Pet Stocking Stuffers: Small Gifts That Get Eaten, Used or Worn

Pet stocking fillers have one advantage over children’s: the recipient will eat most of them. That makes the shopping much simpler. Buy consumables, plus one small thing that gets used daily.

We tested across two Christmases with dogs, cats and one very determined rabbit, and the pattern was identical every time: food wins, toys are a bonus.

How we chose

Safety first for small items, then whether the gift would be finished by the end of January.

• Appropriate size for the animal, with no choking risk.
• Single-ingredient or clearly labelled treats.
• Nothing with ribbon, tinsel or thin plastic.
• One item that gets used daily, like a new brush or bowl.

What to put in

Treats with a short ingredient list

Single-ingredient treats are the safest bet for a gift, because you do not know about allergies. Dried fish, single-protein jerky and plain biscuits are reliable.

A chew in the correct size

For dogs, one natural chew sized for the animal. For cats, a silvervine or catnip toy rather than an edible chew.

One useful item

A new brush, a travel bowl or a pack of poop bags sounds dull, but it gets used every day and saves the owner a purchase.

The bottom line

Fill a pet stocking with a treat pack, one chew or toy in the right size, and one small useful item. Under fifteen dollars total, and everything gets used.