Getting our first cat in 15 years - what do we need?

[Alevelnamechange]

We are tentatively very excited as we're looking to get a cat - we are meeting a potential cat on Saturday.

I know we're going to need a bunch of stuff:

• Insurance
• Carrier
• Bed
• Bowls
• Litter tray (at least for the short term while the cat acclimatises to our house)
• Toys
• Maybe a scratch pole

What am I missing?

I'm just searching options on Amazon and based on the reviews, how do these look? Bowls, Bed, Carrier, Litter Tray.

Do you have recommendations for things we might be missing, or options for the things we know we'll need?

They don't need to be 'perfect' right now, as we won't know the cat's preferences - my dear old cat refused his fancy cat bed and slept in any errant cardboard box he could find.

Sorry if this is a bit of a weird "I know nothing" post, I just want to make sure the cat is as comfortable as possible when s/he arrives.

My two go crazy for spring toys, you can get them pretty cheaply on Amazon.

A laser pointer is a great toy too.

Dreamies are cat crack.

Mine completely ignore their lovely soft beds and have chosen their favourite armchairs, I just have blankets on the chairs for them.

I'd definitely get a scratching post at least (or a cat tree if you have the space).

Cat nip spray encourages them to use the scratching post!

Enjoy, it's an exciting time!

I second the springs. They do get lost though, buy a huge pack from Amazon.

I’ve never bothered with a scratching pole but the my cats have never scratched.

Is it an adult or a kitten?

Put aside one room to keep them in for the first week or so. Make sure they have a safe space to go to.

Ours love the cardboard scratching mats you can get rather than the posts 😊

Mine used to like radiator beds when they were kittens. But now no bed at all.

Get one of the balls you put the treats inside that they have to roll around to get out.

Lint roller!

Nail clippers.

The cat we're meeting at the weekend is 10 months old, so a teenager.

She has already had a litter of kittens, so I feel like she needs some TLC and a nice caring environment, as well as somewhere to be playful (as she's really only a big kitten).

We plan to use our dining room as "her space" where she can get some space away from us (it's at the end of the house, so isn't a room we walk through to get to other rooms), we'll eat in the kitchen until she's settled.

We already have a cat flap, but we'll cover it over, so that she doesn't get over excited and try to get out before it's time.

Springs are a good call, I'll add those!

And I found that me and the cats prefer wooden pellet litter rather than clumping or stones. Smells fresher for longer and no little stones walked around the floors.

Yes, one of the pictures of her has her scratching a scratching mat! I'll grab one/some of those!

I was going to ask about litter - wooden pellet litter - noted and in the basket!

They do love dreamies, but if you can afford it try and give them better quality treats. Mine love a brand called Thrive, they do different types of fishy bits but it's all natural dried fish.

Lots of toys, as you've mentioned. Though my cats favourite toy even now is a tampon tied to a bit of string🤣

My other little boy played fetch with a plastic biscuit eraser for the first two years! So the toys they like might not be as expected as you think!

They also love boxes and sleeping on freshly ironed laundry more than any bed you will buy for them!

Stock up on flea/worm treatment, and daktarin cream which you can use if they get ringworm. My little fella had ringworm when we got him but I don't think it's exceptionally common. Just good to have for an emergency.

Hopefully they have outdoor access? If you can get a cat flap then all the better, even if it's just onto a balcony/terrace.

I'm so excited for you. Having cats again will be such a joy! Xx

As well as dreamies ours loves the licky sticks - it's basically a long thing pouch of a yogurt like meat flavoured paste. Huge favourite.

Depending on whether she seems stressed on arrival we found the plug in de-stress "fragrances" worked well initially - didn't need them after a while. We also had a mat under the litter tray which catches any stray litter - something like this amzn.eu/d/8xH0CjX worked (sorry - can't make link work properly)!

When I had my old cat he used to get a flea and worming jab from time-to-time, is that still the done thing?

We have a back garden - the cat flap is in the kitchen door and leads to a patio, then a lawn, and flower beds beyond. It's enclosed with a 6ft fence/wall - but I am hugely aware that any nimble cat can get over a 6ft wall, so I don't have any delusions that she'll stay in the garden.

@Alevelnamechange the garden situation sounds good. Don't worry if they go out of the garden, they'll establish their territory soon enough.
You should give them a spot on flea treatment each month, but some cats are allergic to fleas and or certain flea medicine. So take them to the vets for advice when you first get them. But usually the green frontline works on most cats and you can buy it easily.

A chaise longue ofc
www.petsathome.com/product/just-for-kitten-chaise-catnip-cat-scratcher/7132326P?productId=7132326&purchaseType=one-time&size=oneSize

They usually tell you
I had a flat scratcher, he looked at me and scratched the sofa so now I have a scratch pole as he likes to stretch up and scratch

I bought a cat bed, he looked at me, climbed under the duvet next to me and fell asleep

His favourite toy is a piece of balled up baking paper to play fetch with
There's some great catnip toys

amzn.eu/d/eNjYZS3

And this one which is bigger so good for chewing/kicking

amzn.eu/d/9Ph1j1a

@outforawalkbiatch
Spike??

lucky you getting a cat with a preference! Mine have flat and tall scratchers and still like to go for the carpets and sofas!

OP also keep your Amazon boxes and a bag for life around, mine love sitting in them

@Buffypaws yes!

We just got kittens for the first time in about 15 years so in a similar position.

Ours absolutely love the licky sticks treats. It’s a good way to tempt them out when they are feeling shy.

One of those wands with a feather on the end?

Quite a lot of vets do a scheme where you pay monthly to the cost of routine care (ie flea and worm treatment, vaccinations, dental checks) and then those are included. You can work out whether it is more cost effective to do that or just pay as you go.

Ours have no interest in the bed we bought them and prefer sleeping on the bookshelf!

Mine loves his water fountain.

Also, if it is a rescue, it may come with a few weeks free insurance which gives you a bit of time to shop around and work out what the best deal is.

I'd second a water fountain. I wouldn't get a laser pointer though-it can cause psychological problems.

Feliway
Cat nip
My boys LOVE cat trees, we have 2 and they spend 90% of their time on them ... usually sleeping! They're by our big back doors so they survey their property from comfort of their tree 🤣🐾

We just got two youngsters last week, so I’ve been doing all this shopping too. Our old girl was very set in her ways and never used anything cat-specific so it’s been fun to buy cat beds and trees.

I think most pps have covered everything, but just to add that cats prefer their water source to be well away from their food, ideally in a different room (or far side of the room at the very least), so those double bowls you linked to aren’t great. Unless you’re planning to put dry food in one bowl and wet in the other, of course.

My most successful purchase so far has been this cat tree, which Lars loves. He actually uses the scratching post part of it, which is amazing to me having only had cats that scratched carpets and furniture in the past.

The only thing I'd add being a very novice cat owner myself is never give up on anything. We bought loads of beds, blankies, toys etc for Elton (PFC syndrome) most of which were ignored for months. However as they get more confident then most of these things eventually get used - even if it's not how you intended!

Yeah same thing happened with my cat springs. Both mine and my sisters’ cats were half hearted about them. Then after a few months they were obsessed.