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My cat is my best and worst roommate. They broke my things, woke me up in the odd hours of the night, and crawled all over my computer when I tried to work. But they would also curl up next to me when it was cold outside and greet me when I walked in the front door, which usually made the winter in the Northeast tolerable. This is a trade-off.

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I live in a family of three cats, which means—as you can imagine—the kittens are almost in charge, and I make sure they have everything they need. Since I adopted my eldest son, some of my favorite cat products have remained consistent-but other products have taken a special place in my heart because I have found ways to deal with garbage, mealtimes, and feline social dynamics. A better way. Here are my 10 favorite products, they make life easier for cats.

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What I said to Litter Genie was great. Maybe I'm just a coward in terms of the smell of garbage, but I can't bear to live in a house that smells like cat urine. Ideally, I would also like to avoid taking out the garbage every day. So how can a big baby like me live in a home with many cats? Garbage elves.

This is a simple device, but it is a wonderful device. Litter Genie is a garbage disposal system that contains a roll of refillable plastic bags, which are then double sealed with two plastic lids. You scoop the used garbage into the wizard, it can be stored for a long time (I find it needs to be replaced once a week). Now, all those unpleasant smells are sealed.

Buy the Litter Genie Plus cat litter treatment system from Chewy for only $17.99

My cat is a climber. When it means they want to hang out on my dresser, it's okay-but when they try to zoom the TV or start scrambling on the kitchen counter, it's not so good.

Cats tend to respond poorly to discipline, so usually the best way to change their behavior is to provide more attractive alternatives. A cat tree may not stop your kittens from jumping on the counter, but it will at least give them a more attractive habitat. I have two cat trees: one in the living room and one in the kitchen. These are the two places where I spend most of my time, which means my cats often hang out there. I like this cat tree by Frisco. It is strong but not too big to be placed in the corner of the kitchen.

Buy Frisco 52-inch Faux Fur Cat Tree and Apartments from Chewy for only $52.99

Cats are notoriously fussy animals. It is difficult to predict which toys will become breeders and which will be abandoned under the sofa. My cat rarely agrees on which toy is the most interesting, but there is one exception-this laser pointer.

At this point, I think my laser pointer is a half toy and half tool for family peace. I use it on Zoom and use it with one hand while reading and watching TV. Basically, whenever I need my cat to stay busy for ten minutes without knocking over the vase, the laser pointer is my first choice. I like that this is rechargeable, so I don’t have to worry about buying batteries. I also tried an automatic laser pointer without human intervention, but after too many incidents where my cat tried to chase the laser on the side of my computer monitor, I came to the conclusion that manual is the best.

Buy FurryFido Laser Cat Toys from Chewy for only $13.99

You want to make sure that your cat has a continuous supply of fresh water-especially if you have male cats, they are particularly susceptible to urinary tract infections when they are dehydrated. Not very good. Cats don’t like dirty water like humans do, so ensuring their water is clean, fresh and adequate is crucial. I found that the best way to achieve this goal is to use a gravity waterer.

This gravity watering bowl from Frisco is simple, strong and easy to clean. I use a medium size for my cat, but I prefer to fill the tank half full because I wash it often. Although the gravity feeder does not work for me (I need to be able to control the weight of my cat), I know that they always have a source of water and they cannot knock over their water bowl while I am, I feel very relieved that I am not at home

Buy a mid-size Frisco Gravity Refill Pet Waterer from Chewy for only $13.85

Controlling the litter situation may be the biggest struggle in my multi-cat life. After the trash elves, this trash pad is my second biggest hero. This material is designed to catch the clutter on the kitten’s feet and prevent them from tracking it throughout the house and your bed (disgusting!). It is made of synthetic material, which means I can easily rinse it off when it becomes annoying. I sliced ​​it to fit awkwardly shaped corners, and I especially like that the material does not fall apart when cutting.

Buy a fully absorbent cat litter pad from Chewy for only $14.99

Putting my cat in their backpack is often not the happiest experience in the world-but thanks to the comfortable backpack, each of them is covered in fur and smell, and it is no longer so painful. I like these foldable fabric straps from Sherpa. They save space and are not easy to cause hostility to my kittens. They are easy to fold, and they feel more attractive than carriers made of hard plastic. My cat may never come and close the zipper, but at least I know this feels familiar and safe, and is easy to clean for me.

For only $34.99, you can purchase a Sherpa Delta Airline-approved medium-sized cat and dog tote from Chewy

I hope you will never find a cat in your house who refuses to get along, but sometimes it happens. I had an unfortunate experience where the introduction of cats was terrible-leading to a remedial separation and eventually reintroduction. Fortunately, there are several products that can relieve cats’ social stress, and this pheromone spray is one of the most popular products.

Pheromone diffusers are designed to calm your cat down, indicating that everything is normal and they can relax. Think of it as aromatherapy for cats. This is very helpful for many anxious cats and may even reduce stress-induced behaviors such as spraying and biting. Like almost all existing cat products, the effectiveness of this spray varies from cat to cat. No guarantee, but if you want to introduce cats for the first time, this is a tool worth knowing about.

Buy the Feliway MultiCat diffuser plug-in refill from Chewy for only $30.59

Similar to a pheromone diffuser, catnip has different effects on different cats. Some cats may barely blink, while others believe that nothing is more important than rubbing these things with their entire body. If catnip is indeed useful for your cat, it is really great to have it on hand. This is one of the most reliable forms of entertainment you can provide for susceptible kittens, encouraging exercise and play. If your cat is struggling in a social stalemate, it can also act as a sedative and pressure diffuser.

Even if your cat is not a big fan, it may be worth exploring some alternatives. Cats that I don’t care about catnip love Silver Vine-a safe and powerful alternative to catnip grown in Japan and China. If you are interested in trying catnip and silver vine at the same time, you can hedge your bets and try a mixture of the two.

Knowing that my youngest kitten, if I put her food anywhere I can get it, it will be scattered on the kitchen floor in about five minutes. Even if you don't live with a food-motivated kitten, it is still a good idea to seal any dry food. This large storage container keeps the food fresh, which is delicious and safe for your kitten-otherwise, the food may go bad or get damp and moldy.

These plastic boxes helped me solve the problem. They snap shut, so people who don't have a thumb to fight against won't enter, which means that my cat or any household pests that may be lurking don't have extra snacks. It also has wheels, so I can easily drag it out of the dark storage room when it needs to be refilled.

Buy IRIS sealed pet food storage containers from Chewy for only $24.99

No, it is not strictly a cat product, but listen to me-my well-sealed water bottle is one of the necessities of my cat-centric life. My big cat’s favorite toy is a full glass of water. Dip his paw in it, take a sip, and knock it over. In his opinion, I should give up the catnip mouse and let him ham with water.

Like all weird cat behaviors, making my cat change is an uphill battle. To be honest, it is easier to change my own behavior than my cat (yes, I realize how sad it sounds-but I told you they are the ones in charge). If I don’t want him to mess up my water glass and make my water glass sick, I’d better drink from a cat-proof bottle. Our favorite Brita water bottle is very thermally insulated and equipped with a straw, which means it can keep the temperature of the drink and it can be sealed tightly enough to not spill when it falls off the kitchen table. Let my cat down, but it's a victory for me.

Buy Brita BB11 Premium Filter Water Bottle from Amazon for only $24.99

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