It’s a universally known fact that the best part of Halloween is seeing pets dressed up as magicians, hot dogs, sharks, bumblebees, lobsters… You name it, we enjoy it. Given our passion for pet Halloween costumes, we decided to try a few on our very own cats and dogs to find the cutest, comfiest, most Instagram-ready pet costumes there are. A few scratches and barks later, these are our favorites. You can see more pet Halloween costumes here too.
Frisco Front Walking Granny Dog & Cat Costume (starting at $12.79; chewy.com)
Trina is 15 years young, so this adorable little granny costume felt like the PERFECT one for her. She’s super tiny (only 4 pounds), so I was a bit worried about fit, but the XS fit her just fine. I am obsessed with the delicate little purse and pearl necklace details, and the Velcro costume made it super easy to put on. She was not a fan of the wig, but the adjustable strap did make it easy enough to get the wig on her long enough to snap a few photos. — Hayley Saltzman, head of social
Hyde & Eek! Boutique Bee Full-Body Dog and Cat Costume ($13; target.com)
It’s hard to describe in words how cute this costume is. Between the iridescent wings, the puffy velvet body and the little stinger at the end, this turned out to be a truly perfect Halloween costume for a black cat. Though it did come with a little hat with antennae that she was far too frisky to tolerate, getting her into this one was a breeze since you just have two Velcro straps to wrap around and then you’re good to go. Eartha’s not even a cat who can wear a collar and she was able to tolerate this for a few very important pictures. — Rachel Lubitz, lifestyle editor
Hyde & Eek! Boutique Lobster Frontal Dog and Cat Costume ($10; target.com)
For $10, this pet lobster costume is a steal. It’s made of quality, plush material that even Brooklyn the bulldog hasn’t managed to destroy yet. You can secure it with just two Velcro straps, making it a cinch to get onto any pet — even if they don’t *love* wearing clothes. You’ll squeal when you see your pet running around with lobster claws. — Rosanne Salvatore, deputy editor
Hyde & Eek! Boutique Dino Hat H&E Cat Costume ($5; target.com)
If you didn’t impulse buy a $5 dinosaur hat for your cat, did you even go to Target? Not pictured: Phoebe attacking the city à la Godzilla when she realized what was on her head. — Chelsea Stone, commerce editor
Mogoko Funny Dog Shark Costume (starting at $12.99; amazon.com)
The measurements were spot on when we got this adorable little shark suit for my dog, Finley. The suit itself is really plush, like an extra-cozy jacket for him to wear. The fins are a bit floppy, but when we get the hood to stay on him, it looks like a shark is eating him, which is strangely adorable. — Kristin Magaldi, associate editor
Frisco Ladybug Dog & Cat Costume (starting at $11.99; chewy.com)
Usually Louie doesn’t do well with pet clothes, but this ladybug costume was a game changer. The Velcro straps are super easy to connect for the body and I love that the head piece is a separate part. The sizing was perfect, not too big or too small, and she was able to move around and jump with ease. — Delaney Strunk, programming editor
Rubie’s Costume Company Pet Aviator Hat and Scarf Set (starting at $11.19; amazon.com)
I couldn’t resist dressing up my dog as Snoopy at least once, and this cheap, simple costume does the trick while being soft and easy to put on. It has little holes on the top so your pup’s ears don’t get smushed flat, and our dog only tried to shake it off once. — Kai Burkhardt, associate editor
Archie McPhee Loving Friends Kitty Cuddle Costumes, Pumpkin ($13.75; amazon.com)
There’s nothing more classic Halloween than a pumpkin, so I really had no choice but to transform my fur child, Phoebe, into a pump-kitten last year. The hat is really lightweight (unlike other pumpkin costumes that are filled with stuffing) and more on the basic side (Phoebe rejects clothing on her body). Yes, it comes with a matching pumpkin hat for humans. No, I will not share a photo of me wearing it. — Chelsea Stone, commerce editor
Puoyis Pet Cat Bat Wings for Halloween ($7.99; amazon.com)
When you have a black cat, getting an on-theme Halloween costume is serious business. And these bat wings were absolutely perfect for Eartha last year. Easy to wrap around her for a quick photo, the wings are made from felt material, so they’re super light and easy to awkwardly walk around in. And she looks just terrifyingly cute enough to make for a perfect Halloween Instagram, don’t you think? — Rachel Lubitz, lifestyle editor
‘Star Wars’ Darth Vader Costume for Dogs (starting at $16.72; amazon.com)
Marie runs my apartment much like Darth Vader runs the Death Star, so this Imperial outfit is perfect for her. Even if she hates wearing clothes. — Mike Andronico, senior tech writer
Companet Pet Overalls (starting at $14.99; amazon.com)
I’ve dressed Stewart up — a lot. From holiday bow ties to winter hats and sweaters, he’s tried on his fair share of outfits. But none compare to this absolutely incredible take on a lumberjack getup, which just screams “I’m ready for fall activities.” Now I’ve just got to get my hands on a new flannel to match him. — Emily McNutt, senior travel editor