Licking is a self-soothing behaviour, which is why a mat smeared with something soft works so well in situations a pet finds difficult. Nail trims, ear drops, the ten minutes before the fireworks start: giving an animal a repetitive job to concentrate on changes the whole tenor of the event, and it is a far kinder approach than holding a struggling dog still and hoping it will be over quickly.

The surface is a moulded cake pattern in food-grade silicone, and the ridges do the actual work. Spread yoghurt, pate, wet food or a little nut butter across the top and it settles down into the grooves, so getting it out takes patient licking rather than one sweep of the tongue. Silicone is flexible enough to twist inside out under the tap, and the whole mat is dishwasher safe.

• Food-grade, BPA-free silicone
• Cake-pattern textured surface
• Two colourways: Clear Sky and Peach
• Dishwasher safe and quick to rinse
• Takes wet food, yoghurt, pate and soft paste
• Packed size 33 x 23.5 x 8cm, 210g

On the measurements. The 33 x 23.5cm figure is the packed size rather than the mat itself, so the mat is somewhat smaller than that suggests. Also mind what you spread on it: peanut butter must be free of xylitol, and dairy upsets a fair number of dogs and most adult cats.

Who it's for: Owners of an anxious or fast-eating dog or cat who want a calming job to hand for grooming, vet preparation and noisy evenings.