Cat lovers - which are the best kitty products - getting kitten in 2 weeks (ish) !!!

[MrsPuddleduck]

Our little kitty should be coming home in the next two weeks and I am just thinking about what to get.

I have been on the internet and found a seemingly great self cleaning litter tray by Omega (but quite pricey) and also this 'best ever cat litter' which is made out of corn and which you can flush down the loo. Is this just a gimic?

I have absolutely no experience of cats (although have been doing internet research and had a couple of books out of the library).

Basically what is the best type of bed (I was thinking Igloo type) and is it worth getting scratching posts etc?

Is there anything I have missed from the list below?

Bed, litter tray and scoop, collar, feeding bowls, carrier, scrating post and toys?

Bump - particularly regarding the cat litter and tray!

Our cats sleep on the sofa.

I use Tesco wood chip cat litter, doesn't start to smell but can't flush down loo. We have a tray with a hood on and a flap on the front, I think it was aroound £20.

Scratch post is worth getting, all of our cats have used them.

We don't use collars ours are microchipped.

Think you have everything covered enjoy!

You should NEVER put soiled cat litter down the toilet apparently... not sure why.

Personally, I got a lidded tray from Argos (£12 I think), bed from Wilkinsons (£8), a scratch post (look at www.zooplus.co.uk and get the best you can afford/fit - my kitten has grown out of her two baby ones and I may as well have saved my money with a bigger one to begin with!) and a few toys... oh and a blanket to put in the bed to make it cosy, but I'm a softie!

Don't forget to ask the breeder/owner what food they are on - get enough to transfer onto another product if you don't wand to keep that one (usually they are on some expensive stuff!) but that takes a good couple of weeks to avoid stomach aches.

Message withdrawn

Thanks for the link Lewisfan - I had been looking on Petplanet but this looks cheaper (and better).

They do a great post with a hidey hole in the bottom and a post on top. I think I will get that one!

I think I will have to get it a bed as I am going to (try to) restrict it to the kitchen and we have a vinyl floor so it will be a bit cold!

Not sure about the flushable litter now - someone else has recommended the Tesco litter so I may give it a try.

Presumably a litter tray with a cover and flap will be best.

it will sleep in the hideyhole - honestly, a bed plus a scratch post plus the food and water plus the litter tray takes up a lot of one room (I did the same when she was tiny)... so it'll be fine sleeping in the post if that makes sense.

I had one similar to this but it didn't have the hole at the bottom - just a baseplate to keep it stable and she sleeps on that.

My cat likes to sleep in a cardboard box with a blanket/cushion in it or on my bed

I use wood pellet cat litter as it contains smells much better than any other kind.

By far the best thing I've ever bought her has to be This she loves it and plays with it for HOURS!

Do cats really sleep on the top of the high posts?

If so I may get one so it can escape from the boys!

Yes - my cat will sleep on top of the sofa (the highest place in the living room) so I've got her a tall post - the Salaman.... something!! medium post from Zooplus.

It's due to come any day and I don't think I can wait - I'm sick of telling DS to leave her alone when she's asleep! This way, she can retreat where he can't reach her

when I say medium, that's because it's on that section of their site - it is 4 and a half feet tall so not exactly tiny!

One of mine sleeps on the second from top platfrom of a 5 foot tall scratching post, they do like to be up high. Also they like to use the scratching post to have a good stretch so its good to get a fairly tall one.

I use catsan litter. I think its quite good at keeping down smells.

Beds they usually ignore apart from radiator beds like this

You really should get 2 kittens, usually households with 2 or more cats, the cats are great company for each other and even curl up and go to sleep together. they like to have their own kind for company.

The basics you'll need for when kitty comes home are:

Bed (although the settee/bed will probably be his bed of choice lol, those radiator beds are nice)
food dish, water dish.
litter tray
collar w/ bell (for when he's old enough to wear it!)
supply of food & kitty litter (good quality dried food from the vet or fresh meat is the best diet)
scratching post/tower thing
toys
grooming brush if he is long-haired

Don't forget to make an appointment at the vets for his vaccinations and also for him to be neutered when he is about 5 months old.

agree 2 cats
be dnot necc imo

adn NO BELL

why no bell? it helps prevent them from catching birds/helps you locate them :p

not that he should be let outside without a secure run unless you live in a minimal-traffic area.

Definitely get two-double the fun!

Ping pong balls are a great favourite here-with adult cats as well as kittens.

As for sleeping high up-mine clib right to the top of the kitchen cabinets to sleep....

Kittens will be happy in a cardboard box if you don't want to shell out for a bed. Use an old jumper to line it that you have worn. They like the smell of you!

However mine love cashmere jumpers. If i ever leave one lying around, one of them will sit on it. (I'm bit posh like that
)

And 2 kittens are a must!

A scratching post is a good idea too.

Argos is good for cheap beds/ posts/ pet carriers.

woah, guys!
we have a food bowl, water bowl, collar.
That's it!
kitty sleeps where she chooses, sctratches the doormat.
Oh, maybe a flea comb - good to get them used to it when they're little.
Get a basic litter tray and use eco friendly litter (asda?) if poss - otherwise value stuff! Cat's have minds of their own, you buy them stuff and they turn their noses up and go and sleep on top of the wardrobe buy the minimum, then if you feel you're missing something 3 weeks after puss arrives, get it then.

Enjoy, my cat is really part of our family.

Oh, and stick to DRY food. Wet food rots their teeth and gives them kidney trouble according to our vet. And avoid food with 'additaves' - in whiskars and probably other brands they put addictive chemicals so the cat turns their nose up at other food . Get food as natural as you can afford - read the ingrediants.

oh yes! a pet carrier; I got this one

and this loo because it stops the cat flicking the litter everywhere! I had to prop the flap open for ages cos she was too small to be able to open it herself! (unless she was a particularly wimpy cat!)

ping pong balls are definitely a good thing to get and cheap!

Definitely get 2 kittens if you can. They settle so much quicker. We have 3 cats and a dog and they get along really well.

I got my scratch post from www.dogsandmogsuk.com. I thought it was worth the buy.

With trays I was gonna buy that self cleaning one but depends if you are gonna teach cat to eventually go outside or not!