27 Things To Help Make Your Newly Adopted Pet Feel Like They’re Home

Feb 21, 2024

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

They're about to feel like the luckiest pet in the world.

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Promising review: "This is easily one of my best purchases from Amazon. We brought a new rescue dog into our home (a 4-pound teacup morkie) about a month ago and I've been on a buying spree. I've spent so much on sweaters, toys, blankets, etc. and I've liked them all but this is the gift she's gone wild about. She hasn't been off of it since it arrived and right now her and the cat are both hanging out on it. It's really adorable and I had fun customizing it with the color, font, and name and the price point is perfect. The quality is superb and it's so cool how my dog just fell in love with it right out of the box. I'm so happy I bought it and I'm thinking I'll need to buy a bigger one now for her and the cat to fit on since I only bought the small one for just her." —DIF0924

Get it from Amazon for $17.95+ (available in three sizes).

Promising review: "This duck dog toy, I can tell you right now, I will be buying these for years to come. I adopted a new dog, Luke, in December of 2017. THE friendliest and most lovable dog ever, with a quirky side to him. For the life of my fiancé and I, we could not get this dog to trust us because he had been moved from home to home all his little life. But when we bought this toy for him, it was a dream come true. He will drag this toy wherever he goes, cuddles and gently chews on it like a security blanket. We can even tell him 'Luke get your duck' and he can sniff it out, no matter where it is in our house. This toy has been a lifesaver to us." —Nikole

Get it from Amazon for $7.24.

Promising review: "With having a newly rescued puppy at home as well as a senior dog, I needed to keep an eye on them while I was out running errands and away from the house. This 360-degree camera has been a godsend! I no longer have to wonder what they’re up to. I can keep an eye on them, talk to them AND even toss them treats. It’s given me a greater piece of mind leaving my fur-babies home alone." —A. Mango

Get it from Amazon for $210.

Promising review: "This is literally the best cleaner out there that I've come across. I've had pets that have gotten so old and sick they lost their control. I've had pets that have gotten VIOLENTLY ill. I've had pets that suffered extreme anxiety and mark places as part of that anxiety. This stuff cleans it all. We adopted a new (for us) pup back in Nov '22 aaaaaand poor baby had gotten ill (likely from the rehoming anxiety) and made a massive mess on the floor. Silver lining: it *was* next to the litter boxes, much to the chagrin of the cats. But! Still really foul. This stuff cleaned up the area, and deodorized it." —Crafty Reader257

Get it from Amazon for $19.97.

Promising review: "We have a skittish rescue dog. She likes the glove and it works well. Takes off a lot of hair and seems gentle enough that she is not bothered when we use." —RachieRach

Get it from Amazon for $7.99.

Promising review: "I have a 15-pound dachshund/Chihuahua mix that I rescued and he loves going for walks with me. He does good on his own but he was previously not treated well and has hip issues so I’m so happy that I can comfortably carry him without strain on either of us. The backpack does great on walks, hikes and even worked great for a flight. Plenty of space and it’s well vented with lots of extra room for personal belongings. Thanks to this awesome product, would recommend, it's well worth the extra $$." —Jordan Phillips

Get it from Amazon for $128.81 (available in six colors).

Promising review: "I got this for my rescue cat who needs to have some attention nearly constantly and does not like the front-loading carriers. This was super easy to clean and perfect for easing his nervousness as he could see everything going on around him." —Samantha

Get it from Amazon for $28.62+ (available in three sizes).

Promising review: "Great for rescues/puppies who don't quite understand what carpet is yet...I love my little rescued Riley, and she is extremely well behaved, so long as she's not on a carpet. We have hardwood floors, and she pees on a patch of fake grass, so whenever we visit someone with carpets, she will mark them up like she's getting Dingo Bites for each spot she hits. Thankfully, here come the doggie diapers. Looked a little silly (which is to be expected), but now she can come visit my friends without me worrying about her urinary proclivities. Just having them on prevented her from even wanting to pee on carpets." —McBronzeGod

Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in five sizes and two colors).

Promising review: "Our girl has been wearing her vest for about an hour and is already so calm! She has been a ball of anxiety and nerves since the moment we adopted her 18 months ago. She is still alert, but very calm and relaxed. We are ready to buy more so she can wear them every day! Game changer!" —Laura

Get it from Amazon for $39.95+ (available in sizes six sizes and two colors).

Promising review: "If I could give this a 20-star review I would!!! I have a rescue bulldog that is on regular medication for life and giving her her daily pills has been a pain in the butt. I have to open her mouth and shove the pills down her throat which is terrible for me and for her. And 90% of the time they chew through it and spit the pill out and then I'm resorting back to shoving it down their throat. I will never be without them ever again. Recently I had my bulldog spayed and she came home with kennel cough and gave it to all my dogs. Which now all need medication. Not one of my dogs has chewed through it and spit the pills out they all swallow it instantly. Seriously the best product ever made!!!!!!" —Rachel

Get it from Amazon for $9.98+ (available in multiple quantities).

Promising review: "Best kitty blanket we've ever used. Our most recent rescue was 8-weeks-old when we brought her into the house, and we ordered this blanket for her crate (we use a large dog crate to ease our new kittens into the household). She had been with four siblings, so she was used to sleeping with them, and we wanted something warm and cuddly for her. This was perfect, so we ordered two more!" —Nebraska Dude

Get it from Amazon for $9.99+ (available in four sizes and four colors).

Promising review: "I rescued an older cat from the shelter and she has never been interested in toys. Not catnip mice, not kickers, not jingle balls, and only very rarely a laser pointer, which she's over within five minutes. This one had her engaged and actually playing like a kitten and every time I bring it out she perks up. I think it is mainly the fact that it bounces unpredictably and is above her head like a bird or a butterfly would be. When I fostered kittens, this was their favorite toy as well, and they would leave whatever they were doing to play with this toy. They'd even pull it out of the toy box and play with it by themselves, because there are little cardboard pieces on each end and enough spring that if one kitten played with one end, the other end would bounce all around for the other kitten to play with. This is a fun and enriching way to play with cats who might be tired of floor-level play. Highly recommend. Would not recommend letting them play unattended, as there are wire hooks on the end to hold the cardboard pieces." —LeftyLeBrandt

Get it from Amazon for $3.53.

Promising review: "I adopted a 6-month-old kitten from a rescue group and I noticed that he did not want to drink much water from his bowl. I discovered that he loved to drink lots of water if I turned on the faucet. This fountain was the perfect answer. He absolutely loves it and is drinking lots of water now. My other cat also loves it. Neither have went back to their bowl of water since I put this fountain out. The fountain is very quiet and holds a lot of water. It is cute and does not take up a lot of space. I highly recommend." —Lostie4ever

Get it from Amazon for $34.96+ (available in three colors).

Promising review: "We rescued a week-old kitten back in April. Got this heat pad, since kittens cannot generate their own heat at that age. It works well, provided a great amount of heat, and got warm quickly. It has a timer so you just need to set a reminder to adjust once the time runs out (if you need the pad to provide heat for more time). And the cord was great and sturdy, so I didn’t have to worry about her chewing on it as she got older and more curious/playful with her surroundings. It was a smart purchase and I’m thankful we got it." —Cristina

Get it from Amazon for $22.99+ (available in four sizes).

Promising review: "I have bought so many pet beds in the last 35 years for all my rescued cats and dogs. I like to be able to wash the beds regularly and give them back to my pet thoroughly dry by the end of the day. So many beds fall apart in the washer, despite gentle cycle and laundry bag, and the stuffing turns into awful weird lumps making the bed not very comfy. I washed this bed as soon as it arrived, because of manufacturer chemicals on any pet bed. It held up well in the washer and I was even able to run it through the dryer on gentle cycle in the laundry bag and this is the first pet bed not made with that crappy paper bottom that scorches and tears up with a little dryer heat. My dog loves the bed; it's puffy and comfy and didn't get weird lumps after wash and dry. I'll be buying more of these in the future for my cats. One of the best-made and comfy small pet beds I've found in three decades!!! :D" —J. Hyde

Get it from Amazon for $19.74+ (available in three sizes and shapes).

This automatic feeder can hold up to 12 meals depending on the size of each portion (you can choose from 1/8 cup–4 cups).

Promising reviews: "We purchased this feeder for our rescued cat Simon, who is an overeater. When found, he was close to starvation and has never adjusted to a normal eating pattern. We found programming the feeder a bit difficult and called the 800 number for help. They were extremely patient and took us step by step through the process. We have had this for a month, and it is a godsend! Simon often naps on a chair next to his feeder. He knows the sound of his kibble landing in the metal bowl and makes a mad dash for his meal if he is somewhere else in the house. He receives seven small meals a day between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m. He is less frantic about food now, and we are freed up from feeding multiple times a day." —BMoney

Get it from Amazon for $89.95.

Promising review: "Our pup's nose looked terrible when we rescued him; his nose was cracking and bleeding and it just looked awful. Within one use of this the peeling at the top of his nose started looking better. After about two weeks of daily use his nose looks 110% better! I highly recommend this product and I will be getting the paw salve for his paws as well!" —Shannon Alsayyed

Get it from Amazon for $5.95.

Promising review: "My pittie had a party for her 8th birthday (we think she’s 8, she’s a rescue and doesn’t talk much about her past). Both canines gave their ginormous licks of approval to the maple bacon flavored ice cream. What a great concept and a fun addition to a special occasion." —T

Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (available in five flavors).

Promising review: "I had three trusted people (my mom, my boss, my best friend) recommend this to me when I got a new puppy. My sweet rescue girl snuggled up to it every night in her crate. In the mornings when I let her out, she'd run back into her crate, pull the snuggle pup out and carry it to me." —Maggy

Get it from Amazon for $39.95+ (available in six colors).

BTW, it also comes in a "Did you medicate the dog?" and "Did you feed the cat?" option

Promising review: "I bought this for our house sitters to use while we are away. My husband and I are using it every day. It helps us keep up with her feedings. My husband knows whether or not our rescue has eaten because (as the package note) 'If asked, dogs will lie.' It is as easy as flipping a switch to communicate/remind yourself if your dog has/has not eaten." —BrandyLyn Patrick

Get it from Amazon for $11.95 (available in two colors).

Promising review: "I rescued my cat last year and slowly found out he was most likely an outside cat. I'm trying to introduce to him how I groom. I've still only been able to cut a few nails, but my concern was his coat. I have foam shampoo I used with a wipe, but I know this is going to be difficult, so I ordered these and they work really well. He even looked like he felt better! They are super soft, and have a light scent. I didn't even use the foam. I would recommend these to anyone." —December

Get it from Amazon for $7.49.

Promising review: "One of the many toys we bought our new puppy seven weeks ago when we rescued her. Have to say, this is one of the few original toys still intact. She plays with it all the time! The ball is soft so I can throw it in the house with no worries. All her other toys she's managed to destroy. But even after seven weeks of playing, this still looks new. Wish all her toys held up so well. When I opened it, I figured it would last a week. LOL When this one finally bites the dust (which looks like will be years from now) we will certainly be purchasing another. It's the only ball we throw in the house." —S. Carroll

Get it from Amazon for $10.95.

Promising review: "My 3-year-old male rescue kitty has gone through a lot of change and anxiety in his short life (which began as an abandoned kitten on the streets). I saw this online when searching for my fur babies’ Christmas gifts this year and thought 'Why not give it a shot?' Let me tell you just HOW MUCH he loves his new cuddle buddy! He sleeps with it for EVERY nap and evening slumber now, and even pets 'him/her' like it’s his own baby! I watch him fluff, gently stroke, and pull his new stuffie close to his chest before drifting off to sleep...and (not to be cheesy), it warms my heart to see how much it comforts him and how much he loves/cares for it. Sooo recommended for cats of all ages." —Jennifer

Get it from Amazon for $11.99.

Promising review: "Our dog had a red rash on her neck and chest. We have used this product for 90 days and the rash is completely gone. We saw improvements in the first three weeks. It’s now part of her daily diet." —Consultgas

Get it from Amazon for $28.47.

Promising reviews: "This dog treat maker is fantastic! My two rescue dogs stand by me while I am preparing their treats. They LOVE the peanut butter and pumpkin recipe. The treats are fresh and made with fresh ingredients so I know exactly what my dogs are eating. It is fun to see their excitement when I bring the treat maker out of the cupboard." —Dana H

Get it from Amazon for $24.99.

Promising review: "As a newer cat parent (I adopted my two rescue kitties in November 2019), this accessory caught my eye. I have a full time office job, and wanted a cat toy that my girls could use and enjoy when I'm not around. To introduce the toy to my cats, I loaded it with catnip and placed it on the floor for them to inspect. After they lost interest, I mounted it to the coffee table leg using twine and sat back to watch. They weren't big fans at first, mostly sniffing it and pawing at it. After a few days I caught them using it as intended: brushing up against it with the sides of their faces in total bliss. My fluffy girl Emma would give it a passing snuggle then flop over and try to cuddle it. I would say it was a great success, and it gives my girls additional self-guided enrichment options. Worth the money if your cats will use it." —Ashley Wade

Get it from Amazon for $4.99.

Promising review: "I was extremely excited to receive this product. I currently have two of my own dogs, one is 42 pounds and another is 80 pounds. I also work for a rescue so as you can imagine, there is lots of poop to pick up. This product is helpful because you don't have to carry anything additional to put the poop in. And the scooper part works great through the grass and dirt to get the poop off the ground. It was way easier than my previous one, where I was constantly having to bend down to get something or carrying an additional trash bin to place it in after it was picked up. I would recommend this product for anyone who has dogs. I have well over four in my home at all times and this has helped in so many ways to keep the yard tidy." —I Williams

Get it from Amazon for $19.99.

The reviews for this post have been edited for length and clarity.