BY JANELLE LEESON
Irina Ozhigova / Stocksy
It’s straightforward to get carried away when purchasing on your new cat. Or to really feel overwhelmed and never know the place to start out. Naturally, you wish to welcome your new member of the family residence with all the pieces they want. Should you’re bringing residence a brand new cat otherwise you’re contemplating adopting a cat, right here’s all the pieces it’s worthwhile to purchase to be ready.
Begin with this new cat necessities guidelines with all of the cat requirements: meals and water bowls, a litter field and litter, a scratching publish, bedding, a service, meals, toys, a collar and ID tag, grooming provides, and cleansing provides.
How ought to I plan and put together for my new cat?
Various cat consultants recommend getting ready everybody within the household for the tasks of cat care. You’ll additionally wish to arrange a cat-friendly surroundings earlier than a single toe bean ever enters the home. Designate a quiet area on your cat to progressively acclimate, set up a constant routine, and prioritize common veterinary checkups.
The benefit of establishing your property on your cat earlier than they arrive is guaranteeing a snug and protected area on your kitty, in addition to establishing clear roles and tasks for everybody else. All in all, just a little prep will make the transition from the shelter to your property a easy one.
To arrange your property and household for a brand new cat:
- Designate roles and tasks: Take into account all the pieces from cat care to meals and litter field duties.
- Set home guidelines: Ought to the cat be allowed within the bed room at night time?
- Create a routine: Take into account how usually and when your cat shall be fed.
- Put together your cat’s protected area: The room ought to be a small, quiet room with important provides. They’ll keep on this room throughout the acclimation part and may have entry to the room as they proceed settling in.
- Cat-proof your property: Defend your pet from potential hazards and safe breakable gadgets.
- Store for important provides: Discover what to purchase for a brand new cat beneath.
- Select a veterinarian: Your new cat requires a check-up quickly after coming residence.
- Put together different pets: If relevant, get able to introduce your canine to your new cat by practising widespread coaching cues, comparable to sit, keep, and go away it.
What do it’s worthwhile to purchase when bringing residence a cat?
Generally, it’s sensible to evaluate your cat’s preferences earlier than sinking an excessive amount of cash into each in style mattress, toy, tower, and deal with. We’ve narrowed down this record of cat necessities for brand new pet mother and father, so that you’ll have all the pieces prepared on your cat’s arrival, fairly than leaving you with extra cat provides than you or your cat know what to do with.
Meals and water bowls
Should you’re adopting a couple of cat or including one other one to your clower, every cat ought to have their very own meals bowl. Chrome steel, ceramic, or glass bowls are sometimes best to scrub. Cats also needs to all the time have entry to scrub, contemporary water. You would possibly even think about getting a cat water fountain, because the filters preserve water more energizing for longer than a conventional bowl.
Litter bins and litter
You’ll want one litter field per cat, plus an additional one. Place the bins in quiet, simply accessible spots away from their meals, water, and areas with excessive visitors or startling noises. Kittens and seniors are likely to do finest with low-entry litter bins, and typically, cats ought to have the ability to comfortably flip round contained in the litter field with out touching the perimeters. As for one of the best cat litter, go for a sand-like consistency with out added perfumes, as these are usually feline-friendly qualities.
Cat service
A cushty and safe cat service is a must have for bringing your cat residence from the shelter and any future outings, comparable to routine vet visits. Carriers are available in each soft-sided and hard-sided choices, and they need to present a stability of privateness and air flow. Should you plan to journey by airplane together with your cat, search for an airline-approved cat service.
Scratching publish
Cats’ scratching preferences can range; some want vertical scratching surfaces, whereas others go for horizontal ones. And the kind of materials issues too–some cats love the texture of sisal, whereas others want to sink their claws into carpet or cardboard. Once you’re unsure what your cat likes, you can begin by providing a budget-friendly multi-surface scratcher or a corrugated cardboard one. Both method, providing your cat a number of acceptable locations to scratch will save your furnishings, flooring, and mattress from potential harm.
Cat Mattress
Present your cat with a comfy place to relaxation. As a result of the transition from shelter to residence generally is a little overwhelming and scary for some cats, think about an enclosed mattress comparable to a cat tent, cave, or cubby.
Collar and identification tag
The most typical sorts of pet identification are microchips and a collar with an ID tag. Each work hand-in-hand to make sure your cat’s protected return in the event that they ever wander away. Most shelters and rescues ship newly adopted cats residence with an implanted microchip. This tiny chip is inserted underneath the pores and skin and, when scanned, populates pet dad or mum info that helps reunite misplaced cats with their households.
Whereas microchips are essential, collars and tags provide speedy identification. Breakaway collars will unclip from themselves if snagged, providing an additional layer of security. Make sure the tag contains your cat’s identify and your telephone quantity.
Grooming provides
Even for short-haired cats, weekly brushing reduces shedding and hairballs whereas offering a bonding alternative. It’s a good suggestion to maintain up on clipping your cat’s nails too. To make sure grooming is a optimistic expertise, reward your cat with a high-value deal with after every session.
Cleansing provides
Accidents are sure to occur, and after they do, you’ll be glad to have one of the best cleaners for pet messes readily available. Enzymatic pet cleaners are your finest guess as a result of they break down uric acid in pet urine to get rid of odors, fairly than cowl them up.
Toys
Having just a few toys readily available is a good suggestion as a result of cats require at the very least half-hour of day by day play. Kicker toys are nice for getting out pent-up vitality, plus some cats discover consolation in licking people who include catnip. Consultants additionally suggest wand toys for constructing bonds with new or shy cats. Simply bear in mind to retailer them safely after every session to keep away from string-related hazards. When you’re nonetheless discovering what your new cat enjoys enjoying with, attempt just a few DIY or free cat toys.
What do it’s worthwhile to purchase when bringing residence a brand new kitten?
Buying provides for a kitten isn’t all that totally different from the provides for an grownup cat. That mentioned, there are just a few key variations in cat provides made for adults, seniors, and kittens. Right here’s what to bear in mind when searching for a brand new kitten:
- Low-entry litter field: Kittens have brief legs and wish a litter field with a low entrance for simple entry. The identical could be mentioned for senior cats who could have arthritis.
- Straightforward-to-access meals and water bowls: Go for bowls which are shallow sufficient for kittens to comfortably eat and drink with out straining their necks.
- Scratching posts and climbing buildings: Kittens are usually extra curious and have extra vitality than grownup cats. Present them with protected and stimulating climbing buildings, comparable to cat bushes or cabinets, to train and discover their environment safely. Whereas they might want extra choices for climbing and scratching, kittens and grownup cats can sometimes use the identical furnishings.
- Kitten meals: Cat meals is formulated to satisfy the precise dietary wants of cats at totally different levels of life. Kittens, as an example, should eat meals labeled as kitten meals for development or all life levels meals. These meals include all of the vitamins kittens require to develop into wholesome adults. As soon as your kitten reaches maturity, round a yr previous, swap to grownup cat meals formulated for upkeep. If in case you have any questions on what meals to feed your cat, how a lot, or how usually, seek the advice of your veterinarian.
What toys are acceptable for a brand new kitten?
When buying toys for a brand new kitten, think about ones that encourage your kitten to stalk and pounce, comparable to wand toys with feathers. They’re not solely enjoyable on your kitten, but in addition assist construct a bond between you and them. Like grownup cats, kittens additionally take pleasure in toys they will bat round on their very own, comparable to toy mice. And catnip-filled toys are nice for kicking.
Security tip: When selecting kitten-appropriate toys, keep away from something with small elements comparable to buttons, that could possibly be a choking hazard. After play periods, safely retailer any toys with strings that would pose a hazard.
FAQs (Folks additionally ask):
What ought to I do to cat-proof my residence?
When making your property extra cat-friendly, you’ll wish to shield your cat from hazards and your belongings from harm. Cowl electrical cords, cables, and telephone chargers to forestall your cat from chewing on them, which might result in severe harm. Hold cabinets, particularly these containing cleansing provides and medicines, securely locked. Hold a watch out for different hazards, too, comparable to dropped medicines or sharp objects, and transfer poisonous vegetation out of the home or out of attain. Wish to redirect harmful behaviors comparable to scratching the furnishings? Present loads of toys, scratching surfaces, climbing buildings, and hiding spots.
Ought to I’ve pet insurance coverage earlier than bringing residence my new cat?
Buying a pet insurance coverage plan as quickly as attainable could possibly be a sensible transfer. Simply as you may want medical insurance earlier than you get sick, the identical goes on your cat.
When ought to I take my new cat to the vet for the primary time?
Even when your new cat comes with a clear invoice of well being and all their pictures, it’s nonetheless a good suggestion to get them checked out by a vet quickly after adoption. It’s an opportunity to ask new cat-parent questions, get accustomed to the clinic, and set up a relationship together with your veterinarian. Should you’re adopting a kitten fairly than an grownup cat, you’ll be seeing the vet very often after adoption as a result of they’ll want a sequence of vaccinations over the following few weeks and months.
Janelle Leeson is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance author. Her work has been featured in magazines comparable to Inside Your Canine’s Thoughts, Inside Your Cat’s Thoughts, and Paw Print, as nicely on-line at Insider Critiques, NBC Choose, Store At the moment, PetMD, and Day by day Paws. She has two journey cats, a flock of city chickens, and a soon-to-be-husband who doesn’t thoughts housing the occasional foster cat — or 5