Cat's Favorite Things

May 27, 2009 -

There's a lot of talk around here about the things we love as Pet Parents, what with the Favorite Things Sale going on in PetSmart stores right now. The event has had me pondering my own favorite things;asking myself, if I had to choose, which of those small ingenuities are so important to me that I can't imagine life as a Pet Parent without them. There are so many of them, really. I have dedicated a lot of the limited space I have to what I refer to as "Pet Paraphernalia." Fat Louie's litter box alone is the size of a child's sand box and claims the majority of my laundry room. I cannot, even so, point to said litter box as being among my favorite things (though it's certainly one of Lou's). Louie and I often have that sort of disconnect and he always wins. A few of the products that stand do however stand out in my mind's eye include: The Furminator: Really, until I owned one I was utterly convinced The Furminator was some of sort of Pet Parent-related urban myth. The name alone makes it sound mythical, wondrous. And besides that, how could anything eradicate excess pet hair the way the folks at the dog park claimed this little yellow-handled delight could? Plus, my sister, ever the skeptic, assured me the brushes we had lying around the house worked just as well. But as my pack grew (and started spending more time at her house), she relented. And there's just not much more I can about The Furminator than: This baby works. It really works! And the dogs (our dogs at least) love the feel of it. Lou tolerates it but that's about as good as it gets with that guy. Four stars for this product and my lifelong thanks to its creators.

Outward Hound Port-A-Bowl: This is one of those products that, every time I use it, I wonder, why didn't I think of that? This thing is a godsend on walks, hikes and even road trips. If you're like me, and take your dogs everywhere, you might even find value in having a few of these bowls around - I keep one in my car, one at my sister's, another at home and one at parents. They're easy to grab on your way out and even if you're walking to your destination - these are super lightweight and can fold up to be easily carried or stuck in a pocket. They save multiple trips to the overcrowded watering holes at the dog park as well. The Kong: The Kong is just such an iconic dog product. Adopt a dog, buy a Kong- it's one of those things about Pet Parenthood that no one has to tell you about, you just know you should do it. When I adopted Ollie, I dutifully acquired both a puppy Kong and regular sized one and then put them on a shelf to be ever forgotten. But not for long. As Ollie's Puppy Reign of Terror began to wind down, I wondered what he'd do at home when not left to chew up couch cushions. I retrieved the Kongs from the top of my refrigerator and that's when I realized how truly awesome they are. Now, the amount of guilt I feel whenever I leave the house without my dogs (which isn't even that often!) is greatly diminished via the simple act of filling a Kong or two with peanut butter and leaving them out before I go. It's such a simple act and the dogs love it so much. Thank you, Kong. I really have just scratched the surface in my love (read: obsession) for and with pet products but these are my four-star favorites, the ones that came to mind right away. Someday I'll jot down the products I think are my pets' favorite things (as opposed to my own). And when I do, you can be that larger than life litter box will top the list.

--Cat