Picking up my new baby next week...need help!

I have never owned a cat and am picking our new kitten up next Saturday. I need to get all of the kittie necessities. I know the basics...litter box, scratching post, toys, etc...but can someone tell me some of the things that I might not think of at first??

Any recommendations for types of litter, litter box, etc?? Any help would be appreciated!! THANKS!

litter non clumping if cat is a baby... Make sure the food is good quality.

How old is it? What breed?

If it is really young then non-clumping litter.
Or something like Feline Pine or Exquisi-Cat Pine is what I use. It smells like pine and it is great stuff. There is also Yesterday's News which I think smells like a barn but it is good for kittens.

Good quality food is important too, Nutro, Chicken Soup, etc.

Originally Posted by Jen

How old is it? What breed?

If it is really young then non-clumping litter.
Or something like Feline Pine or Exquisi-Cat Pine is what I use. It smells like pine and it is great stuff. There is also Yesterday's News which I think smells like a barn but it is good for kittens.

Good quality food is important too, Nutro, Chicken Soup, etc.

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I thought I was the only one who wasnt thrilled with the news scent

you may want to add some stain remover and deteran tspray to the list

does deterant spray work

Remember to get dry and canned food. Popular opinion is that canned only or canned and dry is best, although, it of course depends on your budget and schedule. Wet food is very healthy and ideal. I feed my cats Felidae dry and some combination of Eagle Pack, Evanger's and Wellness wet. There is no ONE best brand, but these are considered very, very high quality. You might have to order them online or get them at feed store or pet boutique depending on where you're located (and if you're near NYC, I know there are some AWESOME pet health food stores in Manhattan).

You'll want nail clippers and a brush...wire brushes work best on long hairs, rubber brushes like Zoom Groom work best on shorthairs.

The food and water bowls should ideally be ceramic, glass or metal to prevent chin acne.

Definitely invest in some enzymatic cleaner, like Zero Odor or Nature's Miracle.

Good litters for kittens are Swheat Scoop or World's Best Cat Litter if you want something that clumps but is safe for kittens. Otherwise, you'll have to use non-clumping.

A cat tree would also be much appreciated by your new friend...it'll help divert him or her from furniture as far as scrathcing and shedding go (in fact mine barely go near my couch or bed at ALL since I got the trees...unless of course there is an open lap on said couch )

Hope this helps!

I have to say the Zero Odor is the best.. I used a black-light and it was gone like on the commercial

Where can I get Zero Odor? Do I have to order online or can I get it from PetSmart or PetCo?

If possible, you might talk with whoever you're getting your kitty from and find out what kind of food your baby is currently eating and what kind of litter s/he is using. Then you can get the same thing and make any changes, gradually, after the kitty gets adjusted to your house.

Stephanie

I prefer the clumping litter over normal for many reasons (odor control the top one).

Besides litterpan get:

Separate food/water bowls - not the combo type that is attached. You may
need to refill or change water several times a day and its a pain if you leave dry food in the double food dish.

A GOOD sturdy scratching post - not the little 2 foot tall one that will fall over. Get a good quality TALL post - one that will last for years - worth the investment.

A small brush and comb - for regular grooming

A good pair of nail clippers. Get a groomer/vet to show you how to trim nails and check/trim them once a week. Learn to trim nails yourself - its not hard to do.

A GOOD sturdy carrier - use it EVERY time the cat rides in a car!

A nice bed - cats usually like a "hide-a-way" type bed. And put the bed on a chair, your own bed, or dresser. Somewhere other then the floor - cats are not dogs and like sleeping above the floor. If you get a scratching post with boxes or cups on them, they will usually sleep in there.

One other VERY important thing every pet owner should have in the house (no one mentioned it)............a bottle of Bitter Apple spray.

This stuff is great - keeps kittens, etc. from chewing on electrical cords or anything else they might want to chew on. Great for kittens, puppies, cats, or dogs. I've used it on the electrical cords whenever I had a litter of kittens

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

I prefer the clumping litter over normal for many reasons (odor control the top one).

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The main reason for not using clumping litter with very small kittens is because they tend to play in it, get it on themselves and lick it off, or sometimes just out and out eat it.

While clay litter will simply go through their systems, clumping litter will do what it is meant to do, clump, and can attach itself to the intestines, attract more clumping litter, and since kittens are small as it is, you don't need much to clump together to form a blockage and kill them.

Once they are a few months old, and you have had a chance to watch them and make sure they're over the "eating or ingesting litter" stage, then you can safey use the clumping litter.

I also recommend finding out what the kitten's been eating, and start with that. You can change over to another food gradually by mixing the new food in just a little at a time with the old food, more each day, until they are used to it.

A sudden change might upset their tummies, or cause them to not want to eat. Better to keep as much familiar to their old surroundings as possible.

I would also suggest asking the previous owners for a little piece of cloth, towel, something with the old scent to help her not be as afraid, and a small plastic bag with some of the litter the kitten's been using (litter from the pan, not the box). That will help her learn quicker where the new place to go is if you sprinkle a little of that on top of the new litter each day.

And find oiut what her favorite toy is so you can get her the same or similar.

Good luck!

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

One other VERY important thing every pet owner should have in the house (no one mentioned it)............a bottle of Bitter Apple spray.

This stuff is great - keeps kittens, etc. from chewing on electrical cords or anything else they might want to chew on. Great for kittens, puppies, cats, or dogs. I've used it on the electrical cords whenever I had a litter of kittens

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Where could I find some of that? I am getting a kitten mid may and want to have everything ahead of time.
Jess

Most any pet store will carry Bitter Apple spray - if you don't see it, ask the clerk if they carry. I know Petco and Petsmart carry it.

You can always get it online or out of a pet catalog, like Foster & Smith

Sometimes it may be in the dog section rather then the cat, but it works well.