Preparing for a first cat!

[Sunflower81]

Hi I've joined hoping for some pointers on getting ready for a new cat!
We're hoping to adopt a 16 week old boy cat from rescue and just waiting for a home check visit although an initial visit was positive.
I've been thinking about where to put litter trays- would you recommend one upstairs and downstairs? With a lid or without? I was thinking bathroom upstairs and in a corner or our dining room/playroom downstairs as it's laminate or possibly squeezed into the hallway?
I'm guessing he'll need a bed, toys, food and water bowls but anything else you'd recommend? We'll get a cat flap once he's settled in and been chipped, he's already been nuteured
We've already checked out insurance and a nearby vets.
Very excited and just hope we pass the home check!

Congratulations! When we adopted a rescue cat a couple of years ago they recommended we keep her in one quiet room with her bed, food and water, litter tray, and a safe place to hide for the first week, until she settled in. I've only ever had one litter tray for my cats, and only one of them would stand for having a lidded one. I think the only big purchase you've not mentioned is a pet carrier for bringing him home/taking to the vets. Good luck!

re: anything else - a 2nd kitten! Having two is so much better; they will keep each other occupied and out of trouble, and if you're out at work all day, they'll keep each other company. Do consider it if possible!

Two litter trays sounds great. Mine have the covered type but I take off the 'flap' at the front so it's easier for them to enter.

A cat tower/tree is great for scratching, climbing and having a high place to hide/sleep/observe his new slaves from.

I started with open litter trays because my little one was only six weeks old. I know have covered litter trays (curver) upstairs and down. The one upstairs is in the ensuite which has no windows and there was a smell. The covered tray has a filter which manages this better. Kitten is now 13 weeks and uses them perfectly.

I really recommend tunnels. Tesco do they for about £5. They are the most played with toy of the many many things I have bought. Also ping pong balls. Hours of entertainment - pop on in the bath (empty!!) and they will run up and down for hours,

Biggest mistake I made was buying lots of kitten food before I researched, I have three large bags of iams dry food but have read online it’s poor quaility. I also bout wet food that I now know has very low meat content. Have switched to lily’s Kitchen which is much better.

Oh and enjoy. I waited years and years to get a kitten and am so glad I did. She has a great personality and follows me around the house. She has been so easy to litter train. One accident on day one and then perfect since. I am now trying to train her not to sharpen her claws on my sofa😩.

To start with I'd get similar litter trays and food to what they're using now. When you have your home visit, they'll be able to tell you what they presently use. You could even start off with a box (with something comfy inside) as they like something quite to hide initially.

We're adopting what'll be two 17 week old kittens in just over a week. Assuming you get yours first, let me know how he settles in.

The home check is just to get a feel for you and your home. We've had cats before but things were pointed out like potpourri being at a low level and the fact a kitchen cupboard door doesn't quite close, would be great fun for kittens. We've met a foster carer and had a home visit, not saying they were open to blackmail, but both ladies liked their biscuits.

Hope the home check went well! I would make sure there is somewhere covered for your kitty to hide in when they arrive. We used a big cardboard box on its side, with one flap open, and a blanket inside. Block off any small corners they can hide unless you want them going behind the fridge/under the sofa and hiding for ages! Two kittens we had when I was a girl came home and hid under the electric fire (the gap must have only been a couple of inches!) on the first day. They were shut in the kitchen overnight and couldn't find them in the morning until we realised they had found a hole to get behind the plinth on the bottom of the kitchen cupboards and were hiding under there

Ours found a loose part of the kickboarding and moved it to hide when my mil was cat sitting.

Kitty cat will need one litter tray ( with regard to lid or not doesn't really matter ) and 2 bowls - one for food and one for water . By all means buy ' a bed ' but in my experience , as I regard animals as part of the family , kitty cat will find a favourite cushion chair or bed . They do love cardboard boxes .

Google Jackson Galaxy- US cat behaviourist. Really helpful.

My boy would recommend

Ping pong balls - lots
Cardboard boxes - various sizes
Kickeroo
Water Fountain

I would recommend several bowls for wet food and dry food depending on how much you love washing up!
Nappy sacks are great if you use clumping litter.

Don't worry if your cat hides for the first day or two. All our rescues did this and they turned out to be the friendliest cats ever!

Da bird is a good toy, you can buy catnip spray when it's an adult. It's not supposed to work on young kittens.

Those mice pets at home sell with the squeaker are really good. Milk bottle tops strung on a shoe lace used to be a brilliant toy but few of us use a milk man these days. The yellow bit out of kinder eggs can be used as toys, corks, rolled up sweet papers, washed conkers, drinking straws, shoe laces, laser pointers, anything you can bat with your paws really.

Ours loved ping pong balls but dh bought a rubber bouncy ball home one night and it bounced down every stair, hit him smack on his little forehead really hard. Poor thing still pulls his head into his body and closes his eyes at balls coming down the stairs 9 years later.

Would you advise water fountain and not a bowl?
We ordered a cat carrier, litter box, scratching post, tunnel and a cat tree as he has one at his current house.
Will save a box ready for him.
If I keep him in the dining room initially would we still be able to go in or should be just leave him in there?
Home visit was fine, cat isn't quite ready as he'd suddenly become a bit wobbly with his back legs so the fosterers wanted to keep a bit longer to make sure he's ok- he's still racing around and using the litter box fine so just taking antibiotics.
Son is now coming up with a list of Harry potter inspired cat names!

Would you advise water fountain and not a bowl?

Start with a bowl. If he refuses to drink from it then consider a fountain. He may just prefer to drink from taps though.

If I keep him in the dining room initially would we still be able to go in or should be just leave him in there?

Absolutely go in. It's important that you socialise with him. Start off by going in and reading a book (or Mumsnetting!) quietly and let him come to you.

Go in there or he'll be very lonely. We had a fountain and it was used at first but then ignored.

He has a china soupbowl now but prefers a pint measuring jug filled to the top.

Or try a human mug or beaker. My two prefer that.

Unfortunately new cat tested negative for parasites so they think he may have hip dysplasia or a spinal problem.
Which means the rescue don't feel we'd be the best family as a- it's going to be very expensive and b- more importantly he probably needs aire experienced family.
They've done the homecheck though so we're ready to adopt when the perfect cat comes along

The poor boy. I hope they've got a long term foster family for him.

The right cat for you will come along soon. Hope this sweetie will be ok.

Me too! He was so lovely and friendly- I'd love to adopt him but I agree that we're not experienced enough.
We've seen a two year old ginger and white girl who was very friendly although she did give me a bite when she's had enough strokes and seeing a black and White six month old tomorrow. Oh an a pair of adorable black and white kittens but they're very shy and I think they'd be terrified of the six year old- he's gentle but noisy!