What do I need to buy... and not buy?

[WalkingThePlank]

We're getting our first cat and it rather feels like expecting our first baby and not knowing what to buy. I remember needing a list for our first baby.

So, are there any 'must-buys' and anything that is 'don't bother, it's a waste of money' when it comes to preparing for the arrival of a cat?

I am a complete cat novice.

[MrsBertMacklin]

Don't rush out to buy toys. My cat loves small balls of scrunched foil, a hairbrush she found under the bed and chasing my scarf. All balls and toy mice are ignored.

Scratching post. Train by putting paws on it to show what to do and praising. Firm single loud NO if scratching elsewhere and swiftly moving over to post and repeating training.

Cozie will steer you right on the more important bits

[ghostyslovesheep]

food, litter tray, blanket - toys etc can be too tempting - no cat I have ever owned used the scratchy post etc and none used those 'hidey' cat bed things

My two little ones are obsessed with my shoes and bits of paper - as well as feet!

[WalkingThePlank]

Thanks so far.

I'm also wondering how you dispose of cat litter.

[scurryfunge]

Yes, hidey hole cat bed- complete waste of money.

[Meow75]

Cat litter goes in the landfill wheelie bin here. We use the sawdust type as my two won't tolerate anything else.

[Meow75]

And hidey hole beds - as much personal preference as anything else. None of ours have ever been fussed UNTIL the 2 we've got now.

The radiator hanging beds have also been very popular ... in the winter!!

Dreamies = crack cocaine for cats. My two would do ANYTHING for a Dreamie or 6. The adverts of the cats through the wall was dead right!!!

[cozietoesie]

Hi Walking

Disposal of cat litter is pretty straightforward here - for the type we have.

We've always used natural earth clumping litter (Sainsbury's or Co-op are the favoured brands) so any pees clump into a nice little ball if you have the ltter deep enough. We lift up the clumps - or solids - and deposit on a couple of sheets of newspaper, fold the newspaper round them to form a neat little parcel and then put parcels in a plastic bag for disposal in the bin every day or two.

As I don't take any newspapers myself, we use the free ones that you'll find in local supermarkets/libraries or friends and relatives donate their old ones. We also use hard metal scoops (flour scoops or cheap gardening trowels are ideal) as the plastic scoops you usually find are a bit hopeless.

Some other posters use the kiind of litter that you can just flush down the loo so they can advise you on that.

[givemushypeasachance]

Dreamies are loved, that's a definite!

Favourite cheap toys include scrunched foil/balls of paper, tied up crisp packets, plastic bottle tops, pop up cubes, boinks. Favourite bit more expensive toy is a Flying Frenzy and various attachments.

You can't beat a crocheted blanket for a cat bed, cardboard boxes also good, mine do like actual cat beds but plenty of cats I've known have shunned them.

[GoodboyBindleFeatherstone]

I've never had a cat that's not used a scratch post.

My list would be
Scratch post,
Box & blanket bed,
Bowls & placemat,
Covered litter tray & clumping litter,
Kitten harness for first ventures outside,
Catnip.

[QueenFuri]

Litter tray
Cat box for traveling
I bought mine a igloo bed, she took one look at it and its now been donated to my brothers kitten, I bought fussy a 4.99 bed from B&M which she quite likes.
2 separate bowls, mine has a plastic one for food and a metal one for water as she prefers this.
Scratching post- I paid 17 pounds from Amazon
A couple of cheap toys mine likes her mouse and fishing rod, favorite toy however is a fruit shoot lid which she carries around in her mouth or a plastic bag to roll around in.
Dreamies preferably the chicken or salmon ones mine is seriously addicted and think everytime I walk in the kitchen I'll be giving her a couple which I usually do!

With the cat litter I put newspaper down before the litter to make cleaning it out easier and scoop it out usually once a day, then change completely once or twice a week. I pop it into a bag and put in the wheelie bin outside.

[WalkingThePlank]

Thank you all. Have just got back from Pets at Home. So like going to Mothercare!

I've bought a bed, cosy but open. I'm sure its wasted money but I can't not buy a bed for a guest.

I'm interested in the idea that some litter is flushable - which brand is that? I'm going to buy some from the rescue centre so that our cat doesn't have to poop on anything new.

I've been told that she likes Dreamies so have stocked up.

I'm so looking forward to collecting her.

[MrsBertMacklin]

Good luck with moving in day Plank and remember: photos please

[shaska]

My flushable litter is Okoplus Cat's Best, it's online at Zooplus but might be at Pets at Home too, I'm not sure.

The balls of wee and poop get flushed - don't make the mistake our catsitter made and think you can just empty the entire tray down the loo, that doesn't turn out well at all. I do a complete change once a month or so with daily topups, and a big sack last ages, and works out much cheaper than the catsan we were using before. You can also compost it if you have a compost pile.

But yes, maybe stick with what the cat is used to for a little while before swapping, if you plan to.

[Pipbin]

My baby cat loves my Waitrose shopping bag. She will sit, sleep and play on it over everything else.

I have 3 bowls, one for water, one for dry food and one for wet food.

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

We use the Cat's Best Oko Plus and flush it, just carry the trays to the loo, scoop out the clumps/poos (max 2 or 3 per flush), job done. Our loo is near where the litter trays live, so that might make a difference.

We've never nought beds for ours, but have given them some old wooden boxes from Ikea and bath mats, plus the old babymats/buggysnuggle and they are happy with those. They also love getting into the big blue Ikea bags (especially when they are full of clean laundry).

They do use their scratching post (get a tall one so they can stretch upwards) and they also LOVE getting their claws into those cheap foam kneeling mats for the garden.