The best pet gear for your first home
Crates, cat trees, feeders and cameras for the animals who moved in with you.
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The three that matter first
The MidWest iCrate gives a dog somewhere calm to be while you carry furniture past.
A cat tree gives the scratching somewhere to go other than the couch your cat has already chosen.
On your first day back at work, the Tapo C210 answers the question of what they're actually doing to the place.
The dog will accept the new house before you've found the light switches; what it won't accept is the bare patch of floorboard where its bed should go. A Feandrea calming donut gives it a spot of its own from the first night, a slow feeder bowl slows down a fast eater, and a Tapo C210 camera answers the question of what it does all day with actual footage.
Cats get their tax too: a cat tree, and a self cleaning litter box for apartments where the laundry doubles as the cat's bathroom. Meanwhile the car guides, from booster seats to foam steps, keep the vet run civil.
Their corner of the house
A crate, a climbing tree, a calming donut bed, a ramp for dogs with short legs and a filter for the fish. Every animal needs a spot that's officially theirs.
Dog Pools
Dog Cooling MatsDog cooling mats listed on Amazon Australia, sorted by the thing that decides whether one works: the cooling technology. Frozen water mats stay genuinely cold for hours, pressure activated gel fades fast and can leak, and cool touch fabric is the safest bet around chewers. Written for Australian conditions, where a mat's honest limits matter more than marketing.
Cat Toys
Fish Tank
Cat Enclosures
Dog Doors
Dog CrateThe hardest part of buying a crate is the size: measure your dog so they can stand, turn and lie down, and remember many wire crates include a divider so a puppy crate grows with them. The other choice is the material: wire is the durable, airy, foldable home standard, soft fabric suits travel and calm dogs, and most picks here have a leak-proof tray. These six run from the MidWest iCrate to the New World.
Dog Poop Bags
Dog RampA pet ramp protects your dog's joints and spine by turning a risky jump into a gentle walk. Our top pick is the PaWz Adjustable Dog Ramp for its three height settings and grippy carpet surface, with the well reviewed VAKA 70cm as the value choice and the YOUYICI foam stairs ramp as the budget option.
Dog Nail GrindersThe Dremel 7350-Pet 3.6v Pet Grooming Kit is our best overall dog nail grinder, while the Dremel PawControl 7760-PET suits thick nails with 25,000 RPM power and a nine piece kit. The Casfuy 6-Speed is the best value with 11,000 plus reviews, and the AMIR Pet Nail Grinder is an easy way to try grinding for the first time.
Cat ScratchersA tall sisal post saves your couch better than anything else, and the ANWA 32-inch post is our top pick. For budget furniture protection, a multi pack of cardboard pads does the job for under thirty dollars.
Pet StairsOur top pick is the COZY KISS 4-step foam stair, the most reviewed option we found on Amazon AU with a gentle curved climb little dogs take to fast. The Costway 4-step is the value choice, and the Costway 2-step is the cheapest way to get a small dog onto the couch.
Pet Hair Remover RollersAfter studying pet hair rollers on Amazon Australia, the reusable ACE2ACE roller is our top pick for couches and beds, the ChomChom is the durable buy it once choice, and the Scotch-Brite mini is the cheapest grab and go option. Eight picks for dog and cat hair.
Dog Seatbelts
Dog BrushThe best dog brush in Australia for most homes is the Furminator Undercoat DeShedding Tool (Large, Short Hair), whose listing describes a stainless steel edge that reaches through the topcoat to remove loose undercoat hair without damaging it. Eight more brushes, from pin brushes to a self cleaning tool, are matched to coat type below.
Dog BlanketsWe compared eight dog blankets on Amazon Australia for waterproofing, warmth, washability and how well they protect a new couch. The Charlie's Sofur takes the top spot for furniture sized coverage, the Feandrea sherpa fleece is the best value, and the Luciphia print is the cheapest way to start.
Pet Beds
Pet Carriers
Cat Scratching Posts
Cat Litter BoxAfter studying vet advice, our top pick is the BEST JAJA 3 in 1 stainless steel box for its leak proof design and easy cleaning. The Paws & Claws No Mess box is the value standout, and the Kitty Sift disposable pack solves odour and travel problems.
Elevated Dog Bowls
Dog PlaypenThe FXW Homeplus Indoor Dog Playpen is our best overall pick for a puppy playpen: an 80cm metal pen with six panels for puppies and small to medium dogs indoors. The guide also covers value, budget, travel and clear acrylic pens, and says where each one falls short.
Dog Car Seat Covers
Dog Puzzle ToysAfter studying Amazon AU listings, thousands of local reviews and the trainers ranking ahead of us, the Nina Ottosson Dog Tornado is our top all-rounder. The KADTC Sunflower is the best value, and the Joansan slider is the budget pick that 8,700-plus owners swear by.
Cat Trees and Towers
Dog Beds
Aquarium FilterFood and water, automated
Feeders that work while you're at the office, a fountain that keeps water moving, and a bowl that slows a labrador down.
Automatic Pet FeederAn automatic feeder gives your cat or dog scheduled, portioned dry-food meals while you are at work or away overnight. The axes that matter are hopper size, portion accuracy, whether it has battery backup for a blackout, and whether you want an app and camera. These six run from the ANDOLL to the standout PETLIBRO One, which opens only for the right pet.
Slow Feeder Dog Bowls
Pet Water FountainThe best dog water fountain in Australia for a medium dog or a multi pet home is the PetSafe Drinkwell 3.7L, and the best overall pick is the cordless PETLIBRO Dockstream 2. We compare eleven cat and dog fountains on material, pump noise, filter cost, capacity and whether they run on a cord or a battery.Fur, litter and floors you now own
Mess control gets serious when every scratch and stain is yours to keep, starting with a litter mat that ends the hallway crunch.
Out the door, with or without them
Harnesses and booster seats for the trips they join, plus a camera for the hours they don't.
Dog Harness
Dog Car Booster Seat
Pet CameraMost pet cameras are indoor WiFi cameras that suit watching a dog or cat while you are out. The Tapo C210 is our pick for most homes: 2K pan and tilt that records to a microSD card with no subscription. The Furbo 360 tosses treats but needs a paid plan, and the Ring Indoor suits Ring homes.Set up every room in the right order.
The room-by-room checklist we’d hand a mate on settlement day, with our pick for each job. One email, then we leave you alone.
Pets questions, answered straight
What pet gear should I buy before moving day?
A crate and a harness cover the first 48 hours. The MidWest iCrate gives a dog somewhere calm while boxes get carried past, and the PetSafe Easy Walk no pull harness means the first walk in an unfamiliar suburb happens on your terms. Everything else can arrive with the second wave of deliveries.
Are self cleaning litter boxes actually worth it?
Sometimes. The PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Classic suits a single cat household that hates scooping; for several cats, the guide's multi cat picks are the better fit. If litter tracked through the house is the real problem, a litter mat is the smaller fix.
What's a simple setup for a pet home alone all day?
A camera plus a slow feeder. The Tapo C210 lets you check the couch from your desk, and the Bifeaw silicone bowl stretches breakfast out instead of letting it vanish in seconds. If the anxiety runs deeper than boredom, our dog crate guide covers den training as well.
Put the bed where the animal already chooses to lie, not where it looks tidiest. A bed in the wrong spot is just floor decor.
Anish Puri, NestPath
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