Adopting a cat is a huge step. Your feline friend will be there for you through thick and thin, and bringing a new animal into your family is guaranteed to change your life. If you’re both excited and overwhelmed with everything involved in helping a new life merge with yours, many find a time-honored practice helpful: Retail therapy.
Priority one is the potty.
Your cat will, first and foremost, need a place to “go.” If you are adopting a kitten, consider starting with a trainer litter box, which are smaller and easier to access for little animals. If your cat is big enough to climb into a traditional litter box, choices abound, from economy boxes to robotic boxes and beyond. You’ll probably also want a mat to go outside the litter box door to catch any stray grains of litter.
Water and food dishes.
Decorated dishes are always popular, but as an animal surgeon, I prefer metal dishes to ceramic ones because ceramic dishes can chip. Animals are in danger of eating or drinking these sharp shards, which is why I prefer basic stainless bowls. If you’re destined to decorate, consider cool placemats or nice trays for the bowls to sit on.
Cat food.
There are tons of choices for cat food—budget and designer, solid and wet, the list goes on—and the decision leaves many new cat parents feeling confused. My best recommendation is to visit your pet clinic or animal hospital to ask the animal surgeons what type of food is best for your individual feline. Cats of different breeds, ages, and medical needs require various kinds of food, and your vet will be the best partner to help you choose on behalf of Fluffy. If you have specific questions, please call us or make an appointment online with LazyPaw Animal Hospitals.
Other basics…
Your cat should always wear a breakaway collar with a tag. Pet ID tags should include information to help someone return your cat to you should they go for a walk on the wild side and stray from home. To help endear her to your home, give your cat a special, cozy bed. These can be homemade from a pillow and blankets or truly unique, but what matters is that Fluffy has a soft place to curl up.
Toys galore.
You don’t have to break the bank on fancy toys for your kitty, but you do need to make sure they have lots of different things to play with. Feather balls and fishing pole wands with toys on a string are great, but sometimes cats are just as happy with an empty paper bag from the grocery store or a cardboard box. DIY cat toy ideas abound, from the simple to the elaborate.
