Equipment

Products & equipment

We don't rank brands or chase affiliate deals. These guides explain what actually matters in a product category, so you can judge any product yourself.

Buying guides

Category by category, with criteria and common watch-outs.

Walking equipment

Dog Harnesses

A well-fitted harness spreads pressure across the chest instead of the throat, which matters enormously for flat-faced breeds, dogs with tracheal collapse and any dog still learning not to pull.

For: Dogs

Cat essentials

Litter Boxes and Litter

Most feline house-soiling problems are litter tray problems. Size, number, location and substrate matter more than any product claim on the packaging.

For: Cats

Aquatics

Aquarium Filters

The filter is the life support system of an aquarium. Its real job is to host the bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate, not simply to trap debris.

For: Fish, Axolotls, Aquatic frogs

Reptile equipment

Reptile UVB Lighting

UVB drives vitamin D3 synthesis, which drives calcium absorption. Incorrect lighting is the leading husbandry cause of metabolic bone disease in captive reptiles.

For: Bearded dragons, Tortoises, Chameleons, Many diurnal lizards

Travel

Pet Carriers

A carrier is a safety device in the car and a stress-reduction tool at the vet. Top-opening designs make the difference between a calm consultation and a wrestling match.

For: Cats, Small dogs, Rabbits, Small mammals

Enrichment

Enrichment and Puzzle Feeders

Puzzle feeders convert a thirty-second meal into twenty minutes of problem-solving. For indoor animals this is often the single most effective behaviour intervention available.

For: Dogs, Cats, Parrots, Rabbits, Rats

Cat essentials

Scratching Posts and Cat Furniture

Scratching is a normal, necessary behaviour for claw maintenance and scent marking. The goal is never to stop it, but to give the cat a better option than the sofa.

For: Cats

Technology

GPS Trackers and Pet Cameras

Trackers help you find a lost animal quickly; cameras help you understand what happens when you are out. Neither replaces a microchip, which is the permanent, legally recognised identifier.

For: Dogs, Cats