the habit. These self-grooming brushes stick to 90-degree surfaces using adhesive brackets and have rounded bristles that collect fur while giving your fluffy friend a satisfying scratch. They also slip off the bracket for easy cleaning, and they have hollow channels that you can fill with catnip.

26An Enzyme Spray That Removes Odors At A Molecular Level

I have two dogs, and Rocco & Roxie stain and odor eliminator has been my go-to spray for years. Its enzyme-based formula breaks down pee, poop, vomit, dirt, and other organic messes at a molecular level, so I can’t see it and my dogs can’t smell it. This extreme formula also has mineral neutralizers, which feast on ammonia crystals so cats won’t re-mark the same spot.

27A Calming Cat Toy That Purrs

Thanks to its soft, plush fur and touch-activated purring mechanism, this calming toy is designed to soothe anxious kittens and grown cats. “New rescue kitten loved this and suckled it for months,” one reviewer wrote. It runs off LR44 batteries for cordless, portable use, and you can machine-wash the fabric shell to keep it clean.

28Shallow Bowls That Won’t Irritate Whiskers

Cats’ whiskers are packed with nerves for navigating their environment, so they’re sensitive and easily overstimulated. These cat food bowls are intentionally shallow, so they don’t brush up against their whiskers while your furry friend eats. They’re also made from stainless steel with a silicone base, so they’re rust-resistant, outdoor-friendly, dishwasher-safe, and non-slip.

29A Pop-Up Mesh Tent For Outdoor Lounging

Let your cat lounge outside in the yard or on a balcony without worrying about them wandering off. Thanks to its collapsible design, this cat tent is easy to transport in its round carrying case — but when you take it out, it pops up into a safe yet roomy enclosure constructed from flexible steel rods, zippered mesh panels, and a waterproof floor.

30A Reflective Collar That Holds An AirTag

Maybe you have an escape artist on your hands, or maybe you like to keep tabs on your indoor-outdoor cat. Either way, this AirTag collar keeps them visible and trackable while they’re exploring the neighborhood. Stretchy and adjustable, it securely holds the Apple AirTag (not included) around their neck, and it has a reflective strip and a removable bell. Get it in three sizes and 12 colors.

31A Rubber Pet Hair Rake That Has Left Reviewers Shocked

Prepare to be satisfied and a little horrified. This carpet rake has rubber bristles that reach deep into fabrics, pulling out all the fur you thought you cleaned. “I was truly shocked at the amount of hair my vacuum cleaners have left behind!” one reviewer wrote. Your order also includes an extendable steel handle, a smaller pet hair remover for upholstery, and a square glove that slips over your hand.

32Door Latches That Let Cats In But Keep Dogs Out

If you have a multi-pet household, giving your animals their own spaces can be a challenge. These door latch stoppers slip over the door handle and plug into the striker plate for a tool-free installation. Without damaging any surfaces, they keep your door open just a few inches, so your cats can slip in to access their food or litter boxes, but larger dogs can’t get through.

33A Smarter Way To Wash Bath-Hating Pets

No chance of getting your cat in the shower? This pet steam brush kit is the next-best option for bath-hating pets. It uses ultrasonic technology to create a cool, burn-free mist, directing the moisture through the bristles to reduce static, tame flyaway fur, and cleanse their coat while you brush. It also comes with a squeeze bottle for refilling and waterless shampoo that doesn’t require rinsing.

34A Waterproof Pet Blanket That Looks Like A Luxury Throw

This pet blanket is machine-washable with a waterproof inner lining to protect your bedding and furniture against stains and accidents. Still, thanks to its double-sided shag and sherpa fleece texture and six stylish design options (including checkers, clouds, hearts, and daisies), it looks and feels like a luxury throw. Get it in your choice of six sizes, from small to king.

35A Grooming Spray That Cleans, Conditions & Freshens

Keep your cat’s coat clean and well-conditioned in between grooming and cleaning. This Happy Kitten spray contains all-natural ingredients that aim to repel dirt, condition fur, nourish the coat, and detangle knots to prevent matting. Plus, it’s lightly scented to keep your cat smelling fresh.

36Pastel Pillow Toys Cats Can’t Resist

These cat toy pillows may not look like much, but they’ve earned an average 4.6-star rating after feedback from more than 11,000 reviewers for a reason: Their cats can’t put them down. The pastel colors catch their attention, the plush material feels like a fluffy tail, the crinkly interior encourages them to chew, and the catnip filling keeps them engaged.

37A Multitasking Supplement For Both Cats & Dogs

Since it’s suitable for both cats and dogs, this powder supplement is a great option for multi-pet households. It contains seaweed for nutrients, probiotics and prebiotics for gut health, and flaxseed to support their skin and coat. “A fantastic addition to my pet care routine for both my dog and cat,” one reviewer wrote. “It’s easy to mix into their food, and they seem to enjoy it without hesitation, which is always a win.”

38A Wall-Mounted Scratching Post That’s Great For Small Spaces

Clear up floor space while still allowing your cat to scratch to their heart’s content. This chic scratching post takes up minimal room in your home thanks to its wall-mounted design, but it still offers 34 inches of wrapped sisal rope that files their nails and satisfies natural instincts. It includes aluminum brackets and all the hardware you need for installation.

39A Cardboard Cutter For DIY Scratching Pads

If your cat is obsessed with cardboard, you can make your own cat scratchers from discarded boxes. Cat-shaped with an ergonomic handheld design, this cardboard cutter safely cuts boxes into strips, which you can stack and roll into DIY scratching pads. It comes in five color options and includes 10 replacement blades.

40Dental Treats That Clean Teeth & Freshen Breath

Most reviewers’ cats love the crunchy shell, creamy core, and chicken flavor, but these dental bites also help to avoid expensive tooth issues down the line. With ingredients like kelp and postbiotics, each treat aims to brighten teeth, freshen breath, promote a healthy oral microbiome, reduce the buildup of plaque, and slow the formation of tartar.

41A Pop-Up Tree Branch Tunnel That Folds Down For Storage

“One of the best enrichment toys we’ve purchased,” one reviewer raved about this cat tunnel. Their cat “goes into full ‘hunter mode,’ stalking, hiding, and launching surprise ambushes.” The pop-up design looks like a tree branch with three channels, five windows, and fluttering leaves, helping indoor cats to get exercise and engagement. It also collapses back down for easy storage.

42A Washable Slipcover In Tons Of Stylish Patterns & Sizes

This furniture slipcover comes in over 40 colors, textures, and patterns, not to mention eight sizes to fit everything from armchairs to three-cushion sofas. Made from comfortable yet protective material, it keeps fur, dirt, stains, and moisture off your couch — but unlike most upholstery, it’s machine-washable and dryer-safe, so your living room feels and smells clean.

43Litter Box Liners For Easy, Mess-Free Disposal

Designed to fit most litter boxes, these jumbo disposable liners wrap around the edges of the box for a secure fit while your cat is doing their business. Once it’s time to change out the litter, simply pull the drawstrings to create a mess-free bundle that you can toss in the trash in one fell swoop. The material is rugged, waterproof, and scratch-resistant to prevent tears and spills.

44A 2-In-1 Tool That Clips & Files Nails

Clip and file your pet’s nails with one convenient tool. USB-rechargeable with built-in LEDs so you can see what you’re doing, this two-in-one claw trimmer has a spring-operated clipper on one end and a rotating grinder on the other. It also has safety guards and quick sensors to make the process as safe and painless for your pet as possible.

45A Brush That Boosts Shine & Reduces Shedding

Made with boar bristles and a wooden handle, this cat brush is designed to soften fur, reduce shedding, and boost shine — and most importantly, it feels like a gentle massage. “She's always shied away from being brushed, and this is the first brush I've tried that she's tolerated. [...] She stands still and purrs while I'm brushing,” wrote one reviewer whose cat “absolutely loves it.”

46A Rolling Ball With Interchangeable Tails

Charge this interactive cat toy and customize it to your cat’s preferences and play habits. It comes with three interchangeable tails, two speed settings, and two play modes: a timed session that runs for five minutes, and a standby mode that reactivates playtime when tapped. According to reviewers, it’s durable and rolls well across most types of floors. Most importantly, “My cat is obsessed with this!” one reviewer wrote.

47Probiotic Powder Packets To Sprinkle Over Food

No measuring, no fuss, and no coaxing your cat to eat supplements they don’t like. These probiotic powder packets contain 800 million CFUs to help with gut health, digestion, and immune system support. They also come pre-measured in rip-and-pour packets, and they have a tasty pumpkin flavor that’s easy to sprinkle over their existing food.

48A Drinking Fountain With 7,000+ 5-Star Ratings

Clean, moving water may entice your cat to drink more frequently, and this cat water fountain has over 7,000 five-star ratings. Its stainless steel basin holds 72 ounces, its quiet pump keeps the water continuously flowing from the faucet, and its four-stage filtration system removes hard water particles, impurities, and odors. It also has an LED light for nighttime use and a window so you can see when it needs a refill.

49An Insulated House That Keeps Outdoor Cats Warm

Maybe your cat likes to sleep outside, or maybe you can’t stand the idea of your neighborhood ferals feeling cold and wet. This outdoor cat house is raised, waterproof, wind-resistant, and fully insulated with aluminum foil and pearl cotton, keeping them warm, dry, and cozy in any weather. Available in four colors and two sizes, it also comes with a pad, a clear door curtain, and ground stakes.

50A Fold-Up Playpen For Safe Yet Roomy Adventures

Keep your cat (or dog) safely contained in hotel rooms, at a friend’s house, or in the great outdoors. This pet playpen folds up when you’re at home or on the go, but it quickly assembles into a 35-by-27-inch play area using the lightweight but sturdy rods. It’s also made from thick, water-resistant Oxford fabric with mesh windows for ventilation, lockable zippers for security, and roll-up covers for shade.