As the December holidays approach, I am reminded that I have to be sneaky about buying holiday gifts for my pets. My dog Bailey has a sixth sense that tells her when I’ve bought her something, and she won’t take her eyes off the shopping bag or stop stomping her feet at me until I give it to her. Also, all my animals are (admittedly) spoiled, so I have to be creative to find something they haven’t had before.

Actually, it’s not hard to find great gifts for companion animals (but please, NEVER give companion animals as gifts). Pet products are a booming business, even in an economy that requires a bit more thrift. Stores offer something for every price range, and an imaginative mind can even get you something for nothing by using items from around the house.

Cats, for example, are happy with paper (never plastic) grocery bags left open on the floor, or cardboard boxes with holes cut in the sides. They make great forts to hide in, and they’re even better when someone throws a paper wad inside to chase after. You can make simple scratching posts from scrap lumber that has scratchy rope or old carpeting secured around it. Be sure the cats can’t pull and swallow strings from it, though. This can do terrible internal damage.

Some dogs are happiest destroying chipboard or cardboard boxes, or just ripping up paper wrappings. For the interactive dog, you can make an inexpensive tug toy from strips of T-shirts braided together. Empty water bottles are also fun to crunch on, because they make so much noise. Be sure to keep an eye out, though, and remove any ripped-up pieces before they get swallowed.

For those with a more flexible income, our area pet stores carry a great variety of toys and treats. Birds enjoy new items in their cages, and an assortment of bells, mirrors, ladders and seed treats can be found in the range of $2 to $15. Birds are thrilled, too, to have a little time to fly around in a carefully enclosed room, just to stretch their wings and get a different view of the world.

Small pets such as hamsters like to chew, so a scrap of old cloth would give them something new for their bedding. Exercise balls and wheels come in a many bright colors and range from $5 up to about $30. Treat logs start at around $4, and for rabbits you can even select special “salad bowls” of tasty greens.

Don’t forget your horses this holiday season, either. Your local feed store carries apple-flavored treats, and during the extra-cold weather, a new blanket or strap-on cover will earn you great appreciation.

Cat toys can run from $2 and up. Furry mice (great for hiding in shoes) come in bags of multiples for just a few dollars, and catnip balls or stuffed toys can provide hours of fun for just about the same. My furry kids both go nuts over cardboard scratching pads, especially when I sprinkle catnip on them first. They always appreciate a fresh refill on these. Another favorite, at around $5 to $8, are the feathers attached by strings to a stick. These let you spend some one-on-one time with your cats and help you bond.

Dog toys are the pet industry’s bread and butter, which gives us as consumers a great number of options. Cold-weather cover-ups come in cable-knits, cashmere and squall jackets ranging from $25 to $50, but be sure to check clearance stock — many of these same items will come down to as little as $7 or $8.

New winter bedding for the most pampered canines ranges from $30 to $250, in rectangular or round, monogrammed or not, and with or without therapeutic foam inserts. (Before you laugh, remember that arthritis hurts our geriatric pets as much as it hurts us, and soft surfaces are much appreciated.) For those of us on a lower budget, inexpensive twin-bed blankets from the discount store can cost less than $10.

When it comes to dog toys, please always think ahead to what could happen as your canine friend dismantles them. Does the toy have bells, squeakers or strings that could be swallowed? One rubber ball was recently pulled from the market because the dogs with stronger jaws were able to create a suction that pulled their tongues into the ball’s single hole.

How about gifts for pet owners? I’m recommending the store at www.theanimalrescuesite.com. This group has delightful jewelry, clothing, gifts and accessories that help us stand out as humane animal lovers, and the proceeds help animal welfare groups.

And of course the one gift I ask for every year is a donation in my name to the Lawrence Humane Society. Visit us at www.lawrencehumane.org for links to Web sites that offer recipes for healthy, tasty homemade holiday pet treats.

Whatever holiday you celebrate this December, the Lawrence Humane Society wishes you a wonderful one!