Gifts for Pet Lovers

Anyone with a pet already owns the bowl, the leash and a bed the animal ignores. So a gift for a pet lover has to do one of two things: fix the boring problem they still have not solved, or be for the human instead of the animal. This collection splits almost exactly along that line, and the boring problem is hair.

Hair removal is the biggest group here, which is an honest reflection of living with a cat or a dog. There is a Sticky Washable Dust Lint Cleaning Brush Roller, a Reusable Self Cleaning Pet Hair Lint Removing Roller Brush, a Pet Self Cleaning Hair Brush, a One Click Hair Removal Pet Grooming Brush and a One Click Clean Mini Cat Hair Removal Brush small enough to live in a bag. They are not interchangeable. The thing to compare in the reviews is what happens to the hair once you have collected it, because a tool you empty with one press is a different daily experience from one that leaves you picking fur off the tool.

The human side is where the low risk gifts are, since nothing needs to fit. Cute Cat Paw Comfy Warm Slippers and Sneaky Cat Paw Slippers, Cute Cat Paws Oven Mitts, Plush Winter Cute Cat Paws Sock, a Kitten Claw Cute Cup, a Cute Dog Coffee Mug and a Little Paw Soap Dispenser for the bathroom. The Pawprint Cute Cat-Shape Area Rug is there if their taste runs that far. These are the picks for a colleague or a friend whose pet you have only ever seen in photos.

Buying for the animal itself needs measurements first. Beds, houses, collars and clothing come in sizes that are not consistent between brands, so the Fluffy Cave Cozy Indoor Cat Bed, the Warm Winter Cozy Washable Dog House, the Pet Dog Adjustable Collar and the Pet Fashion Hoodie all want the animal's weight or length checked against the listing before you order. Cats add a second problem on top of sizing: they reject beds for reasons nobody has ever explained, so a cave style bed is a gamble even at the right size. The Foldable Fluffy Comfy Pet House and the Snuggle Dreams Comfy Cat Bed House are the same bet.

Costumes are the riskiest thing in here. The Santa Claus Home Winter Pet Costumes and the Hot Dog Halloween Pet Costume make a great photo, and plenty of animals refuse to wear anything at all, so only buy one if you know that particular pet tolerates being dressed. Two picks that land more often: the Bathing Brush Shampoo Dispenser, which shortens bath time by putting the soap in the brush, and the Interactive Cat Toy Slow Feeder, which slows down a cat that eats too fast. If you are buying the Wander Paw Cute Pet Carrier Backpack for someone else, check the weight limit on the listing against the actual animal, since that is the spec people get wrong.