Imminent adoption-what's good to get and what should be avoided?!

[MollyBloomYes]

I’ve registered to adopt a cat and, provided I pass the home inspection (not worried, I was completely honest on the application which they’re happy with) will have a cat reserved! 8 month old boy and I’m very excited!
So…wise cat owners of Mumsnet, I’m asking for recommendations for cat stuff, products you love etc

Open or closed litter box? What kind of litter?

Scratching toys/cat towers-any yours particularly love? I’ll be letting the cat outside eventually but will be keeping it inside for the first few weeks so don’t want it to take out any boredom on the sofa! I'm going to get a bunch of small toys as well but some scratching stuff will be needed too.

Tips for any outside space stuff? I’ve got a patio type area out the back and a fenced lawn to the front-both will probably be escapable which is fine if it wants to roam a bit when ready but I’d like to try and make the patio cat friendly to encourage it to stay close (patio has two levels and a small flowerbed)

Do I need a fancy bowl? I’ve seen some ‘anti reflux’ bowls, do I need one or will a bog standard one suffice?

Cat tracker collars?! Ridiculous idea or not? Obviously it’ll be microchipped but I find the idea of knowing where it is quite soothing when I let it out

Best sort of bed to get?

Any tips on which insurance to go with? Is there a particularly decent company or are they all much of a muchness?

Anything else?! As it’s probably painfully obvious to see, I’ve never had a cat before, I was brought up with dogs so I just want to make sure I’m not going to waste my money on something that looks cool but is, in fact, a total load of wank that no cat would look twice at (I realise that this could conceivably apply to anything depending on the cat’s mood )

I second cats best litter as you can lift the wees out too so it doesn't smell and a litter locker bin. Plus cheapo flat card scratcher.

they don't do grateful but they do tolerate us .

My DD tells them they've fallen on their paws having the house/their garden/ four doting adults to look after them.

Our male was sitting at the base of the washing whirly glaring at a magpie . He didn't crouch to pounce , he must've known he had no chance so he was angrily thrashing his tail round so the magpie knew how angry he was .

So you do know The Litter Tray Law ?

Photos .

I would never have thought it, but actually one of those anti anxiety cat beds has been my greatest purchase. My old girls slept wherever they wanted. Our rescue boy is antsy and grumpy but oh lord, when he gets into the bed he starts kneading away, purring to take the roof off, and even tolerates being stroked. So it probably depends on the cat but if you get a grouch, remember this recommendation

@MollyBloomYes - don’t worry, ask away as much as you need! Shows you have exactly the right attitude to a cat adopting you

I can remember feeling like this when I was preparing for my first one - wish I’d had this sort of forum at the time! We had a dog when I was at home, so had no idea what to expect. I can remember being a bit surprised when I cleaned the litter tray for the first time. Am not sure why, but I was expecting rabbit-type pellets of poo - I was quite shocked by what I actually found !

Oh god @70isaLimitNotaTarget what is The law of the Litter Tray? Does it go something along the line of 'don't even think about putting on carpet you plum'

@Furries little rabbit poos would be delightful! Sadly I'm aware this will not be the case! Although at one point I had three guinea pigs and cleaning out their hutch and run was such an undertaking that I vowed I wasn't having them again, much as I love the ridiculous little creatures. So. Much. Poo.

@Furries little rabbit poos would be delightful! Sadly I'm aware this will not be the case! Although at one point I had three guinea pigs and cleaning out their hutch and run was such an undertaking that I vowed I wasn't having them again, much as I love the ridiculous little creatures. So. Much. Poo.

Pictures is the law!!!

Mine hates a scratch post but loves a scratch box (the flat cardboard type)
Yeowww catnip toy off amazon (some go mad for them)
Mine is happy with a catnip mouse, a ball and all the pens he steals
Unusually he does use his bed but blankets, sofas and my office chair are all fair game

We've just adopted two sisters. My old cat was happy with old bits of coarse carpet stuck to pieces of wood and dotted around the house, but we bought the scratching post that milienhaus recommends at the top of this thread.

It's really tall and sturdy and they both use it. I ordered the perch to go on the top by mistake and cba to send it back, and one of the cats does often sit on there.

Shallow food bowls seem best so that they don't bang their whiskers.

Very exciting!

Ah , no the Law of the Litter-Tray ( this section) is photos are compulsary once your new overlord takes possesion .

My DD and I kept guinea-pigs for eight years ( we had a rolling stock, at one point we had a boar+ his two wives and another two sows who wouldn't bond . He was castrated , no breeding )

My DH always wanted cats so when we were pigless we looked for our felines . (He got me to search CPL / Rescue sites)

We all love the cats but I do say to him :
The guineas didn't walk over the keyboard
The guineas didn't stay out late
The guineas didn't bring in dead things

To which he replies The guineas didn't DO anything

But I win on the pooh tray . Rodent pooh , far less noxious .

Ohhhh I see! Yes, absolutely there will be photos once he's here! House inspection was today, she was really nice and very sensible about some of the questions 'well that one's not really relevant is it so don't worry' kind of thing. It did feel bizarre showing my phone all around my house!

So now I guess I wait!

WE GOT HIM! Just had the phone call! Only slight annoyance is he's probably not going to be ready til Sept but that's ok as I can buy stuff to be ready, research and question myself even more and even sneak in a sneaky weekend away! My youngest is fit to bust so that'll be some interesting management but a weekly trip/queue to the shops to buy a small toy to put in the cat's toy basket will hopefully help!

Oh I'm SO excited! I promise photos as soon as his lordship is here and settled in! Thank you so much for all the brilliant tips. Still not sure about litter box placement but I've got a month to figure it out. And also talk myself down from the Modkat litter box because it's ridiculously expensive (but also looks so cool)

Eeeeeeee!

Oh how lovely. Is he a kitten? Can you tell youngest baby cats need their mummies milk so he has to stay with her another few weeks?.

Congratulation on your upcoming servitude.

Closed litter box - we don't have the flap on ours because neither cat likes it. Be prepared to have more than one and try different types of litter out.

Any old bowl will do

We have a catit fountain but I don't think they use it.

Catnip spray
Cardboard scratchy thing with holes and ball to play with.

Cat toy wands.

We've taught our kitten to come to the sound of a bell and also by clicking our fingers before stroking she comes when we click.

Whatever you buy the will probably
Ignore .

Setember eh?

It's not too late to change your mind and get some more guinea-pigs ...

Each cat is different and they change their likes and dislikes over time. We had two cats. One loves beds they other didn’t, but since Fluffcat died, Batcat now insists on sleeping in bed next to me if it’s cold or on the sofa. He also prefers not to sit on the floor or any hard surface!

What worked for both of them was a big closed litter box (so they had privacy) and catnip toys. They hated anything that rustled... we gave up with collars after they lost 6 between them - one of which stayed on less than a day...

The most favoured bed was this one fetch.co.uk/danish-design-cosy-cat-bed-207298011 or in winter a fleecy dog mat on the underfloor heated floor. The best catnip toys (King catnip) eg fetch.co.uk/king-catnip-banana-cat-toy-421486011

Look forward to seeing the photos.

Mine appear at my bedside in the small hours, stretch up on my bedside table ( dual purpose of throwing my glasses onto the floor and scaring the shit out of me)

I have no idea who does it , they are identical and I'm blurry eyed .
Little swine

Ahhh I'm so glad you have a kitty coming to you!! Is it the one you were planning on before inspection?!

September isn't too long to wait...

(also I seem to have NCed without actually meaning to, was just cocking around in the settings 😂)

Really excited to see pics when your new fluff arrives!

Yeah there is no benefit to a collar as they could end up getting hurt or worse.
Also avoid like the plague anything with the words Bob Martin on them,ie flea treatments etc.There have been cases were cats have died or had to have very expensive vet treatment after using their products.

Helloooo everyone! Gosh so much time has gone by and yet still we don't have our cat! Not long to wait though!
My friend returned some stuff I'd lent her when she had a baby. Including a Poddlepod. Which with my last baby we'd always referred to as the 'dog bed'. But actually I think its size looks like it would very much do for a cat. Was wondering what I was going to do with it because I couldn't really bear to throw it away 😂

Still really want that tv bed though...

ModKat litter boxes are an absolute rip off. I had one and hated it. Replaced it with a cheapo wilko one, which is just as good.