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 PoolsSeven foldable hard-wall PVC dog pools available in Australia, sized by dog weight rather than marketing labels, with drainage, wall construction and claw resistance assessed honestly. Includes the mandatory ACCC safety labelling rules for portable pools and the pet pool recalls almost no round-up mentions.
Dog Cooling Mats
Cat Toys
Fish TankSeven fish tanks, compared on the two things listings hide: how many litres they hold, and whether the filter and light are actually in the box. Capacity in litres and the recurring reported problems for each.
Cat EnclosuresSix outdoor cat enclosures compared on Amazon Australia, from cheap pop-up mesh tents to a wooden catio on wheels, ranked by who each one suits.
Dog DoorsSix dog doors for Australian homes, segmented by install type: security-screen flaps, sliding-glass panels, insulated doors and wall-entry tunnels, each with real Amazon AU ratings and prices.
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 a 61 dollar MidWest iCrate to a 126 dollar 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 Grinders
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 BrushA deshedding rake suits double coats, a slicker brush suits oodles, and a soft pin brush suits puppies. Our top pick is the Furminator Undercoat tool for heavy shedders, the Maxpower Planet rake is the budget standout with the most reviews, and the Wahl pin brush is a solid mid priced all rounder.
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 BedsAfter studying Amazon Australia listings, our top pick is the COZY KISS U Shaped Orthopedic bed for medium and large dogs. The MidWest Ombre Plush is the budget winner, and there is a right bed here for puppies, cats, seniors and chewers alike.
Pet Carriers
Cat Scratching PostsSmartCat's Ultimate Scratching Post is our top pick: an 81cm sisal post tall enough for a full stretch and stable enough that it does not wobble, backed by more than 27,000 Amazon AU reviews. The ANWA 32-inch 3-in-1 post is the value pick, and the Kazoo Cat Scratch Post is the cheapest way to save your couch.
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 BowlsAn elevated dog bowl lifts food and water off the floor so your dog eats in a more comfortable posture. Our top pick is the vet recommended Fluff Trough for everyday comfort, the Zarler adjustable stand is the best value for large and extra large breeds, and the Prendieen bamboo ceramic set is the budget choice for small dogs and cats.
Dog PlaypenAfter studying the Amazon Australia pet pen pool, the i.Pet 8-Panel metal playpen is our top all rounder for its versatile panels and strong review record. The PaWz 8-Panel is the value pick, and the VAKA 8-Panel is the cheapest pen we would actually trust. Picks for big dogs, travel and clear indoor pens are inside.
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 FilterA filter is the heart of a healthy aquarium: it handles mechanical filtration (debris), biological filtration (the nitrogen cycle that keeps fish alive) and chemical filtration. The right one depends on the type matched to your tank: an internal or sponge filter is the cheap pick for nano and turtle tanks, a hang-on-back (HOB) filter is the easy classic for community tanks, and a canister filter is the quiet workhorse for large, planted or heavily stocked tanks. We weighed filter type, flow rate, media stages, noise and (the big one in Australia) whether the unit is genuinely 240V Australian-spec rather than an imported plug trap. These six run from a 38 dollar PYPABL internal up to a 669 dollar Fluval FX6 flagship.Food 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 a 76 dollar ANDOLL to the standout 250 dollar PETLIBRO One, which opens only for the right pet.
Slow Feeder Dog BowlsIf your dog inhales its dinner in seconds, a slow feeder makes it work for each mouthful, which slows eating, cuts vomiting and choking, helps reduce the risk of bloat in deep-chested breeds, and adds a bit of mental work to mealtime. The right one depends on your dog: a maze or ridge bowl is the classic, stainless steel is chew-proof and hygienic, food-grade silicone is soft and doubles as a lick surface, and a lick mat turns wet food into slow, calming enrichment. We weighed the type, the size, how deep the maze is and how easy it is to clean. These six run from a 12.99 dollar Bifeaw silicone bowl up to the original 40.25 dollar Outward Hound Fun Feeder.
Pet Water FountainCats especially are notoriously poor drinkers: they descend from desert animals and often will not drink enough from a still bowl, which feeds into urinary and kidney problems, and a fountain's moving water genuinely encourages pets to drink more. The right one depends on the material (stainless steel is the hygiene headline, but many fountains are a steel tray over a plastic tank), the pump noise, the ongoing filter cost, the capacity and whether you want it corded or cordless. We weighed all of that across cats and dogs. This guide covers six cat and dog water fountains from a 32 dollar oneisall steel fountain up to a 99 dollar PETLIBRO cordless pick.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 HarnessA harness has largely replaced the collar for walking because it takes pressure off a dog's neck and gives you far more control, especially for a puller, but the type matters enormously, and the wrong one will not stop pulling at all. A front-clip harness redirects a pulling dog, a back-clip step-in is a comfort vest, a dual-clip gives you both, and an escape-proof figure-8 keeps a flight-risk dog secure. We weighed clip position, sizing, escape risk, padding and car safety. These six run from a dedicated PetSafe no pull trainer up to a foam padded Ruffwear Front Range.
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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