New pet essentials: 36 product types and what to check
These are product types, not product reviews. For each one we explain why you might need it, what to check on the listing, what to avoid and, where a published source covers it, a safety note. We have not tested any product, and we do not name brands or models.
Showing all 36 product types.
Food and water
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Stainless steel food and water bowls
DogsCats
Two bowls per pet, one for food and one for water, used every day.
Check for
Food-grade stainless steel that can be scrubbed or boiled
A non-slip rubber base or a separate mat
Size to the pet: wide and shallow suits cats and flat-faced dogs
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Flat dog collar
Dogs
Carries the ID tag. Many owners use a harness for walks and keep the collar for ID.
Check for
Adjustable, so two fingers slide under it
A sturdy D-ring for the tag
Room to grow, or plan to replace it as a puppy grows
The fastest way for a neighbour to reach you if your pet gets out.
Check for
Engraved, not printed, so it stays readable
Your mobile number; the pet’s name is optional
A split ring or a slide-on tag that cannot fall off
Avoid
Your full home address on the tag
Safety note: Pups sold by registered breeders must be microchipped under India’s Dog Breeding and Marketing Rules, 2017. A visible tag still helps anyone who finds your pet without a scanner.
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Dog bed with washable cover
Dogs
A defined resting spot helps a new dog settle.
Check for
A removable cover that fits your washing machine
Long enough for the dog to stretch out
A raised or breathable design for hot months
Avoid
Stuffed beds for puppies that chew; start with a mat or old blankets
A safe rest and confinement space while the puppy learns the home.
Check for
Room to stand, turn and lie down, with a divider for growing puppies
Rounded edges and secure latches
A removable tray for cleaning
Avoid
Using the crate as punishment
Long hours shut inside
Safety note: AVSAB says crates should serve as comfort or play areas, and that puppies used to crates are less stressed if they must be confined for travel or hospital stays.
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Litter tray
Cats
One per cat, plus one.
Check for
Large enough for the cat to turn around comfortably
Low sides for kittens and older cats
Uncovered, unless your cat clearly prefers a hood
Avoid
Placing trays next to food or in noisy corridors
Safety note: Cornell recommends as many litter boxes as cats, plus one; low-sided boxes for kittens, elderly cats and cats with mobility problems; and notes most cats prefer uncovered boxes.
Breaks down urine residue so the spot smells less like a toilet to your pet.
Check for
Labelled as enzyme-based for pet urine
Instructions for floors and fabrics
A spray or pour bottle you can use at floor level
Avoid
Ammonia-based cleaners on accident spots
Leaving cleaners where pets can reach them
Safety note: Cornell lists household cleaners such as bleach, detergents and disinfectants among common cat hazards; store all cleaning products out of reach.
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Brush or comb for your pet’s coat
DogsCats
Regular brushing is also your daily tick and skin check.
Check for
A slicker or pin brush for long or double coats
A rubber or bristle brush for short coats
Rounded tips that do not scratch skin
Avoid
Pulling at mats; ask a groomer or vet to remove them
Safety note: Cornell advises routinely brushing a cat’s coat and searching for ticks, especially in warm months.
A slotted hook or fine tips that grip close to the skin
Easy to clean
Kept with gloves and a small jar with a lid
Avoid
Squeezing, burning or crushing a tick on your pet
Safety note: TroCCAP advises removing visible ticks promptly with tweezers or a tick removal device. Cornell describes grasping the tick close to where it attaches and pulling with steady traction, wearing gloves.
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Chew toys
Dogs
Puppies chew; good chew toys protect your furniture and their teeth.
Check for
Sized so it cannot be swallowed
Firm rubber that gives a little when pressed
Supervise new chews at first
Avoid
Cooked or raw bones, antlers and hooves
Safety note: WSAVA’s guide to treats warns that bones, cooked or raw, can be very dangerous, and that excessively hard chews such as antlers and hooves should be avoided.
Scratching is normal cat behaviour; give it a better target than your sofa.
Check for
Tall and heavy enough not to wobble for vertical scratchers
Flat cardboard pads for cats that scratch carpets
Placed near where the cat already scratches
Avoid
Short, light posts that tip over
Safety note: Cornell suggests matching the post to your cat’s style: vertical posts for furniture scratchers and horizontal pads for carpet scratchers.
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Cooling mat
DogsCats
A cool resting spot during hot afternoons.
Check for
A chew-resistant cover if used with puppies
Easy to wipe clean
Size to the pet lying stretched out
Avoid
Using a mat instead of shade, water and a cool room
Safety note: Cornell suggests cooling mats as one way to give cats a cool resting spot, alongside constant fresh water and shade.
Basics for small cuts and for getting safely to the vet.
Check for
Gauze, bandage, saline and blunt scissors
Your vet’s and the nearest emergency clinic’s numbers written inside
No human painkillers in the kit
Avoid
Giving any human medicine to a pet
Safety note: The FDA advises not giving any medication to your pet until you talk to your veterinarian, and states acetaminophen (paracetamol) is fatal to cats.
We started from the jobs a new owner faces in the first week (feeding, toileting, walking, grooming, play and keeping a pet cool and dry) and listed the product types that help with each. The “check for” and “avoid” points are our own practical judgement unless a safety note cites a source. Safety notes summarise the published veterinary or government source linked beside them.
Before buying, read the actual listing: the manufacturer, the size or age range, the materials, the seller and the returns policy. Product ranges and prices on Amazon change all the time, and we do not check individual listings.
Sources for this page
Feline heat safety, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Feline Health Center (last updated 21 August 2026). Checked 26 October 2026.
Safe toys and gifts, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Feline Health Center. Checked 26 October 2026.
Choosing and caring for your new cat, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Feline Health Center (updated May 2017). Checked 26 October 2026.