Our 4 Most Disastrous Pet Purchases

Ever find a bunch of old products that seemed like a good idea at the time? When cleaning out our garage, my husband Randy and I came upon a pile of cataclysmic pet items we had bought over the years. I sighed. They’d come with such high hopes. But reality soon set in.

The Electric Litter Box –

This gadget was bought by Randy in hopes that each “offering” by our late cat Rocky would be raked by a metal bar that electronically combed the litter. It would then push the waste into a plastic bag hanging off the end. We’d simply pick up the bag and throw it away. No more scooping.

There was one problem. We turned it on, and cat litter flew everywhere. By the time we found the off switch, cat litter (clean, thank God) was in our hair and on our clothing. Once we figured it out, we tried getting Rocky to use it but something about this gadget (maybe the hum of the motor) freaked him out. He started doing his business everywhere but the box, and the boring plastic litter container was reinstated.

The “Grab-Bag” of Discount Terrier Toys –

Our Yorkie Libby loves toys more than any dog I know. So, during Covid, when I wasn’t shopping, I bought a gift bag online of discount (okay, cheap) little plush toys. I pictured Libby taking her time with each one – an adorable green dinosaur, a sweet pink bunny, a precious white lamb, and others. I’d dispense a new one every few weeks.

Instead, Libby went through each offering like Al Capone in a bad mood. She shook them in her jaws. She pulled out their eyes. She opened their bodies and wrenched out their stuffing with her teeth. At the end of a week, Libby had gone through the entire bag, and I was still finding body parts. From then on, we bought only the toughest, well-made, “terrier-proof” toys we could find. 

The Kitty “Fun Center” –

It drove me crazy when Rocky sharpened his claws on our furniture. So, we came up with the perfect solution – the “Fun Center” as it was called in the pet store. A giant, carpeted scratching post, about five feet tall, with a few perches for kitty to “hang out.” I pictured Rocky loving the “Fun Center” and doing all his nail sharpening there. Our furniture would be spared.

Sigh. Rocky despised the “Fun Center.” We’d have to pick him up and place him onto one of its perches. He’d sit there, angry, and slit-eyed, (“I’m. Not. Having. Fun.”) until he jumped off. We even sprinkled cat nip all over and yes, that attracted Rocky for two seconds – long enough to get high. But the “Fun Center’s” appeal was lost on our tabby. In fact, I think Rocky started scratching furniture even more, probably in protest.

The “Small Dog” Auto Companion Seat —

Libby has always been a problem in the car. She gets nervous and wants to touch me while I’m driving. Once she jumped in my lap and pushed down on the horn while I sat in a crowded intersection. Something had to be done. So, I bought this cute little vinyl, front seat “companion box” for Libby. I pictured hours of driving with the terrier happily buckled in beside me, looking out the window, smiling and content.

Instead, Libby became so stressed over her new perch, she gave this loud, frantic, ever-escalating banshee wail. “What is this thing? Get me out of here!” she seemed to be saying. At one point, my ears hurt so much from her high-pitched hysteria, I had to pull to the side of the road and cover them. Finally, I gave up. Now I just loop her leash tight under the head rest in the passenger seat, so she’s near me but kept (somewhat) at bay.

And there you have it. All gifts bought with the best of intentions, but alas, our animals either ignored, disdained, or destroyed them.

Our hearts were in the right place. But our pets were having none of it.

 

Have you had any disastrous pet products? Comments are always welcome and if you’d like, please share.

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