With the silly season fast approaching, its silliness begins to extend to pet owners and their beloved fur children. If you’ve been pondering what purrfect present to get your doting pawrent this Christmas, we’ve got plenty of gift ideas for pet lovers to go around.
From a self-cleaning litter box to an automatic food dispenser, these festive gift ideas have been handpicked for the fussiest of pets – and their owners.
Matching Oodies
What could be more fun than dressing up in matching outfits with your pet? Well, try gifting your friend and their furry friend a set of matching Oodies!
Just look at how cute that cavoodle is wearing a dachshund Oodie. We can’t resist.
Grab one for yourself here and here’s where you can nab one for your dog.
An automatic dry food dispenser
Do you know a ravenous little pupper who always gobbles up their kibble the second their food bowl is topped up? While it can be endearing, it quickly loses its charm when your beloved pet starts begging for food at the most inopportune times.
That’s why an automatic dry food dispenser is such a stellar idea. By filling its 7L storage compartment with your chosen dry food, you can decide how often the dispenser will distribute your pup’s portions so you no longer have to get up as frequently. Plus, it’s a godsend if you’re planning on an overnight stay and unable to find a sitter.
This food dispenser can serve up to six portions per day and even comes with a splitter so it can divide your dry food between two bowls for each pet. Another dandy feature is that you have the option to create personalised recordings in order to signal to your pet when the next meal will drop by using your own voice. How cool is that?
Where to buy: Amazon ($139.95) | eBay ($124.95) | Kogan ($129.98)
A self-cleaning litter box
Cleaning out a cat’s litter box can feel like a special kind of hell. If there’s any downside to owning a cat, it’s definitely scooping up that poop. That’s where a self-cleaning litter box comes in.
With this Pawz self-cleaning litter box, they’ll only need to change the whole box once a month. After the kitty is finished, your fancy schmancy litter box will automatically remove their waste into a hidden compartment for you to dispose of later – completely hands-free. Simply tip the tray into a bin when it’s full.
This one is a great option since it’s big enough to host large cat breeds (like a ragdoll) plus it comes with a pull our tray so you can slide it out and dispose of any pet waste with ease. Just make sure you use clumping cat litter if you’re expecting the best results.
Where to buy: eBay ($399.99) | PaWz ($419.99)
Electric nail file
Nail trimming time is not an easy experience for the pet or its owner. Many pets can’t stand the thought of having their little nails (or claws) clipped, especially as getting near the quick is particularly precarious.
To take it nice and easy, you can gift your friend an electric nail file which is designed to gently grind down their pet’s nail with minimal noise. It’s super lightweight, USB rechargeable and it possesses three interchangeable ports – one for small pets, one for medium-sized pets and one for on-the-fly trimming jobs.
Where to buy: Catch ($29.99) | Dick Smith ($22.99) | eBay ($29.99)
A pet GPS tracker
Getting more data about your dog or cat is what every good pet owner wants. How many zoomies does my dog do? How many steps does my cat take? Where are they right now?
These Tractive GPS trackers give you live details on your pet’s location for as little as $7 a month. Plus, it’s waterproof, dust-proof, and pretty rugged, which is good for all your four-legged friend’s adventures. You can even set geo fences that will alert you whenever your pet wanders out of bounds.
Where to buy:
- For cats: Amazon ($69.29) | eBay ($84.99)
- For dogs: Amazon ($79) | Chewy ($49) | eBay ($99)
A calming bed
Pets, like humans, love their comfy beds. While some furry animals might still opt for the floor, giving them the option of something even you’d like to sleep in will make any pet owner feel good about their choices.
A calming bed is donut shaped, big and fluffy — so it will envelop your pet, making them feel safe. Also, it’s completely washable, which makes it one of our must-have gift ideas for pet lovers.
Where to buy: Amazon ($41.95) | eBay (from $36.99) | Pet Barn ($34.99) | Pet Circle ($40)
Dog or cat DNA test
Ancestry DNA tests are all the rage right now but what if you could do it for dogs too? The DNA My Dog makes that niche a reality. Cheek swab a pooch, ship off the cotton swab and wait patiently for the results to roll in. It’ll match the relevant breeds as well as screen for any major health conditions.
We can’t include a doggy DNA kit without also including their mortal enemies, cats. This kit will give a good idea of what breeds your cat hails from and will confirm your suspicions about your kitty being part tiger, lion or lynx.
It’ll set you back a lot more than a regular human DNA kit but what’s a few hundred bucks to know if your designer kitty really is a rare breed?
Where to buy:
- Cats: Amazon ($360.47)
- Dogs: Amazon ($300.93) | eBay ($147.95)
A handheld vacuum cleaner
Comfort, company, entertainment — there are too many benefits of owning a pet to list. One notable drawback is their hair. Pets love to shed everywhere. They absolutely froth about covering you in hair just before you leave the house.
Unfortunately there’s no way to stop them from shedding. But a handheld vacuum cleaner can make a pet lover’s life that much better. It makes it easy (fun, even) to clear up hair but without having to lug the whole big vacuum cleaner out.
Where to buy: Amazon ($59.99) | eBay ($80.23) | The Good Guys ($49)
A pet camera
Pets always get up to weird shit when you’re out but what if there was a way to see just how weird it is? The Furbo Dog Camera lets you watch your pet, interact with it and toss it some treats so it never has to feel alone .
It also alerts you if your dog is barking and will let you take snaps when it comes up to boop the device.
Where to buy: Amazon ($319) | eBay ($339.95)
A cat backpack
It’s hard to convince a pet lover to put their furry friend down. But occasionally they will need to transport their kitten to the vet or drop them off at a friend’s before a long holiday.
This cat backpack will allow your pet-obsessed friends to travel in style. This well-made and sturdy carrier offers premium comfort for felines and will even allow them to safely accompany you on nature walks.
Where to buy: Amazon ($129.95) | eBay ($104.97) | Dick Smith ($114.95) | Pet Circle ($119)
A pet photography session
Nothing says true love like capturing a pet at their finest. While most pet owners are avid amateur photographers, getting a professional in takes it to the next level.
Places likes Pawtastic Photography offer gift vouchers for 1 to 2 hour sessions for a shoot with pets and their owners. And the end result is a souvenir that will last a lifetime.
Where to buy: Pawtastic (from $200)