10 Of The Most Innovative Pet Products On The Internet Right Now

This popular self-groomer essentially acts as a convenient additional hand, so your cat can still garner scratches whenever you’re occupied, whether you’re catching up on work or just need some time alone to recharge. Plus, it collects loose hair from your cat’s coat as your cat rubs on it, helping ameliorate the excess hair that’s always floating around your home.

You can attach it to a flat wall or corner using the inclusive adhesive (or utilize screws). It comes with a pouch of catnip to encourage your cat to get started.

Promising review: "My cat loves the self groomer! I can put it right at the perfect height for her to rub her face against, and the moment it was out of the box, she went nuts! This was definitely worth it. Easy and convenient to install." — Regena Pauketat

This stuffed animal sports a realistic heartbeat that can be a true source of comfort for anxious, lonely or fearful dogs due to its mimicry of the heartbeat of a mother and litter mates. It’s designed to help old and young dogs alike sleep better, soothe them during separation anxiety and help minimize barking and whining. The plushie may also help encourage crate and kennel training.

This toy also works using two included AAA batteries, and includes a heat pack for some added sensory calm. It has two modes: continuous and eight hours with auto-shutoff. You can choose between five different designs.

It's also available in a version for cats.

Promising reviews: "We lost our older dog this week. We also have a 9 year old dog and she is definitely experiencing every symptom of grief. I was so skeptical that this product would help, but I was desperate. It arrived today and almost instantly started to work. Her breathing is much calmer and she finally seems to be resting instead of pacing constantly. I started by placing the puppy next to her. Within four hours she is laying on it and intentionally tucks it beside her. This product is a miracle cure for her. Definitely recommend for grieving and or anxious pets." — Amazon Customer

"Bought this for our 8 week old puppy. He came from a larger litter and was having trouble settling by himself it was suggested this might work. It is a game changer. First time I put this in with him for a nap he snuggled right in and went to sleep. He uses it to play dragging it all over the house and it has held up so far. I highly recommend this if you have a pup that is struggling being away from their littermates and mama." — Mauimom

According to veterinarians, water fountains can help encourage cats and dogs to drink more water, thus supporting their overall health. (Read more about why here).

When it comes to the very best water fountains, we think this model is a real standout. Its innovative tank detaches from the base, making it easier for you to keep the fountain clean, since you won't have to deal with lugging the entire contraption to your kitchen when it's time to give it a wash.

The fountain has a snap safety lid so your pet can't detach the tank by themselves by accident (or if they're prone to mischievousness).

It also has a handy translucent base, so you can easily monitor when the water level is getting low. The BPA-free design features four-layer filtration and offers two flow modes (bubbling and free-fall) so you can adjust based on your pet's preference. It holds 2.5 liters of water.

Another plus? Reviewers love how quiet it is.

This also comes in a stainless steel version available at Amazon and PetLibro.

Promising review: "I use this for my three cats. Cleaning is a breeze - no washing a fountain connected to wires. The pump is wireless so it washes with the main basin in the sink easy peasy. SUPER convenient! I love it. I keep it much cleaner than it would be otherwise, truth be told, just because it's super convenient like that. Filling it is also super easy. Not having to schlep around wires is so nice. Like, as a long-time pet fountain user, I can't even believe how much of a difference it makes. I even feel silly saying this, but it really saves a ton of time. The cats love it, and it easily supports three of them and encourages drinking. It's not noisy at all except for when water is low, but that serves as a nice reminder for me. The pump has worked steadily since early October 2022 (it's the last day of January 2023) so we'll see how long-term it winds up being. I bought a back-up just in case." — Donna

This convenient fountain is specifically designed for bigger dogs and multi-pet households thanks to its impressively large water capacity and wide shape. It features multi-layer filtration for extra-clean water and offers two flow types (a faucet or bubbling mode). Reviewers say it's easy to clean and that they'll "never go back to [a] regular water bowl."

Promising review: "There's nothing not to like about it. The stainless steel is not only a great material to avoid bacteria, but it looks great with the minimalistic design. The fountain is so quiet, you have to be standing right next to it to even hear it. It has a soft light, that is both functional (blue means the water level is sufficient, red means time to fill) and adds to the design. And best of all, I've never seen my cats drink so much water.

I've placed this fountain in the kitchen. So, it's available to the dog and cats. And I plan on replacing my current cat only fountain with another one of these." — L. Meehan

This innovative toothbrush was meticulously designed for the specific anatomy of cats and smaller dogs; most of the pet toothbrushes you’ll find online are actually best used with medium-sized and larger dogs whose jaws can accommodate their oversized bristles and heads.

This option sports tiny, dual-sided heads, with soft, rounded nylon bristles on one side and pick-shaped bamboo bristles on the other. As a result, you get two tools in one, letting you gently brush with one end and then quickly remove any remaining debris (plus plaque and tartar) using the other.

A regular tooth brushing habit is sure to pay off, both for your pet’s oral health and potential lower dental bills (which is principally why I got on board). The efficacy and time-saving features of this brush will make it that much easier to make a practice of it. Plus, you'll be happy to no longer be grimacing at your pet's bad breath.

The toothbrushes come in seven colors.

Promising review: "I’ve been using a basic toothbrush I got from a pet store for the last couple years but this toothbrush is life changing! The small head makes it so easy to target a single tooth at a time and it’s much easier to fit inside the cat’s mouth to reach the back teeth. I will tell all my cat owner friends about it!" — Susie

We love our cats dearly, but the noxious odor from their soiled litter is not for the faint of heart — plus is notoriously difficult to mitigate. The Litter Genie, made by the creators of the famous Diaper Genie, is about as affordable and effective of a solution you're apt to find (and only topped in convenience by a self-scooping litter box).

This lets cat owners scoop litter clumps directly into its sealed, odor-containing bin with a pull of its handle. Then, it seals away all the waste, germs and odor once you release its handle. Its seven-liter container is designed to hold up to two weeks of soiled litter for a single cat, helping eliminate those endless trips to the outside garbage bin.

Amazon reviewers can’t stop gushing about how much easier this has made their lives, calling it a "godsend for any cat owner" and the "best $20 bucks I ever spent for my cats." You can use it for other pets, too, like dogs and rabbits.

Promising review: "I ended up buying two of these, one for each litter box. Makes keeping litter boxes clean and easy. No more lugging trash bags around trying to clean litter boxes and spilling litter everywhere or worrying about the bag breaking. The litter once stored inside can't be smelled, I even use it for my chihuahuas poop if he poops inside - can't smell a thing. The bag system is very strong, never spilled, and contains the smell and litter awesomely. I can easily scoop or the litter every day and my kitty is very happy about that (I have some disabilities which make it difficult to do chores, so this lets me break it down into easy steps and keeps my house smelling fresh). It's a MUST. I also bought one for a friend with back problems - making his life easier as well. When it's full, the weight isn't too bad and you just tie a knot and put in the trash. So wonderful!" — Kitty Biscuits

If you, like me, struggle to keep up with litter scooping, allow me to share with you the solution that has changed my cat-owning life: An automatically scooping litter box.

This baby makes sure your cat has a fresh bed of litter every time they go, which they will surely appreciate, with the hugely convenient benefit of relieving you of a chore that's not just gross, but literally never-ending. (And it's a shame dreading every time your cat retreats to their litter box, knowing another scooping session awaits you...again.)

It automatically scoops soiled litter by rotating its inner shell, shaking clumped litter through a filter and finally depositing it in a sealed drawer-like compartment underneath the box. (Check the process out in action on TikTok or on YouTube.)

It's pricey. But for me, it's been worth every single penny and then some. I have not scooped a single bit of cat poop for months now, since the day I invested in the Litter Robot. I have not regretted the purchase once.

It's available in two colors. You can find more information — plus my full ode to the Litter Robot — here.

Promising review: "I have 3 cats, and the Litter-Robot 4 has changed our lives! No more scooping! The cats had no problem adjusting from a litter box to the robot. They might even prefer it! The dreaded litterbox smell in the house is now non-existent. The only time we smell dirty litter is when we remove the bag from the drawer. I was hesitant to buy it because of the price, but now that we have it, I'm surprised it wasn't more expensive. The app is amazing, the robot is amazing, everything about it is amazing. I would recommend it and buy it again in a heartbeat!" — Isabella

This elevated cat hammock is the most aesthetic and the sturdiest we’ve come across, with a steel frame and suction cups that attach to windows so securely that I, a lifelong unimpressed cynic, found myself downright wowed. (And, I now think there might be something to those suctioning shower shelves.) The suction was so strong that I was not worried at all about my cat lounging on it, which had been on my mind before; the hammock is designed to hold up to 30 pounds and I’m convinced it delivers.

Plus, the hammock’s chic minimal design makes it look like actual decor instead of just a plastic addition to the window. The hammock's soft yet sturdy felt cradle will also keep your cat cool and comfortable while they lounge in the sun the way we all wish we could. I've set it up right next to my desk, so now my cat can enjoy a sweet nap instead of climbing all over my workspace when I'm trying to focus.

Promising review: "We can always find her on her Cloud Nine Window Hammock where she can soak up the afternoon sun or be up high while her new feline one-year-old brother is being his rambunctious self at floor level. The Window Hammock is a game-changer. Solidly made with high quality materials. Considering a second one for upstairs. For us it’s been worth every penny!" — Paula Feuer

This convenient scratching board helps make nail trimming time less stressful for owners and pups alike. It lets nervous dogs file their nails at their own pace, providing a gentler and less jarring experience than a clipper or electric grinder. Dogs can scratch it like a scratching post, or you can use your hand to guide their paws; your pup may even think it's a toy, as one reviewer's dog did.

Its abrasive surface is made with extra-durable sandpaper that is supposed to last at least six months with regular use (refills of the scratching surface are also available once it's time for a fresh one). You can choose whether you want the surface to feature medium grit, coarse grit or one side of each; the medium grit is supposedly all-purpose, while the coarse option is best for larger breed dogs with larger, tougher nails.

The scratching pad measures 10 inches by 24 inches, so it's suitable for both large and small dogs, and it's designed to work on both front and hind legs.

Promising reviews: "This is much higher quality than any other knockoffs you’ll find. It was worth the price. My pup loves it." — Donald Hahn

"My dog has black nails and it’s hard to see the quick, so clipping was really stressful for both of us. He really likes the scratch board and thinks of it as a toy, so I can finally keep his nails short while also having a nice enrichment activity!" — Shinobu

While this cult-favorite Apple product was not originally designed for pets, I've never felt more at ease than after affixing one to my cat's collar. I'm haunted by the prospect of her getting lost, and not illogically so: After all, accidents and crises happen to us all, and in my opinion, the best thing to do is be prepared.

The ability to track my cat's location via her AirTag feels like a game changer. While she does have a microchip, having that microchip read depends on the goodwill of a stranger to pick her up and transport her to a vet's office for it to be read (that's if the microchip is even readable; in a turn of events that feels rather dystopian, apparently pet microchips can actually "migrate" within pets' bodies, landing in places where they no longer be detected by microchip scanners). This way, should anything ever happen, I can track my pet down myself using the Apple FindMy app. Plus, it gives me a little extra piece of mind for whenever I'm away from home for longer than usual. For me, this purchase has been worth every last penny.

You can also check out pet collars for AirTags on Amazon here (and read more about why I swear by an AirTag for my pet here).

Promising reviews: "Apple air tags are great! I purchased a four pack one for each of our dogs. Every now and again, someone doesn’t close the door at our house and inevitably the dogs are roaming. It is super easy to use the AirTag to find the dogs location. You could use these on anything that you want to keep tabs on if you’re a person who constantly loses their keys, it would be perfect as well. The cost of four I felt to be super reasonable." — sk8 mom"I bought the pet collars to go with these,downloaded the app and have twice found my cat who sneaked out the door within minutes. Also my two dogs when they streaked out the backyard gate. One in my purse I’m always putting in weird places. Really go anywhere they fit." — Ms.penny