Everything You Need before getting a Cat

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When it comes to getting a cat for the first time, there is actually a lot you might need to consider and pick up before your furry friend comes to your home. Cats actually have a lot more personality then people tend to think – they each have likes, dislikes, and various needs that have to be considered before they are settled into your home and happily living among your family. We have two, very different, cats in our home – and have prepared for the two of them before they arrived, to ensure they have a lovely life. We hope this article helps you with your new cat.

The Obvious: Litterboxes and bowls

I am sure you do know that your cat needs somewhere to eat, somewhere to drink, and somewhere to use the bathroom. This is pretty obvious stuff, but there are things to consider before jumping in and purchasing these items. Cats tend to like moving water more than stagnant water, so we tend to go for the functional Pet Mate water fountain, with a filter that does need changing every few months. This water fountain has moving water, to keep cats interested, as well as a high drink point and a low drink point, so our cats can pick where is most comfortable. We have a separate food bowl from BoutiqueGifts that does the job well. When it comes to litterboxes, there are lots of options from automatic litter robots to simple boxes you need to change. It’s really up to you when it comes to which one you pick, but you do need to be aware that you need two litterboxes for your first cat. The rule of thumb with litterboxes is one box per cat, plus one. This ensures your cat is more comfortable, allows them to pick where they need to go, and prevents them from going around the house.

In Case Of Emergency Card and Pet Insurance

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Once you have your furry friend in your home, you’ll want to considering what would happen in the case of an emergency. You will most likely still go on adventures and generally go out. If you don’t have anyone else living at your home or if you want to ensure that your pets would be taken care of no matter what, you’ll want to get a Pet ICE Card and Key Fob. You are able to put the key fob on your keyring, to keep with you when you go out, as well as the emergency contact card in your wallet. Here, you can write the name of your pets and someone else’s contact details, so that they can be contacted if you are hurt or too sick to find your way home. This safety measure can bring peace of mind to you as an owner, and is simply something that should be done no matter what pets you have. When it comes to keeping your pet safe, you will also want to look into getting pet insurance once you have your pet. Places like Pets at Home offer reasonable pet insurance, and have trained vets that will look after and take care of your pet in case of emergencies. You will want to consider pet insurance in case anything happens later in life, and always ensure your pets have had their immunisations.

Grooming

When it comes to grooming, this will depend on the type of cat that you end up going with. If you have a longhaired cat – like a Maine Coon, you will need to get a brush to ensure that their fur is taken care of and does not mat. We got this handy brush that came with a small metal tool which can be used to remove the hair from the brush, to keep it clean. Longer haired cats will need more brushing then shorter haired cats – but both will need a bit of a brush from time to time and brushing your cat is really good for building bonds between you both. When it comes to your cats hygiene, cats do wash themselves through licking and rarely, if at all, need baths. However, some breeds are a bit dirtier and smellier than others. Pancake, a British Shorthaired with white fur, often gets and back covered in gunk. As he is a white cat, this shows up really well on him. Instead of doing full baths, one every few months we spray him with the I Love Pet Head Spray Shampoo. This gets rid of any dirt and discoloration left on his fur (as he rarely cleans it himself) and leaves him smelling good. He quite enjoys the attention – as we brush in the shampoo – and very much prefers it to baths. This is, again, totally up to you and depends on your cat, but is something to consider!

Cat Toys and Scratchers

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You might be thinking to yourself – there is so many different cat toys. And you’re correct. There are toys that move on their own, toys that are made for kittens that put balls in specific pipes that cats can bat around, balls with bells, fishing-type toys, laser pointers, and more. The variety of toys within the pet industry isn’t so that you end up purchasing them all. Instead, it’s because cats themselves have their own preferences on how they want to play. This comes down to personality and breed. Some cats prefer balls that they can hit around on their own, while others prefer attacking cat-nip filled plush toys. You’ll need to experiment and play around with your toys until you find the type your pets love. Pancake is a huge fan of feather toys, especially the fishing-lure type ones that allow you to play directly with him, while Pesto is more a fall of balls and cat-nip based solid toys, that he can play with on his own. Scratchers are another thing you need to consider getting, as cats do need scratchers and places to hide. We found it was best to get the cats one main cat tower, which has a few platforms and hideaway areas, as well as a scratching post, and then get a few other scratching posts for around the house. If you find your cat is scratching open your furniture, you will want to invest in more scratchers, so that they use those instead. It’s also a good trick to keep bringing your new cat to your scratcher, and scratching it with your hands / their paws, until they understand that’s where to scratch.

Getting Outside

Cats should be indoor animals, as they do a lot of damage to the ecosystem around them and can, frankly, get hurt if you let them out on your own. Pancake has no interest in going out and seems to dislike the outdoors, however, Pesto is one of those curious, adventure cats who wants to spend time out and in the world. You have several options if you want to let your cat outside, from outdoor cat enclosed spaces to the more affordable, leash and vest. We got Pesto a leash and vest, as well as a collar (as he does tend to escape from time to time) to ensure he can explore the outdoors safety. There are plenty of different leashes and vests for dogs – but less so for cats. We ended up using sized Small or Medium in dog sizes, which work fine for our cat. After a few sessions outside, they get quite use to the harness!

Stocking up on Treats, Food, and Litter

Lastly, you will want to stock up on treats, food and litter. Your cat might have specific food it is use to and likes best, same with treats and litter. When it comes to introducing new foods, you will want to do so slowly, so that your cat has the best chance of changing to and liking it fulltime. We have tried tons of different treats over the years, as well as foods and litter types – and both cats do have their own preferences. There have been dried foods that Pancake has absolutely refused to eat, and different types of litter that Pesto would not touch, no matter what. So it’s good to know what your cat likes and stock up on those! When it does come to types of treats, there are lots of different varieties from dried treats to licking liquids, to sticks of meat that can be heated up! Your cat might have a preference on the type as well.

And, that’s all you really need to start your life with your new furry friend. It might seem like a lot, but being prepared is better than not, especially when it comes to bringing a new family member into your home. Once you have all the items you need, you should research how to care for your indoor cat too.

You can check out more of our reviews and recipes to do with our cats!