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I shop frequently at Petco, and it's where I adopted my guinea pig, Quinn, since my local store takes in and rehomes unwanted pocket pets. Although I'm usually picking up necessities like food, cat litter, and small animal bedding, I like to grab occasional toys and treats.

The store has a nice selection of Petco-branded toys for cats and dogs. I recently received a box of goodies for my pets to review, and they all came up winners.

Here are some cute playthings to look for next time you're shopping for your feline or canine friend.

Petco Catnip Mice

All four of my cats are suckers for catnip toys, especially Farquaad and SheiKra. I buy a variety of brands, and my kitties have some favorites. For example, they consider Purrfect Play and Yeowww! catnip toys to be a form of kitty crack.

Store-bought toys from big chains are not always as potent as those from smaller manufacturers, so I wasn't sure how the kitties would react to the Petco catnip mice. Apparently they have a strong aroma because three of my four cats were already circling the unopened package and trying to steal it as soon as I took it out of the shipping box.

Once I managed to open the box, both Faquaad and Stitch moved in for the kill. Luckily there were two mice in the package, so I tossed one to each cat. SheiKra went into kill mode, batting and chasing his around, while Farquaad flopped over and proceeded to claw and chew his prey.

The Petco catnip mice were obvious winners, and they're durable enough to last for a while before they succumb to teeth and claws.

When they do, I'll definitely have to grab another package the next time I visit the store.

Petco Playtime Pal Dog Toys

Dog toys come in so many different shapes and sizes. I love cute designs, so I was eager to check out the two Petco dog toys in my package. Both are travel themed and so adorable!

The Petco Playtime Pal snuggling toys I received, which are perfect for both play and rest time, are in the form of an airplane and a globe with cute little dangling animals. The airplane has crinkle wings and squeaks when you shake it to perk up your pooch's interest. The little animals attached to the globe fit into holes, making it similar to the Kyjen Invincibles toy I reviewed previously.

The globe and airplane are just two examples of the Petco dog toy line. You can get all sorts of designs, from kangaroos to sumo wrestlers.

While both of these toys were hits with my test dogs, the airplane was a standout. Its squeaker was a definitely dog attractor, and the test dogs loved the crinkling noise. Its shape makes it perfect for playing tug-o'-war with small to medium canines.

The globe is soft and smooshy, and it's meant to be good for snuggling as well as play. I found this to be true with one of my testers. The toy has a nice little handle at the top that lets you dangle it or play tugging games, He grabbed the handle, carried the toy off, and kept it with him for a nap.

Both toys are well put together, so they should last for a while even under heavy canine abuse unless you have a master toy destroyer in your household.

Available Online and In Stores

You can buy Petco cat and dog toys online or in your local store. The dog toys run around $8, while catnip mice average $3, depending on the style you choose.

I'm a fan of Petco's own branded products and use Planet Petco items like the Small Animal Wood Hideaway, which my guinea pigs love. Now I plan to add catnip goodies into the mix, since the toys obviously contain potent herbs and the cats give a big paws-up of approval.



Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.