BY JANELLE LEESON
Irina Ozhigova / Stocksy
It’s simple to get carried away when buying in your new cat. Or to really feel overwhelmed and never know the place to start out. Naturally, you need to welcome your new member of the family residence with all the things they want. In case you’re bringing residence a brand new cat otherwise you’re contemplating adopting a cat, right here’s all the things 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 put up, 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?
Quite a lot of cat specialists recommend getting ready everybody within the household for the obligations of cat care. You’ll additionally need to arrange a cat-friendly surroundings earlier than a single toe bean ever enters the home. Designate a quiet area in your cat to step by step acclimate, set up a constant routine, and prioritize common veterinary checkups.
The benefit of organising your property in your cat earlier than they arrive is guaranteeing a snug and protected area in your kitty, in addition to establishing clear roles and obligations for everybody else. All in all, just a little prep will make the transition from the shelter to your property a easy one.
To organize your property and household for a brand new cat:
- Designate roles and obligations: Take into account all the things from cat care to meals and litter field duties.
- Set home guidelines: Ought to the cat be allowed within the bed room at evening?
- Create a routine: Take into account how typically and when your cat might be fed.
- Put together your cat’s protected area: The room must be a small, quiet room with important provides. They’ll keep on this room in the course of 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 objects.
- 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 frequent coaching cues, comparable to sit, keep, and depart it.
What do it’s worthwhile to purchase when bringing residence a cat?
Generally, it’s good to evaluate your cat’s preferences earlier than sinking an excessive amount of cash into each standard mattress, toy, tower, and deal with. We’ve narrowed down this listing of cat necessities for brand spanking new pet mother and father, so that you’ll have all the things prepared in your cat’s arrival, reasonably than leaving you with extra cat provides than you or your cat know what to do with.
Meals and water bowls
In case you’re adopting multiple 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 usually best to scrub. Cats must also all the time have entry to scrub, contemporary water. You would possibly even contemplate getting a cat water fountain, because the filters maintain water brisker for longer than a conventional bowl.
Litter packing containers and litter
You’ll want one litter field per cat, plus an additional one. Place the packing containers in quiet, simply accessible spots away from their meals, water, and areas with excessive visitors or startling noises. Kittens and seniors are inclined to do greatest with low-entry litter packing containers, and typically, cats ought to have the ability to comfortably flip round contained in the litter field with out touching the edges. As for the very best cat litter, go for a sand-like consistency with out added perfumes, as these are typically 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. In case you plan to journey by aircraft along with your cat, search for an airline-approved cat service.
Scratching put up
Cats’ scratching preferences can differ; some favor 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 favor 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 applicable 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 is usually a little overwhelming and scary for some cats, contemplate an enclosed mattress comparable to a cat tent, cave, or cubby.
Collar and identification tag
The most typical forms 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 beneath 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 fast identification. Breakaway collars will unclip from themselves if snagged, providing an additional layer of security. Make sure the tag consists of 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 certain to occur, and after they do, you’ll be glad to have the very best cleaners for pet messes available. Enzymatic pet cleaners are your greatest wager as a result of they break down uric acid in pet urine to eradicate odors, reasonably than cowl them up.
Toys
Having a couple of toys available is a good suggestion as a result of cats require a minimum of half-hour of every 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 keep 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 a couple of 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 completely different from the provides for an grownup cat. That stated, there are a couple of key variations in cat provides made for adults, seniors, and kittens. Right here’s what to remember when looking for a brand new kitten:
- Low-entry litter field: Kittens have brief legs and want a litter field with a low entrance for simple entry. The identical might be stated for senior cats who might have arthritis.
- Straightforward-to-access meals and water bowls: Go for bowls which might be shallow sufficient for kittens to comfortably eat and drink with out straining their necks.
- Scratching posts and climbing constructions: Kittens are typically extra curious and have extra vitality than grownup cats. Present them with protected and stimulating climbing constructions, comparable to cat bushes or cabinets, to train and discover their environment safely. Whereas they could want extra choices for climbing and scratching, kittens and grownup cats can usually use the identical furnishings.
- Kitten meals: Cat meals is formulated to fulfill the precise dietary wants of cats at completely different levels of life. Kittens, as an example, should eat meals labeled as kitten meals for progress 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, change to grownup cat meals formulated for upkeep. When you have any questions on what meals to feed your cat, how a lot, or how typically, seek the advice of your veterinarian.
What toys are applicable for a brand new kitten?
When buying toys for a brand new kitten, contemplate ones that encourage your kitten to stalk and pounce, comparable to wand toys with feathers. They’re not solely enjoyable in your kitten, but in addition assist construct a bond between you and them. Like grownup cats, kittens additionally take pleasure in toys they’ll 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 may very well be a choking hazard. After play periods, safely retailer any toys with strings that might 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 need to defend your cat from hazards and your belongings from harm. Cowl electrical cords, cables, and telephone chargers to stop your cat from chewing on them, which might result in critical damage. Hold cabinets, particularly these containing cleansing provides and drugs, securely locked. Hold an eye fixed out for different hazards, too, comparable to dropped drugs 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 constructions, 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 potential may very well be a sensible transfer. Simply as you may want medical insurance earlier than you get sick, the identical goes in 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 conversant in the clinic, and set up a relationship along with your veterinarian. In case you’re adopting a kitten reasonably 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 effectively on-line at Insider Evaluations, NBC Choose, Store Right now, PetMD, and Each 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
