Life Life Strategies A Smart Drinking Bowl For Your Cat—and More Clever Items to Upgrade Your Life This Week By Martha Upton Martha Upton Website A former associate editor at Real Simple, Martha Upton began her four-year tenure at the magazine in 2018. She spent a majority of her time researching and testing products for the "Clever Items" column. Prior to joining Real Simple, she spent six months completing a fellowship at Esquire, where she wrote men's commerce stories for online. Martha earned a master's degree in magazine writing from New York University. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on September 30, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Is there anything better than October? Finally strolling the streets sipping your pumpkin-spiked drink, pulling out your favorite jackets and hoodies from storage, and pretending you're the main character in a Nora Ephron movie. (Just us?) With these smart items, let your dog (and cat!) be the main character for once. Plus, mixers for cocktails that will keep you hydrated while you drink. 01 of 06 Felaqua Connect Courtesy of Manufacturer Starting at $100; surepetcare.com Designed by veterinarians, this smart drinking station for your cat presents fresh water in a pleasing shallow bowl that prompts them to drink. The water is then refilled automatically from the reservoir with no pesky filter for you to change. 02 of 06 Ruffwear Dirtbag Dog Drying Towel Courtesy of Manufacturer $90; ruffwear.com Strap this coat on to your dog when they head out in the rain. The quick-drying liner soaks up moisture and mud, and the waterproof outer layer keeps them dry. Your car seats will thank you. 03 of 06 Navy Hill Soda + Tonic Courtesy of Manufacturer $50; navyhill.com Your at-home gin and tonic just got an upgrade. Purified soda water is combined with tonic and electrolytes for a delicious mixer that means less headaches the next morning. Choose from four flavors. 04 of 06 Ahimsa Smart Snacking Bowls Courtesy of Manufacturer $40 for set of 4; ahimsahome.com These stainless steel bowls are the perfect size to encourage portion control for happy snacking. They're also completely free of all harmful chemicals like BPA, phthalates, and lead, dishwasher safe, and come in fun rainbow colors. 05 of 06 HydroJug Pro Courtesy of Manufacturer $20; thehydrojug.com Made from BPA-free plastic, this baby holds a half gallon of water, so it's easy to track your daily intake. Plus, you'll spend more time hydrating and less time making trips to the water fountain to refill. It has a wide mouth so it's easy to add supplements or ice, and it's dishwasher safe. 06 of 06 Gratitapp Courtesy of Gratitapp gratitapp.com Research shows that expressing gratitude can help you feel happier...this app makes it easy to get into a gratitude routine. You can write a note, send a photo, or record an audio message about what you feel grateful for each day, then share with your friends and family. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit