We're getting a cat... please advise

[wearegettinacat]

Hey we are getting a cat and I am looking for recommendations for the following please:

Most budget friendly but healthy cat food. Also dry/wet or a bit of both?

Best cat litter?

Any particular bowls ?

Also seen a lot about catnip?! What is it? Do I need it?

Congratulations on adopting a cat!!

Glass, ceramic or metal bowls are best. They can go in the dishwasher, won't hold smell like plastic bowls, and won't cause the chin dermatitis that some cats can get from plastic bowls.

Enjoy your new kitty!!!

Tabby cat around 2 years old

Tabby girls are the absolute best!

@scampuss why no collar ?

I love tabby cats, like tiny tigers.

Do you have any type of names you are looking for? How about a spice name (paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg)?

My guess is because of danger to the cat if the collar catches on something. Even the quick release collars become more likely to stick over time unless they’re kept clean.

Those are cute names!

Maybe something autumnal or Halloween themed could work too!

A cat that belonged to someone on our street strangled herself in a tree when her collar got snagged. I think it was sold as quick release but the collar failed.

Some cat charities say collars are okay as long as they are quick release and regularly checked, but quite a few say they are not worth the risk.

I had been planning to put collars on ours, but having read more about the risk benefit trade off and heard about what happened to this poor neighbouring kitty I now don’t think I could risk it.

Autumn would be a great name for a tabby. Or a tree name perhaps. Fern? Willow? Rowan?

Greetings from my tabby cat!

Whatever you call her, I bet you find yourself using nicknames!

Tabby Girl
Our cats have shallow bowls with the scalloped edges , once DH gave the boy a plain bowl <> and he properly whinged till I changed it .

The Rescue will give you info on food , we gradually changed their biscuits to grain-free but kept them on Whiskas pouches after several trial/error .
They get a scoop of biscuits at night with their evening meal.
Cats (all animals) like the security of routine . She'll pick her sleeping area and like the regularity of meal times .
Ours like sleeping on :dining room chairs/sofa/hammock/tall cat tower / our bed
They ignore the cat scratching post in favour of the sofa , get told "No" walk off , 20 seconds later comes back to scratch , gets told "no" etc. I'm sure our male had his brain replaced with a goldfish brain when he was neutered !

They are lovely though

My Tabby name would be Kermit ( if it was a mackeral tabby , but I like the name anyway )

Bowls do matter…get one that is wide and shallow (google whisker fatigue) and preferable one that is on a stand so they don’t have to stoop their necks. It’s much more comfortable for them.

Some cats like tall scratching posts and some love horizontal scratchers.

As for names:
Mirabelle
Aspen
Selina
Zazie
Jazz
Daphne
Violeta

What colour tabby is she?

With toys, see what type of activity she enjoys e.g. by attaching some material to string to see if she plays with it when you dangle and move it. Ours doesn't enjoy this, however we randomly round she's obsessed with chasing crunched up foil balls we throw for her. So, spend nothing at first and see what she likes. There are also videos for cats to watch on YouTube.

There are also videos for cats to watch on YouTube

Oh yes , birds videos , our boy likes the Magpies For Cats ..
DH put it on the big telly and MaleCat is obsessed , reaching up , going along the front of the screen, behind the screen .
Even though these things appear to be twice his size , he's game , if a little delusional .

Matilda is a good name for a cat. I can't tell you why, quite, but I think it is.

Matilda is lovely - my DD had a guinea-pig she called Tilly with Matilda as her Sunday name ;

@wearegettinacat
your new cat will have nicknames , as well as her real name just don;t expect her to answer to them

Hi OP congratulations on getting a cat to rescue you from the horror of not having a cat!
In terms of names how about Professor McGonagal after the deputy head of Hogwarts who turns up as a tabby cat in the opening scene of the first book.
And it's a nice tribute to the late Maggie Smith.

And it's a nice tribute to the late Maggie Smith

Or Maggie , if you like people names ?.