What should I buy before getting the kitty?

So I am getting a cat for Christmas (read post below). I am spending the next few months researching what I need, who to call, where to look and what to look for. I am definately adopting an adult (young adult) cat and was wondering what I should have already purchased before we bring the future kitty home?

For example, should I already have litter box ready or wait and see what they use at the rescue/foster/adoption place(I had read I should mix whatever they use there with the actual litter I am going to use and wean them off the old stuff)? What are the basics I should have set up before we bring the cat home?

Might be a good idea to see what kind of litter they are using, but I would just get a scoopable kind.

You'll need litter pan, litter,

TWO bowls (one for food/one for water) and make them separate - not the ones attached to each other. Go with ceramic or stainless steel bowls - not plastic ones (plastic tends to cause feline acne). Two separate bowls are a lot easier to clean and fill too

Carrier - go for a medium size - fits most cats/kittens

Cat bed and/or Cat tree house - not the cheapy little scratching posts. Get something decent and long-lasting.

Food - wet or dry go with better quality; Iams, Science Diet, Nutro Max, Chicken Soup, etc. Stay away from Purina and Meow Mix and any generic "store" brands.

Comb and/or brush for grooming. Nail clippers for nails.

I havent heard of that litter mixing idea, but doesnt sound like a bad idea.
My kitty was fine with the litter straight away and was different than the rescue place.

I remember getting ready for my kitty last year!
I had the litter box and litter of course, along with a litter mat to catch the loose stuff of their feet (in theory).
A bag of dry food,wet food and cat dishes.
A brush and treats.
A collar and tag, to be engraved later. (she is indoor only, this was a safeguard 'just in case' option)
Several toys placed strategically for her to discover.
A window perch with a snuggle cat blanket (actually a baby blanket, but the fleece was well received). Or have a condo ready, or whatever cat furniture you were thinking of acquiring. I knew she'd be indoor only and that all cats enjoy the window...so I made sure it was ready and she was introduced immediately.

It is good to have a plan of where you will be placing the cat dishes and litter box. I also planned which room to contain her in - since many cats need to be introduced slowly. Just imagine you are scooped up to be driven off by a stranger to an unknown home - how stressful! For that reason, I wanted "a plan" so I'd be ready for all possibilities. Unfortunately though, I didnt think she'd run from me terried and squeeze in behind the stove. It took us an hour to get her out - the stove and fridge are jammed tight together between two walls. I had to move the fridge then the stove - and in my galley kitchen there is literally zero room to move when that stuff is pulled out. I got chicken wire later to block the small space between the stove and the wall that she squeezed thru. So, I suggest you look for all sorts of places she could squeeze herself into that aren't good and block them accordingly.

I never thought about what I would do if the future kitty tried to hide, thanks for the heads up! I have a built-in stove, but there is a space between the washer/dryer and the wall-I guess that is room #1 to be closed off!

I have a one bedroom apt and I thought I would close off the bedroom and bathroom to begin with, so only the common areas (where the future kitty's litter box, food, bed, etc will be) will be open for exploring.We have french doors in the living room that look out on our balcony and canal and golf course right next door, so I am going to set up the kitty hotel/bed stuff there (all kinds of jumping fish, ibis and cranes, and golfers to entertain).

The litter box is going to be going in the selfdom if ever used formal dining area. I was thinking seriously about builing a carpeted cover for the litter box so it would sort of hide it and it would be another surface for future kitty to sit/lay/etc on top. I was thinking of just making a four sided box to go around the litter box (with an opening cut out in the front) and a carpeted top that just fits on top (that I can remove to clean out the box). Does that sound like a good idea?

Keep the advice coming, I am a future new cat owner and I am very excited!

whats wrong with purina just curious? i feed kirra the kitten mix

The carpet-covered litterbox idea sounds interesting, but bear in mind that some cats don't like covered litterboxes (and other cats don't like open ones ... ). My parents have a small litterbox in their very fancy formal dining room; it looks a bit out of place, but they have an 18-year-old cat who sometimes forgets where she is (or where the litterboxes are) and so there are multiple litterboxes on every level of their house. You'll also find that no matter how enticing you make your cat's bed, your cat will find someplace else to sleep (your bed, a pile of folded laundry, on top of the TV set, on your keyboard as you're trying to type ...). It's part of their charm.

I would recommend having more than one water dish, and placing them in different rooms in the house. Some cats like it if you move the water dishes around (a lot of cats don't drink enough water; if you move the dishes around, it's like their "exploring" their territory and finding a new watering hole), while other cats prefer to have as few changes in their territory as possible. If you can find one you like, a cat water fountain is a good idea, as many cats prefer to drink from running water; many of us end up leaving a faucet on in the bathroom or kitchen to give our cats running water.

There are a lot of great cat toys out there. Da Bird and the cat dancer are particular favourites, but generally speaking you want to look for a "fishing pole" type of toy that you and your cat play with together. (Never leave fishing pole-type toys out where your cat can play by herself, because she could get tangled in the line.) Small fuzzy mice, bouncing balls, wadded up bits of tissue paper, cardboard boxes, plastic and paper bags ... cats can be really easy to keep amused! You really don't have to spend a fortune on cat toys (although a lot of us do! ); cats will always find something to play with, whether you want them to or not (ask me about my cat Oz and my clean panties ). And catnip can go a long way to making an old, boring toy seem interesting again (even if just for a little while).

Great advice so far!

One other thing you might want to start doing is finding a vet that you like. Go to their office and see how the staff interacts with both animals and their owners. See if the place looks clean, etc. You'll want to make an appointment as soon as possible after you bring your kitty home. That way the kitty can get a check-up and you'll have a vet before problems arise.

Congratulations on your decision to adopt an adult cat. Adults have a much harder time finding homes than kittens, but they make great pets, and will bond to you just as much. I got Prego when he was estimated to be almost 3 1/2.

Purina is a cheaper food - more filler stuff and not as high quality as some of the other brands. Its adequate but not great.

oh, well is it ok if she has that and her wet food? she loves the purina, she gets wet food twice a day, loaded with protien in it

What is in catnip? Why is it so appealing to cats and is it something they eat or just something they are attracted to? I have had dogs, horses and a few wandering geese, but never a cat and so I have NO experience with cats at all.

I have also read that feeding a higher quality of natural catfood (like Science Diet or an organic cat food) can decrease litter box odor.

Since I only have a one bedroom, I don't have much choice as to where the litter box goes. Also, how bog of a litter box should I get? If I am getting an adult short haired cat of normal size that is.

Thanks so much for all the great advice!!!

Originally Posted by MissintheSouth

I have also read that feeding a higher quality of natural catfood (like Science Diet or an organic cat food) can decrease litter box odor.

Since I only have a one bedroom, I don't have much choice as to where the litter box goes. Also, how bog of a litter box should I get? If I am getting an adult short haired cat of normal size that is.

Thanks so much for all the great advice!!!

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I live in three rooms....and premium cat food: the proof is in the poo!!
I feed Royal Canin indoor and her poo is practically non-smelling, unless you are five inches from it.

I think cats are individual. Smidge is a huge flinger, so I had no choice but to get a gigantic box when she was just 5 lbs. She fits in it better now at 10lbs but her flinging doesnt go so far anymore.

Do you have a storage closest or furnace room? I put Smidge's litter box in a closet and leave the door ajar. It has worked great for me in a small place. I dont have to see it or smell it and Smidge has privacy.

Originally Posted by MissintheSouth

What is in catnip? Why is it so appealing to cats and is it something they eat or just something they are attracted to? I have had dogs, horses and a few wandering geese, but never a cat and so I have NO experience with cats at all.

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Catnip is a plant, a member of the mint family. I have heard of people making a sort of tea out of it. For humans, it's supposed to be relaxing.

For kitties, when they smell it, they will get real hyper and playful. Some cats don't respond to catnip well. Mine don't really respond; they just eat it. There's no harm in them eating it. You can rub their toys in catnip or rub some on the scratching post to attract them.

Science Diet, Nutro, and Iams are not good dry foods...they are actually on the borderline of poor. Honestly, I am NOT trying to be rude at all, but have you read the ingredients list of these? Vets are hardly educated much about pet nutrition, so you can't really take their word alone for it...you have to look at the ingredients yourselves and make the judgement (along with some research of what to look out for).

If you want a high-quality pet food, look into Innova or Felidae, aka Canidae, to name a few that stick out in my mind (NO fillers, high-quality ingredients). Pretty much the whole Natura line is high-quality (I'm not trying to sell these, look at the ingredients list yourself compared to other popular brands). They aren't sold at large chains such as Petco or PetSmart though, they are only sold at independent pet stores and both of their website have store locators. If all you have are Petco's, Petsmart's etc in your area then look into Eagle Pack or Blue Buffalo.

I like CAlifornia Natural dry food, and they also make a 'wet'. It's far superior to Iams, which Gizmo originally ate. She's been silky coated and happy ever since transferring to Nature's Logic Rabbit Dinner, but that was only because of her allergies. Otherwise I'd have kept her on the California Natural.

I'd get a good book on how to raise a cat such as THE CAT OWNER'S MANUAL by Dr. Bruce Fogle. There's nothing like a simple, well written book to set your mind at ease about small health and temperamental issues. It also shows you how to 'pill' the cat.
There are other good books out there too-but I'd certainly start reading up on cats and know what you might expect from them. It is good that you have time.

California Natural is good food, it's part of the Natura line too

Originally Posted by Bagels'Mommy

Science Diet, Nutro, and Iams are not good dry foods...they are actually on the borderline of poor. Honestly, I am NOT trying to be rude at all, but have you read the ingredients list of these? Vets are hardly educated much about pet nutrition, so you can't really take their word alone for it...you have to look at the ingredients yourselves and make the judgement (along with some research of what to look out for).

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I agree I was going ot say that too, but I do not agree about Nutro. What do you not approve of in that food? Maybe I am just not aware of something... I love to hear thoughts on it. I know this isn't a food discussion thread but I am curious as to what you found not good in Nutro.

Originally Posted by Jen

I agree I was going ot say that too, but I do not agree about Nutro. What do you not approve of in that food? Maybe I am just not aware of something... I love to hear thoughts on it. I know this isn't a food discussion thread but I am curious as to what you found not good in Nutro.

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Nutro Max Cat Adult Roasted Chicken Flavor (ingredients in order)

1. Chicken Meal


2. Corn Gluten Meal

Corn gluten meal is the dried residue from corn after the removal of the larger part of the starch and germ, and the separation of the bran by the process employed in the wet milling manufacture of corn starch or syrup, or by enzymatic treatment of the endosperm.

Corn gluten meal is a low ash source of protein. Cats vs Dogs: While not the best quality source of protein, the use of corn gluten in small amounts offer preventive health benefits for cats.

But it's the second ingredient!

3. Whole Wheat Flour

Wheat flour consists principally of the soft, finely ground and bolted meal obtained from milling wheat (containing essentially the starch and gluten of the endosperm) together with fine particles of wheat bran, wheat germ, and the offal from the tail of the mill.

Whenever flour is part of an ingredient's name, the grain has been processed and some (or all) of the nutritional value has been lost. Frequently these flour ingredients are simply the leftover dust from processing human food ingredients.

4. Ground White Rice


5. Poultry Fat

Poultry fat is obtained from the tissues of poultry in the commercial process of rendering or extracting.

Poultry fat is a byproduct of meat processing. The origin of the contributing animals is never known; the source can be any fowl (turkey, chicken, geese, buzzard, etc.) and the resulting oil is very low in linoleic acid -- an essential fatty acid that is important for skin and coat health.


That's just the first five ingredients.

Originally Posted by CDubbie

I live in three rooms....and premium cat food: the proof is in the poo!! I feed Royal Canin indoor and her poo is practically non-smelling, unless you are five inches from it.

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I agree completely !! I switched abi recently from Nutro to wellness and primal raw. NO smell in thelitter box and less excrement too to scoop up. It's amazing.

Don't forget to buy toys. A ping pong ball is great if you don't have wooden floors and downstairs neighbours.

I'd get one of those 'mouse racers' where the cat chases a toy around a ring (don't know the commercial name);

some little furry mice toys;
and at least one interactive toy. The best commercial one I found was the Cat Charmer. Some people like the Cat Dancer. Gizmo would not look at it.
But the toy should be on a long string that you can use to lure the cat into chasing the 'prey'. Da Bird is also good.

The Cats Upstairs love laser toys, but be sure to reward the cat with a treat after they fail to catch the bright spot of light, so they won't feel cheated.
Gizmo also adores playing with empty toilet paper rolls, and these are easy to come by.

Be sure to kitten-proof your house! There is a tragic story elsewhere on the forum about a kitten that accidentally hanged itself on the blinds cord. Be safe and your kitty will be, too.!

An earlier post mentions using plastic bags for cat toys. Never use these-the cat may suffocate. Paper bags without handles are fine for hiding.