For my pets I like to get toys that are not toxic and that last for a while. I find a lot of those rubber toys smell and feel bad, and I am not just talking about the cheap ones. I don't want my dog to chew on some chemical stick. The same with balls. Of course, we play with good old wooden sticks and soft toys, but we also need decent balls and other squeaky things from time to time. Where do you get toys and other accessories for your pets?
We gave our dogs Nylabone, and I think that it's completely safe to use. As for our cat, I haven't given him any toys yet because he is quite content and happy with the little household items like crumpled paper or plastic, or a piece of string. Lately, he now also plays with clothes pins!
We used to get out cat a new collar for Christmas. She would always be scratching at her collar and trying to get it off, so she totally wrecked them in a year. The challenge was always getting it on her since she really, really didn't want it and would rather run away and hide.
I don't really buy "gifts" for my cat, though I will give her new toys and food treats from time to time. A cat doesn't know what a gift is. It only knows that something you're giving them is something that they like and want to play with or eat. I give them what she needs and likes but don't consider these things as gifts or anything.
I buy cheap, but special things. For example, my cats eat dry food, but for Christmas, I buy packets of soft food that they absolutely love. For my dog, he loved Greenies. They're expensive to buy them as treats regularly, but as a gift, I didn't mind spending a little more a couple times a year.
All three of our dogs were obsessed, and I mean seriously obsessed with those squeaky hedgehog stuffed toys... We would typically buy them each one per year, sometimes twice a year depending on how long they managed to last. But each dog had to their *own* one, otherwise they fought over them. We got them other toys as well, such as rubber balls that you can stuff treats into, and large rope toys for them to chew on, but they would lose interest in all the other toys rather quickly. For our cats, they are all about this thing...
I just buy whatever is cheap but also still very safe. I would never compromise the health of my pet just for a few cents or dollars in savings, but I wouldn't exactly splurge too much on something that will just get dirty and rugged after a few days either. I think finding some sort of middle ground by finding some reputable brands to buy from is a good start since most of them have many varieties of toys and beds that you can be assured are safe and of good quality.
What I buy for my dogs as gifts? It's not clothes, it's neither toys. What my dogs love is the Milky jerky from Thailand. It is their favorite snack so I always buy a box or two... which is quite expensive, hahahaaa. But when I see the contented faces of my dog, the cost is worth it.
To tell the truth, my cat seems to prefer found objects for playtime, rather than anything store-bought. She does enjoy batting around the occasional ball, but usually she just enjoys playing with wadded-up foil candy wrappers and such. A friend of mine even crocheted a catnip mouse for her, and my cat was totally not impressed. So at least I can say she’s pretty cheap? Haha.
We usually buy my pets special and yummy treats on special occasions and sometimes buy them squeaky toys or plushies that they can play with all day. Our cats aren't really picky with toys so we just get some old ribbons or yarn and they would happily play with it. They also like really fluffy blankets so we let them on the bed at times and let them push and purr all night on the blanket. We buy them special cat food when we feel like spoiling them sometimes as well.
I bought mine in my local vet. I don't usually buy in the supermarkets because I am hesitant when it comes to its safety. I don't want my dogs to get sick or something.
