Last week at the pet expo I met the owner of Petego, a Chicago-based company that distributes a number of different lines of pet products, all designed and made in Italy, which–as should be expected–represent some of the very best designs in the pet products industry.

One item that caught my attention is this elegant little cat food bowl called Earshot from the United Pets product line. It is made from double stainless steel and is hand welded and hand polished to a mirror finish. The sleek form has just the right touch of kitty character to bring a smile to your face each time you refill the bowl.

Available in two sizes directly from Petego.

Add a touch of playful Italian style to your cat’s next meal with the Tigrito cat bowl from Alessi. The molded plastic form holds two polished stainless steel bowls. This little cutie comes in grey, blue, or yellow.

Available at Amazon

Oh, I wish I lived in Italy! These photos are from the new Gatthotel & Spa in Perugia, Italy. It is a totally new concept created by Roberta Mammoli, a vet with a passion for interior design. The Gatthotel offers cat boarding, grooming, and a shop.

The private boarding “rooms” (pictured below) are spacious and fitted with shelves that allow kitty to hide when she feels like it (mainly upon arrival) and then to have a look around when curiosity takes over. Only delicate natural products are used in the grooming salon to take care of sensitive skin. Dryers and clippers were chosen among the less noisy on the market to avoid stress as much as possible.

The shop sells a wide variety of products for cats and their owners, of course all with the expected Italian eye for good design. In addition to cat care items like carriers and beds the store stocks other cat-related gift items, such as cards, jigsaw puzzles, mugs, and sculptures.

I hope to visit someday!

If your flavor of modern tends more toward 70’s swank, then check out the Sak Bed by designer Michael Young. This Italian-made design incorporates the bright colors, curved forms, and glossy surfaces often used by 70s pop-designer Verner Panton. Only the hippest cats are allowed to nap here.

These are hard to find, but there is one available now at Amazon.

Making its U.S. debut at the SuperZoo pet industry show this week in Las Vegas, is a new line of Italian pet furniture by b.pet. Unlike anything else at the show, this extremely modern collection is obviously rooted in Italian design. Five different bed styles include the minimalist Tube and Ring, the retro-pop Bubble, the modernist-inspired Squared, and the more elaborate Wave. All are made in Italy and are currently being imported to the U.S. by Kylo Importers.

Litter box duty will never be glamorous, but with the Linda litter scoop and the Vicci cat litter box, you can feel a bit more stylish about it. The scoop comes with its own plastic container to conceal it when not in use. The elliptical Vicci litter box has a removable rim for securing box liners. These two Italian designs are made of polypropylene and are available in thirteen colors. Both can be purchased at Rocco and Jezebel and Target.com.