Wanted: A ‘pawsome’ list for dogs & cats

Editor’s Note: Our Buy section is your trusty instalment of recommendations for useful and delightful things. This community-sourced list—which we publish once a month—is designed to save you from unreliable online reviews and glorified Insta ads. You can count instead on the collective wisdom of our wise and experienced subscribers:) This month we decided to guide pet parents on the best items for your furry babies. 

Also check out our previous crowdsourced guides to monsoon season, men’s clothing, carry-on luggage, air purifiers, the perfect red lipstick, sex toys and running shoes. 

A list of favourite feline finds

Royal Canin (Fit 32): Our subscribers love cats, and this brand has gotten the most recommendations. For Steve, the food from Royal Canin simply makes his cat happy. Sameer Gardner suggests the food from this brand because it is nutritious. Mayank says his “vets recommended it” and that unlike other brands, this brand does not add “other fillers to add bulk without nutrition nor do they add addictive substances”. (Prise: Rs 1620 for 2kg)

Sheba: Nikita recommends all the wet food by Sheba for cats: “I love it because the cats do”. (Price: Rs 540 for 12 packs)

Nikita also likes the Matisse's dry food for adult cats and gave a shout out to Indian store brands Heads up for Tails and Supertails for their collection of toys, catnip, cat beds and trees.

Petcrux Tofu Cat Litter: If you’re looking for cat litter that will make your life easy, for Insiya the Pet Crux’s litter works best: “Flushable litter was a game changer for me and my cats. This is affordable and 1 bag lasts a month”. (Price: Rs 950 for 2.5 kg)

Trixie Soft Balls: Arunima Banerjee’s cat loves to play with this toy. You can also check out other options from Trixie here. (Price: Rs 300 approx)

Speaking of toys, Mayan also recommends this automated mouse toy for your cat which costs Rs 3,696.  

Good stuff for the good boy/girl

Georgina’s Kitchen Organ Blend: Nidhi Mapuskar recommends this brand’s single ingredient human grade meat: “it is hard to source organ meat locally, and this is an excellent boost of nutrition for the dog”. (Price: Rs 700 - Rs 6000 approx.)

Vijay Marham Balm: Nidhi also recommends this hemp balm: “It is far superior than those commonly available in the market. It works wonders for dogs with severe joint pain, arthritis or with skin infections. It is pricey, but 1 bottle lasts for four to six months, and provides immediate relief for your dog”. (Price: Rs 4200)

Kong: All dog parents are plagued with finding the most durable toy for their furry babies. Rohan recommends this toy because, “It is virtually indestructible and keeps my dogs engaged for hours”. (Price: Rs 799)

KDR Portable Water Bottle for Dogs: This is Swati’s road trip essential for her pooch. She says: “The best pet product I've seen is the suction water bottle. It’s so easy to carry and you wouldn’t have to worry about carrying a bowl or anything. Perfect for travelling.” (Price: 129)

V Planet: Just like humans, some dogs are finicky about eating their veggies. This vegan dog food brand from Canada is the perfect solution as recommended by Abhishek. Their kibble is 100% vegan and made with superfood ingredients like peas, lentils, and quinoa and they have vegetarian chew sticks too! The best part: they ship internationally. 

Beaphar White Coat Dog Shampoo: Keeping a white dog clean and well…white is a huge task. Aarthi swears by this shampoo for her pure white Lhasa Apso. She loves this brand because: “It has aloe vera so it is not too drying, it smells nice and most importantly, it gets the job done! It makes my 14-year-old’s coat shiny and soft, like snow.” (Price: Rs 450)

One other recommendation: Suchit recommends any kind of hard squeeze ball for big dogs: “My German Shepherds would rip up or break any toy within a week but a hard rubber ball does not break or its pieces don't fall apart (which the dogs may swallow), it's the only sustainable toy I have found for them.”