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We're a pet-loving staff here at Engadget, with diverse distribution of cat people, dog people, other-small-fuzzy-creature people, bird feeder enjoyers and so on (at press time, I'm unsure if we have a rat person, but I'd be surprised if we didn't). And, of course, we love getting new gadgets of all sorts for our pets as much as for ourselves. This list, with gifts as low-tech as a blanket and as high-tech as the best $30 two-way camera you'll ever use, is for the pet lover in your life — whether that's you or another favorite human. Every entry comes waggingly approved by at least one fuzzy friend.
I know I can leave my kitty on her own for a little while, but I still get nervous (for both her and my furniture) whenever she's alone in the house. In those moments, the Petcube Cam is amazing for peace of mind. It doesn't just let you see and hear your buddy while you're away — with two-way audio, you can chat with your pet, and see the sound of your voice make them bound giddily (dog) or feign indifference while paying rapt attention (cat). The connected app alerts whenever something unusual happens, like a barking or meowing spree or a human moving around in the visible field. You can even zoom in and out, though you may not need to, as the picture is quite good.
BarkBox - Monthly Dog Subscription Box
Get your puppy the best toys and treats delivered monthly! BarkBox offers premium dog toys, treats, and chews that are perfect for growing puppies. Each box is curated by experts and includes 2 toys, 2 bags of treats, and a chew.
Amazon Puppy Essentials
Everything you need for your new puppy in one place. From crates and beds to food bowls and training pads, Amazon has all the essentials at great prices with fast shipping.
We got this for our cat whenever we wanted to leave her on her own for a couple of days. She's very independent, but has an unfortunate tendency to scarf her food too quickly — then she barfs and she's hungry, which really ruins her weekend if we aren't home to feed her. This Petlibro feeder changed all of that. It works for cats and dogs, and thanks to a long-lasting battery, you can put it wherever your pet likes to eat without needing an outlet. You can set it to dispense up to 35 portions of food per day, depending on how many pets you've got and how often they need to eat. It's also built to keep the pets themselves from interfering; there's a tight lid for the top, and a cover for the controls in case your cat gets smart and tries to reprogram it.
All right, I guess this blanket is for humans, but just try and keep any free-roaming animal from curling up on it. Leave it folded on the floor and watch your dog find their new favorite bed, or drape it over yourself on the couch and watch your cat make a feline beeline for your lap. As the name suggests, these blankets are velvety-soft to the touch, and they come in a wide range of colors that match the tones of any room — and the animals that hang out in it. Plus, if you borrow it for yourself every now and then, it'll start to smell like you and make your pets even more excited to loaf.
