If you've got a dog or cat in the house, there's a pretty good chance you'll be buying them a gift this holiday season.

Americans are expected to spend more than $60 billion on their animals this year — a 25 percent increase from five years ago. And while the bulk of that is on food and health care, we're a nation that loves to pamper our pets — whether it's with treats or higher-end goodies.

The American Pet Products Association says 51 percent of dog owners and 38 percent of cat owners buy their fur-children a gift during the holiday season. And the National Retail Federation estimates people will spend an average of $28.05 on pets this year. If you're looking for just the right gift for Fluffy or Fido, we've got a few suggestions.

— By Chris Morris, special to CNBC.com
Posted 5 December 2015

Want to be as surprised as your pooch when it comes time to open the gift? BarkBox is a monthly subscription service that delivers treats, toys, chews and gadgets handpicked to engage your pup. You can sign up for a one-, three-, six- or 12-month subscription, which will be shipped on the 15th of each month.

Live in a home with multiple animals who always try to steal each other's food? It's not only a pain in the neck, it also can lead to weight problems for one or more of your pets. The MicroChip Pet Feeder has a lid covering your cat's food, which only opens when the correct pet approaches. Signals from your pet's microchip or an RFID collar tag trigger the feeder and make the food accessible. When they walk away, the lid closes again, not only keeping other animals out but helping the food stay fresh.

The real world forces us to leave our pets at home for big stretches during the day, but that doesn't mean we have to be completely separated from them. While any home-monitoring camera will let you keep an eye on what they're up to, the Petzi Treat Cam lets you watch in 720p high definition, speak to them via an embedded speaker, take pictures of them and even reward your pet with a treat remotely. Just push a button on your smartphone or tablet and out will pop one to three treats. The camera works in low light and has a wide viewing angle.

This small system fits onto your pet's collar and acts as a GPS beacon should they escape. Just press "locate" on your computer or mobile device, and the system will show you where your animal companion is exploring, letting you go and fetch him or her. The system can also be set up to send you — and up to four other people — an alert when your pet escapes. It also acts as a fitness tracker of sorts for pets, logging their activity and rest, which gives some insight into how man's best friend spends his or her day.

Got a dog who freaks out when a storm hits? The ThunderShirt isn't a new product, but it's one of the most recognized for calming down anxious or nervous dogs. Just wrap the snug-fitting vest around a dog's chest and back, attach it with Velcro, and skittish dogs start to settle down. It boasts an 80 percent success rate and comes recommended by many veterinarians.

Got a lot of money to burn and want to spoil your pet rotten? Duroque's high-end bedding for dogs gives them — or the cat, who will likely commandeer it at the first opportunity — a fashionable, luxurious place to plop down and take a nap. Apparently, one way to keep animals off of the furniture is to buy them their own.

Cats play best when there's some element of randomness. This toy plays peekaboo with your feline, with two toy mice spontaneously popping out of the side of the cheese block for 10- to 15-minute sessions. And if your cat gets bored (or destructive) while you're away, you can set this to operate when you're not home to distract them.

If you don't want to dress your pet up when it gets nervous, there's the UltraCalmer. This collar helps animals deal with anxiety by playing calming music, which soothes them by distracting them from the sounds of thunderstorms or fireworks or whatever tends to rile them up. It claims quick results, is water resistant and works for up to three hours on a single charge.

While it's unlikely we'll see a winter as brutal as 2014–15, it's already shaping up to be a doozie in some parts of the country. Salt-based ice melts can hurt the sensitive pads on your pet's feet, though. SafePaw gets rid of snow and ice, but does so using a blend that's nontoxic and better for your pet's feet. It's also environmentally safe and non-corrosive to metals - and can even be used on plants and shrubs.

Why should you be the only one strengthening your core in the house? This ball, meant for small dogs, lets your pup improve their balance and is made of thick PVC to resist tears. If your dog gets enough exercise the usual way, it can also be used as a tool for rehabilitation if your dog has had some recent surgery.