Help with recommended cat equipment please - I need everything, fast!

[minipie]

Sooo we are off to see two rescue cats this weekend and one of them, if we like her, we would be taking home pretty much straight away!!! So excited!

But... I don’t have anything! Except a catflap, which will be kept locked for a while anyway. I thought we’d be looking for a while so didn’t get organised.

Please can you recommend to me any particular cat bed, cat tower, and scratching post you’ve found cats particularly seem to like? Bowls - are water fountains better or not necessary for most cats?

I was thinking one or two of those mostly enclosed felt ball type of beds so she can hide away a bit?

Any recommendations much appreciated.

Just 2 separate bowls. One food one water.
Litter tray and litter.
We found cardboard flat scratches very good. With catnip in and only a few £.
Take a trip to pets at home.
Good luck and enjoy your kitty.

Mine have never used an enclosed cat bed but love a beanbag!

Zooplus is great online if you’d prefer that.

Be prepared for your cat to ignore all your lovingly selected items in favour of some scraggy old rags or boxes.

food bowls shallower the better so they don’t have to dunk their whiskers
water bowls simple and cheap, fountains are generally unnecessary they’ll drink from a dripping tap if they want something like that.
beds maybe get a couple of cheap squashy ones (fake fur lined ones popular with mine) but they’ll prefer to drape themselves on your radiators, sofa, chairs, laundry (ironing pile and dirty laundry basket) and your beds anyway. radiator hammock always popular at this time of year. the fluffy fleecy ones and we have one thats sort of a wicker tube they hide in (and bulge out of). some like an enclosed bed, some will squash it down and curl on top of it. if they take towels off the rail to make a nest you’ll know.
a range of toys to entertain them with.

I’d add some Thrive treats to the list, healthy and every cat I know loves these (test out small tube from petshop, bigger tub online better value). White fish ever popular but there are a few varieties, its just dried fish not sugary or artificial.

good luck.

What we used:

3 bowls (wet food, dry food, water) and mats to put them on.

Scratching post (more for perching opportunities than scratching)

Flea comb

Some toys (Da Bird/Da Mouse is our cat’s favourite but anything with catnip in goes down well)

A large, covered litter tray, litter (we like clumping litter) and a scoop.

A cat carrier, preferably a top opener as it is so much easier than the kind where you have to stuff them through the door.

You may want collars - make sure you get the quick-release kind.

Our cat showed disdain for a cat bed, as there are human beds in our house, and some of the toys we bought.

Cardboard bed scratchers from zooplus, tall scratching post from pets at home. They also like shoe boxes

Shallow bowls for food/water. Ours sit on a silicone mat to prevent too much food getting on the floor. We have a high sided litter tray

Never used collar. Cats are microchipped

We have enclosed litter tray and normal bowls for food and water. They refuse to entertain anything else specifically marketed at cats so have given up trying. They will love the box it comes in though. They will look at you as if you are crazy waving a cat toy and then go frantic playing football or rather footpen with a discarded biro. They will walk right past the cat bed and sit down on the one blanket you wanted to use and dh declared a cat free zone. Pile of clean washing is even more prized! Enjoy your cats.

Thank you all!

Wouldn’t have thought of treats, how silly is that! They don’t appear on any of the “kit lists” online but of course we will want to have treats. Good to have healthy ones too thanks

I thought of the enclosed beds because we have DC so want the cat to have a hiding place! But maybe a high up bed or blanket somewhere (on a shelf they can get to?) would be better. Radiator hammock sounds like a plan. I’d quite like one of those myself.

I do have a whole load of cardboard boxes so maybe I’ll put blankets in a couple and see what she seems to like before I get something more permanent. Also have beanbags.

Cat carrier - fabric kind or plastic kind? Fabric kind looks cosier but leds washable? Top opening noted thank you!

Mats for under the bowls - noted, wouldn’t have thought of that
Flea comb (eek) - noted
Flat scratches with catnip - sound amazing!

Zooplus and petsathome I will check out thank you

Thanks all!

Haha to the laundry! I don’t have an ironing pile as I don’t iron, but will have to find somewhere to hide the clean laundry... or just put it away immediately I suppose (chances)

If you're on zooplus then Cosma snackies are like thrive freeze dried treats but cheaper. Webbox sticks also go down well

Second zooplus. They do a cheap bag of mixed toys (mice, balls etc.) that mine absolutely love. Also a feather toy on an elastic string with a bell, very popular here. Toys are great for bonding.

We have their flower cat tree, they love it. Mine don't like plush covers, I think because of static electricity (they are fluffy - again will depend on cat).

And just to say that clumping litter isn't suitable for kittens as they may eat it, so that depends on the age of your cat.

Things on a string type toys are great according to all my dcats.

Dcat1 was an avid avoider of cat beds until he got a teepee for Christmas. Now he's a big fan! However it's on an armchair so he has some height and can get away from any children if he feels he needs to.

Toys if they are little. Something dangly on a stick and maybe a little ball (although sweet wrappers also work well).

Some good ideas here. Just remember, whatever bed you buy for a cat, they will generally prefer the box it came in. Buy Dreamies - my cats will do anything for them (my dog too!) Enclosed litter trays are great. My cats like clumping litter. Enjoy sharing your life with them - love mine to bits

PS get pet insurance

With the bowls - avoid the duo type (two attached bowls for food and water) as cats prefer having food and water in separate areas.

I prefer ceramic bowls - plastic can degrade over time and is linked to feline acne. If investing in a cat water fountain, ceramic is preferable to plastic too, for the same reason but my cat drinks from a pint glass instead of the expensive fountain

Litter trays - have one per cat plus one spare (so two for one cat, three for two etc) in separate areas. Ideally low traffic areas ie not in a corridor if possible.

Beds - you can try but the probably won't use it

I have this "cat barrel" rather than a tree as my cat is bad at being a cat ahem, athletically challenged. She likes the hidey holes and hanging out at the top; she prefers scratching the sofa though.
www.amazon.co.uk/Elegant-Scratch-Sleeping-Space-Saver-Furniture/dp/B00U34AB2U/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?keywords=cat+barrel&sprefix=cat+barre&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1578611865&sr=8-6

another vote for Zooplus, and Bitiba.

mine binge and puke Dreamies 😆.

cat nip and sweet wrappers yes! mine go crazy for silver paper off Lindt bars so I’m forced to eat a lot of those.

Cats don't need equipment. Just feed them and they are happy.

For cat carriers - top loading is so much easier. I have a plastic top loading one, which I put a fleece blanket in (which can easily be removed and washed).
I also have a fabric bag type one, which my old cat liked but my current cat is less keen. It's not really washable, just wipeable, so not great if they have an accident.

We've had out beautiful rescue cat for 5 years in October. In preparation, we bought her a scratching post and cat bed. She never used the post instead preferring the walls and furniture!! She was never interested in the bed whatsoever so we took the cushion out of it and placed it on the arm of the sofa and she still sleeps on it now from time to time. She was only 1 when we got her and had already had kittens and everything was strange and new for her at first so we left her lead us. For the first few weeks, she mainly stayed upstairs on our bed, but over time as her confidence grew, she began to venture downstairs and started to play Fast forward a few years, she is the Queen of the castle! Her preferred spots are varied and many but favourites are our bed, her dedicated chair in our bedroom, the sofa itself and the arm of the sofa on her blanket. We just use standard feeding bowls. One for wet food, a double one for 2 types of wet food and a bowl for water. I don't think water fountains are necessary. Cats will choose what they like in their own time so I think it's important to give your cat space and let it come to you in. Best of luck with your planned new arrival. Hope you enjoy many happy years together.

Cat carriers.......cat may poo in it if not a good traveller, so make sure it’s cleanable.

I bought some bamboo bowls for ours.(2 adults)

Ours are fed am/pm so they have 4 bowls for food + 2 metal water bowls+ 2 ceramic biscuits bowls .

Cats are not in the least bit forgiving when their bowl is in the wash and they want dinner NOW .

Find out what they eat now , you'll need to continue that , any changes must be gradual.

Mat for the bowls is good

Litter trays and litter ( mine have Cats Best)
Scoop and pooh bags

Scratching post and high safe area ( ours have a tower but like the dining room chairs to sleep on)

Insurance (you might get a month from the Rescue)

Are you getting one cat? Have an open mind - the one you're looking at might not be "your" cat ..........you could get two ! (They aren't any more trouble )

Prepare for massive competiton in the house . When the cat bestows favour , the recipient gloats .

DS thinks the female cat doesn't trust me because she reckons she is Alpha Female in the house .
Male cat glares at my audacity if I try to touch him (the cheek of it . Uninvited contact)

I buy their food . Clean their trays . Arrange the Vet visits and take them. Vacuum up the litter tracking. Cleaned a lump of pooh off the mat