You might be surprised by what you find on this list! A lot of pets are irritated and pleased by the same things that a lof of neurodivergent people are - this is because, generally, both are much more sensitive to their environment. So, if you have pets, surrounding yourself with neurodivergent-friendly things is not only great for you, but your furballs will love you for it, too. In this list, you will find a mix of things that are particularly good for both humans and your adorable floof 🐰
THE best cat fountain I've come across. Not only is it super easy to keep clean and looks great, but it is sooooooo quiet. Some other cat fountains trickle (which is fine for some, but can drive some neurodivergent people crazy). This fountain just has a steady stream of water that doesn't make any noise (the water and the unit are super, super quiet) and my cats actually use it! So, I never need to worry if they are getting dehydrated, completely peace of mind 😌
PETLIBRO Cat Water Fountain for Drinking, 2.5L/84oz
Best neurodivergent-friendly rug I have found anywhere! Underfoot fabric that is not the right texture or has the wrong pattern can be incredibly distressing to some neurodivergent people who may find it either anxiety-inducing to touch or difficult to process mentally and potentially causing balance issu... I have had a range of my neurodivergent friends and family try out various rugs and this one has won everyone over. It is the absolute best rug I have come across that has the right texture, pattern, and colour to it. It's so soft but durable. I only had it on the floor for a minute and in that time both of my cats settled on the rug and could not be moved. If your cat finds something good to lie on, it's a fantastic indicator that it will be neurodivergent-friendly. Best to put this run on top of either non-patterned or neutral carpet, or wood flooring so you don't have a clash of patterns (I recommend non-slip underlay for the rug wherever you put it as rugs do creep, and Dunelm has the best non-slip underlay I... Love this 👏🏻
Parker Rug
A touchable doorstop that also recognises that your adorable floofs are at home. I've found with some doorstops that I don't like the touch of the material, so I end up just not using them. I don't have any issues with this one, and it looks great 😊
Faux Leather Vintage Cube Door Stop with Rope
Say GOODBYE to those electrical noises that only you and your pets can hear! It's no surprise that many neurodivergent people can hear the buzzing of electricity that others cannot hear. I have spoken to many in the neurodivergent community and hearing electricity is reported as being one of the most maddening things. Do yourself a huge favour and get a great EMF instrument such as this one. Then go around your home checking all your electrical items and if anything buzzes off the scale then either replace it or turn it off at the wall and that should reduce the frequency levels (the buzzing) that you find stressful. Quick tip: never have ‘smart’ lightbulbs connected to dimmer switches - these are very likely to cause the buzzing that drives you (and your pets) nuts. Either keep your dimmer switches and use non-smart light bulbs OR (like I did), get an electrician in to replace the dimmer switches for traditional flick up/down switches 🤗
ERICKHILL EMF Meter, Rechargeable Digital Detector
The ultimate in neurodivergent-friendly catnip! The fact is, your pets are highly sensitive to the environment, and just as neurodivergent people want a calm environment and mental chill time, so do your kitties! There is a lot of catnip I've tried and tested and I haven't liked it, because either the texture of it when sprinkling on food is too coarse and that sets off my OCD or the smell is musty or stale and this sets off my hyperosmia (that many neurodive... I find this catnip easy to handle, has a gentle pleasant scent, and sends my cats into chillout bliss, which also soothes me. Absolutely love this, best on the market that I could find that is neurodivergent-friendly 🙌
KONG - Naturals Premium Catnip - 2 oz
Where have you been all my life???! These candles are excellent. I have hyperosmia (super sensitive to scents) so I can't burn traditional candles (plus I have cats so it's safer for me to have an alternative!). I previously tried battery-operated candles, but they all looked quite cold in the light they threw off, and all had a terrible flickering effect, which really set my nerves on edge. Then I found this beautiful candle set (I have the gold coloured as they're super warm looking but the grey are stunning too). They're a sleek design, silent, and the best bit is the light they give off. It has the most warming and relaxing glow that doesn't bother my eyes. The ‘flame’ part of the candle gently bobs backwards and fowards as though it was floating in the breeze and this create a gentle movement to the light that is so realistic. Absolutely transfixed by these, they calm me down, create the most friendly glow, look fabulous and of course pet-friendly…..I think my cats love these even more than I do as they sit and stare for ages. One of my most favourite purchases 🥰
LED Candles Flameless Set of 3 Real Wax Light
Highly recommend these cat bowls. My cats will only eat wet food and that can make a real mess when they're eating it and being OCD I struggle with that. These cat bowls help me hugely. They'll lovely and broad so no issue with whisker fatigue for my two kitties, they're in lovely neutral colours, and totally dishwasher safe. Because they are angled upwards at the back, the food stays mainly in the bowls, unlike a lot of other pet food bowls I've come across. These bowls save me a huge amount of time and anxiety cleaning up spilled food and I've had them for yers and they are in perfect condition despite being in the dishwasher every other day. As a neurodivergent person I absolutely love them and my cats do too 👏🏻
Cotill Cat Bowls, Set of 3 - Grey/Black/White
A lovely parlour palm, incredibly gentle to look at. Not only is this neurodivergent-friendly because it is soft to the touch and easy to mentally process, but it is also excellent at purifying the air, which is essential to neurodivergent people who have a heightened sense of smell or are very sensiti... Also pet-friendly. Such happy little palms to fill up your living and work spaces 🌱♾️🌈🫶🏽
Parlour Palm
If you have cats you will at some point need a litter tray, whether that's because they're kittens toilet training, house cats, or a cat that needs to be kept indoors temporarily due to a vet visit. If you're neurodivergent, that litter tray has to be the absolute best at maintaining smells as many neurodivergent people are incredibly sensitive to scent. It's always best to have one more litter tray than you have cats as they do like to have multiple toilet options….and these litter trays are the best that I have had. Super easy to keep clean and unbelievably good at trapping scents which has been so good for me as I'd have struggled to have cats without these. Absolutely recommend 🙌
Pink Cat Flip Litter Tray 4 Colours Box
You will wonder how you coped without this laser measuring instrument. Seriously, if you have any balance issues (like many who are neurodivergent) then the last thing you want to be doing is crawling around on hands and knees with a measuring tape trying to keep the tape in place while keeping your own balance! I spend a lot of time measuring rooms in properties and sometimes it's super awkward to fit your body in the right space to measure something correctly and particularly when the tape measure is not long enough for the job, I have now removed the enti... I can literally hold this gadget against a wall, click a button, and the reading tells me precisely the distance. Not only that, but as this is effectively one of the coolest laser pointers out there, my cats have a blast when I turn it into a cat toy, they love it! Really easy to use, lightweight laser measure 🕺👏🏻
Laser Distance Meter 50M/165ft, RockSeed IP54
Brilliant collars. Some people who are dyspraxic struggle with hand co-ordination when fastening/unfastening items, but these collars are so easy to clip together and unclip, which means they are neurodivergent-friendly to handle but also super safe for your cats, beca... The cute little tinkle from the bell means warning for prey, so fewer ‘gifts’ are brought home to you, which is an absolute win!!! ❤️
Fabulous humidifier that can help make pets feel more comfortable and reduce neurodivergent anxiety! Many neurodivergent people are highly sensitive to their environment (just like their furry floofs are!) and need fresh air. However, when the colder months mean we seal up our home to drafts, the heating can then dry out the air, which can be very irritating to the skin and eyes. I suffered for years and then found this super quiet and super effective humidifier that I use in quite a large open living/dining room. It silently mists the air and keeps the room to a wonderfully comfortable 50 degrees (my preferred setting, but you can change this up or down) and my plants that are busy purifying my air and calming my senses are absolutely thriving as their leaves... Absolutely love this. Once you have one, you'll wonder how you coped all those years before! 🥳
The ULTIMATE pet carrier. Every time I go to my vets they remark on how cool it is and that they've never seen one like it before. I have two, one for each of my cats so they can keep their own cat blanket in there for their own familiarity and comfort. They're amazing. The top has a large opening to lift pets easily in and out. The front has a large opening to pets can wander in and out and what I especially love is the little hatch inside the main front opening that will keep your pet inside the carrier but allow you to pop your hand in for gentle reassuring pets and givin... My favourite part is that this can be secured in place with your seatbelt so less worry about the carrier moving on your way to the vets or transporting your little dogs to the park. Absolutely love these, best gift ever for someone with pets too 🥰
Hardcase Pet Carrier for Dogs, Cats, Rabbits
YES, this is absolutely perfect for organising all of these essential things you need when you have a baby. It's the best for keeping everything you need and all of my neurodivergent friends love them, because it feels nice to the touch, lovely calming colour, keeps everything neat and easily accessible, which is exactly what we need when we are sensory-ov...
I actually use mine on a wardrobe shelf and keep all of my feminine products in there along with a load of beauty products, hair brushes etc, it's absolutely fantastic to just pull out, find what I need and then store. Fantastic storage solution if you don't have a baby. Also great for keeping all your pet stuff in one place and to take out with you on your pet outings! Love it ❤️