Cats

My first cat litter experience was scooping a plastic grocery bag with a dollar-store scooper. The dust cloud that erupted when I poured fresh litter in still haunts me. I didn’t know there was a better way. The right cat litter makes a difference you notice every day. Less dust. Less smell. Less tracking across the apartment. And with so many types now — clumping clay, silica crystals, pine pellets, walnut shells, grass seed, corn, wheat — picking one is harder than it should be. I tested seven types across all the major categories. Here’s which ones earned a spot in my scoop. ...

Cats are vertical creatures. In the wild, they climb trees to survey their territory, escape predators, and find warm spots to nap. Your living room is their territory, and without vertical territory, they’ll claim your curtains, bookshelves, and the top of your refrigerator instead. A good cat tree gives them a dedicated territory that doesn’t conflict with your furniture. The trick is finding one that’s sturdy enough for a full-grown cat to launch onto at full speed, covered in material they actually want to scratch, and that doesn’t take over your living room visually. We tested 7 cat trees and condos in 2025 — from a $40 basic scratching post to a $300 multi-level condo — to find the best options for different cats, spaces, and budgets. ...

Most cat owners don’t think much about the bowl. You grab whatever is lying around, fill it with kibble, and call it a day. But the bowl matters more than you think — and the wrong one can cause whisker fatigue, chin acne, poor posture, even your cat refusing to eat. Cats have sensitive whiskers that broadcast sensory data to their brain all day. When those whiskers rub against the sides of a deep, narrow bowl every time they eat, the constant stimulation gets overwhelming. That’s whisker fatigue — and it’s why some cats start pawing kibble onto the floor: they’re trying to eat without the bowl touching their face. ...

Walking a cat isn’t like walking a dog. Cats don’t heel. They don’t pull toward fire hydrants. They freeze mid-step because a leaf moved. And if the harness fits poorly, they turn into a furry liquid and slip right out of it. Cats have a weird anatomy trick — their collarbones float, unattached to the rest of the skeleton. That means they can compress their chest and back out of anything that isn’t snug. We found 6 harness-and-leash sets that stay on, feel comfortable, and won’t send you sprinting across the park. ...

Most cats will sit and stare out a window for hours if you let them. Birds, squirrels, leaves blowing — it’s cat television. But not every window has a sill wide enough for a cat to sit on, and ground-level windows don’t give them the height they want. A window perch fixes both problems. It attaches to the glass and gives your cat a spot to watch the world from, at their preferred altitude. We tested 6 for stability, weight capacity, comfort, and how annoying they are to install. ...

Cats need to hunt, pounce, and chase even if there’s nothing in the house to hunt. Without an outlet, that instinct turns into shredded furniture, knocked-over glasses, and midnight zoomies across your face. Interactive toys bridge the gap — they give your cat a way to act like a predator without treating your ankles like prey. I tested six interactive cat toys across three categories: automated toys (run on their own while you work), puzzle toys (mental stimulation), and interactive wands for actual playtime together. Some are brilliant, some are overpriced junk, and a few genuinely surprised me. ...

Cats are sleep connoisseurs. The average housecat logs 12–16 hours of sleep per day, and they have strong opinions about where those hours are spent. The wrong bed gets ignored. The right bed becomes a permanent installation. We tested 6 of the best cat beds in 2025 across four categories: covered caves for security-seekers, heated beds for cold climates, orthopedic loungers for senior cats, and window perches for sun-worshippers. Top 6 Cat Beds 1. K&H Thermo-Kitty — Best Heated Check Price on Amazon → The Thermo-Kitty uses a 4-watt heating pad that warms to your cat’s body temperature — it only heats when the cat is on it. Dual-thermostat safety means it won’t overheat, and the removable cover is machine-washable. For cats in cold basements, drafty apartments, or arthritis-prone seniors, this bed transforms winter. ...

Getting your cat into a carrier is hard enough. The carrier itself shouldn’t make it harder. The right carrier makes vet visits, road trips, and even air travel safer and less stressful for both of you. The wrong carrier is a wrestling match with a terrified animal, a security risk at the airport, and a source of anxiety that can linger for days after the trip ends. We tested six carriers across every category — soft-sided, hard-shell, backpack, and airline-approved models — so you can find the right one for your cat, your travel style, and your budget. ...

A good litter box is the difference between a happy cat and one that starts using your laundry basket. Cats are fastidiously clean animals, and when their litter box is too small, too dirty, or too hard to access, they’ll find somewhere else to go. We tested the best cat litter boxes available right now, from high-tech self-cleaning models to simple, affordable open pans, so you can find the setup that works for your cat and your home. ...

Cats scratch. They don’t do it to spite you or your sofa — it’s how they stretch, shed old claw sheaths, and mark what’s theirs. If you don’t give them something good to scratch, they’ll improvise. Usually on your favorite chair. Here are the best cat scratching posts you can buy right now, from tall sisal towers to wall-mounted space-savers and full-size cat trees that do a lot more than just scratch. ...