Pet Essentials

It boasts both powerful suction and sleek style.

The tricks I've learned to help keep dogs and cats from damaging or eating houseplants.

Kittens are adorable, but we aren’t about to forget about man’s (and woman’s!) best friend. Is it a coincidence that many of our most favorite Kitchen Tours have featured a tail-wagging pup or two? We think not. Pour yourself another cup of coffee in this post-holiday work week and take a peek at this puppy parade.Dogs, even more than cats, are constant and dependable kitchen companions.

It makes a surprising difference!

They're highly effective for the most troublesome messes.

The kitchen can be a "ruff" place for pets.

Finally, a stylish *and* functional dog bowl.

Treat tossers, grooming tools, and so much more.

Not a doggie door!

Because finding pet hair in your soup is gross — even if it’s your own pet.

Your carpets will thank you.

Psst...including a Roomba for less than $200!

"So many vacuums are marketed as being good for pet hair and totally fall short, but this one actually gets the job done."

My cat loves it as much as I do!

They're huge time savers!

It even works on upholstered dining room chairs!

Jackson Galaxy is a bona fide cat whisperer. He’s the host of Animal Planet’s My Cat From Hell and coauthor of the book Catification — he knows what makes our feline friends tick. I spoke with Jackson about a topic that has plagued me for quite some time (and if you’re a fellow cat owner, it’s no doubt plagued you, too): how to keep curious cats off our kitchen counters. Jackson explained that cats see our countertops as socially significant places.

Quick: Where do you store your pet’s food? Is it sitting in an open bag on the floor, perhaps? We pet people spend a lot of time, energy, and money selecting and buying our furry friends’ food, but where and how to store it becomes an afterthought. To find out the best possible way to keep food fresh and your pets safe I talked with Dr. Jerry Klein, an emergency and critical care veterinarian in Chicago and chief veterinary officer for the American Kennel Club.

Yay, you got a dog! Welcome to the happiest place on earth: a home with a creature that loves you unconditionally and exuberantly. It’s the best. There are a few caveats, though. (Just a few!) Sometimes they eat things they shouldn’t. Sometimes they go places they shouldn’t. Sometimes they do things they shouldn’t. That’s about it. Otherwise yay, dog!

If a kitty has just joined your family, you may have found a new constant companion in the kitchen. In between amusing you with her impressive leaping ability (how did she go from floor to fridge in the blink of an eye?) and beguiling you with her slinky, tail-wrapping ways, she’s likely to be a pretty busy addition to your kitchen routine — well, when she’s not napping, that is. And there are a few things you should know going in.

How often do you clean your pet’s bowls? Are you washing them daily in soapy water as hot as you can stand it, followed by air-drying them, and also sanitizing them once a week? No? Well, according to Dr. Jerry Klein, an emergency and critical care veterinarian in Chicago and chief veterinary officer for the American Kennel Club, it’s time to up your pet bowl game. Here’s the thing. Pet bowls are disgusting. DISGUSTING.