The Edit — Pets
Christmas Gifts for Dogs and Cats Worth Buying, 2026
7 gifts for dogs and cats, from a 4.9-rated cat treat to a heartbeat puppy toy with 67,057 ratings. The one dressed up for Christmas rates lowest, and owners say why.
This guide is research-led: we have not handled these units ourselves. If you buy through our links we may earn a commission — it never changes a pick. How we choose
No toy, treat or perch here was given to a pet or tested. The page reads each listing and what owners report, ranked highest rating first, then most ratings, as How we choose describes.
Best for Any cat, as a treat
Watch for Gone by January
Best for Indoor cats who watch outside
Watch for Needs a usable sill
Best for Catnip lovers, stockings
Watch for Smaller than expected
Best for A new puppy at night
Watch for Durability is mixed
Best for Food-driven dogs
Watch for Not chew-proof
Best for Fast eaters
Watch for Too big for small dogs
Best for Gentle medium dogs
Watch for Not for hard chewers
For a cat, INABA Churu is the safest gift
A lickable treat is the one gift almost every cat accepts, which is why INABA sits on Amazon’s Pet Supplies Best Sellers list on 1 October 2026.
INABA Churu Lickable Cat Treats, 50 Tubes, Tuna & Chicken Variety
4.9 across 13,732 ratings for 50 squeezable 0.5 oz tubes that owners say cats go wild for.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Pack | 50 tubes, 0.5 oz each |
|---|---|
| Flavours | Tuna and chicken variety |
| Owners use it for | Treats, training, pills |
4.9 across 13,732 ratings, the highest on this page. Owners say cats go wild for it, that the 0.5 oz tube is the right portion, and that it works for training and for hiding a pill. The only recurring complaint is cost per tube.
Buy it if
- A cat who will do anything for a lickable treat
Don't buy it if
- A gift meant to last past January
A window perch outlasts every toy on the list
A box of 50 Churu tubes is gone in weeks. A Zakkart perch gets used every day for years, which makes it the better gift for an indoor cat.
Zakkart Cat Perch for Windowsill with Bolsters, Large
4.7 across 5,940 ratings for a windowsill perch owners call stable and easy to fit.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Mounts on | The windowsill |
|---|---|
| Size | Large, with bolsters |
| Owners praise | Stability, easy assembly |
4.7 across 5,940 ratings. Owners describe clear instructions, a quick fit and a perch that feels secure, including with 2 cats on it. One owner reports it fitting both single-hung and double-hung windows. Measure the sill depth before buying.
Buy it if
- An indoor cat who watches the street
Don't buy it if
- A window with no usable sill
Potaroma Cat Toy Pillows, 3 Pack, Catnip Inside
4.6 across 13,658 ratings for 3 crinkly catnip pillows that owners say cats carry around.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Pack | 3 pillows |
|---|---|
| Filling | Catnip, crinkle |
| Watch | Smaller than some expect |
4.6 across 13,658 ratings for 3 catnip pillows. Owners report cats carrying them around and loving the crinkle. Some find them smaller than the photos suggest, and durability reports are mixed, so treat them as a stocking filler rather than the main gift.
Buy it if
- A cat who likes catnip and noise
Don't buy it if
- A cat indifferent to catnip
A new puppy needs comfort more than a toy
A puppy’s first nights away from its litter are the hard part of a Christmas puppy. The Snuggle Puppy answers that, not play.
Snuggle Puppy Heartbeat Toy, Medium Breeds
4.5 across 67,057 ratings for a plush with a heartbeat that owners say settles a puppy at night.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Inside | A heartbeat insert |
|---|---|
| Size | Medium breeds |
| Watch | Mixed reports on durability |
4.5 across 67,057 ratings, the largest owner base here. Owners describe puppies calming and sleeping through the night with it. Durability and the heartbeat insert itself both draw mixed reports, so supervise a puppy that starts chewing it open.
Buy it if
- A puppy in its first weeks at home
Don't buy it if
- An adult dog that shreds plush
For an adult dog, a puzzle beats a plush
A treat puzzle keeps a dog busy on a cold December day when walks are short. The Outward Hound brick and the KONG Wobbler both do that, in different ways.
Outward Hound Nina Ottosson Dog Brick Treat Puzzle
4.5 across 49,630 ratings for a 12.8 in sliding puzzle that owners say takes about 10 minutes to empty.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Size | 12.8 in |
|---|---|
| Type | Sliding treat puzzle |
| Watch | Not chew-proof |
4.5 across 49,630 ratings. Owners call it a good brain game that takes about 10 minutes to empty and slows a fast eater. The complaint that recurs is chewing: it is plastic and not chew-proof, and some dogs solve it by breaking it.
Buy it if
- A food-driven dog that needs a job on a cold day
Don't buy it if
- A dog that chews plastic when bored
KONG Wobbler Treat-Dispensing Dog Toy, Medium/Large
4.5 across 17,255 ratings for a weighted treat dispenser that owners say slows a fast eater.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Type | Wobbling kibble dispenser |
|---|---|
| Size | Medium and large dogs |
| Watch | Too big for small dogs |
4.5 across 17,255 ratings. Owners say it keeps dogs busy at mealtimes and slows their eating. Some find it too big for smaller dogs, a few report it destroyed quickly, and some say it does not wobble as intended.
Buy it if
- A dog that bolts its dinner
Don't buy it if
- A small dog, or a hard floor at 6 a.m.
The Christmas-themed toy rates lowest on the list
The lilfrd tree is the only gift here dressed for the season, and at 4.4 across 4,113 ratings it ranks last. That is the honest shape of the category: seasonal plush is bought for the photo, and plush does not survive a determined dog.
lilfrd Christmas Dog Toys, 4 Pack Santa Tree Hide & Seek
4.4 across 4,113 ratings for a plush tree hiding 4 squeaky toys, which owners say holds a dog for 10 to 15 minutes.
Current price shown on Amazon. We may earn a commission.
| Pack | Tree plus 4 squeaky toys |
|---|---|
| Suits | Medium dogs |
| Watch | Not for hard chewers |
4.4 across 4,113 ratings. Owners say dogs love pulling the 4 squeaky toys out of the tree and stay busy for 10 to 15 minutes. It is too small for XL breeds, durability reports split, and owners warn it is not for hard chewers.
Buy it if
- A gentle dog and a Christmas morning photo
Don't buy it if
- An XL breed or a power chewer
A dog that destroys plush in minutes needs a different list: toys for power chewers covers rubber and nylon toys built for it. Before the gifts go under the tree, Christmas decorations that are not safe around a dog covers what else is at nose height in December.