Essentials Cat Supplies to Buy Before You Adopt

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If you have decided to adopt a kitty, it’s crucial that you get ready before you bring it home. Having a pet is a big responsibility, seeing they will rely on you for most of the things they need to stay healthy, happy and clean. This is why before welcoming it to its new home, you should be equipped with some essential supplies.

Cats are probably the easiest pets to have since they are pretty hygienic and can clean themselves, they are creatures of habit, they’re fairly independent… This means that you won’t have as much job training them, as a dog owner would, but still, you will have to learn some basic things about how to help them develop desired habits, so that they don’t damage your furniture, and you can keep your home clean.

Though cats are very self-sufficient and smart, they can also be very stubborn, so having everything ready for them before they arrive will help them get used to the new situation and learn wanted behaviour, which will, in turn, help you. If you start looking around, you’ll find that there are many different useful cats supplies to purchase. However, though there are many fun ones, and at some point, you may end up with a huge pile of them, some are much more vital than others.

feeding cat bowls
Source: aliexpress.com

Bowls for Food and Water

Since the moment it arrives in its new home, you are the one who’ll take care that your cat isn’t hungry or thirsty. So, the first things you need to introduce them to is the food and water bowls, and of course, food and water. If you are adopting a kitten, you might want to find shallow bowls so that it can eat comfortably, even though it can be adorable to see a kitten eat from a huge bowl. Furthermore, you could try to find bowls with a weighted bottom, because they can be very helpful –preventing the bowls to avoid tipping.

Carrier and ID Tag

Regardless whether your cat is going to be used to the outside world, or it’s going to stay at home always, at some point you’ll most likely have to take it somewhere, whether it’s to the vet, on a trip or to a new home. This is why a steady, quality carrier is one of the must-haves. In fact, you might need one even to bring your new furry little friend to its new home. And, while we are on the subject of going outside, you should also get it a collar with a lovely little ID tag, so that your kitty can get used to wearing it at all times. Include your name and your phone number on it, so in case it gets lost, whoever finds it can contact you.

cat with id tag
Source: simplycatbreeds.org

Cat Bed

Cats spend approximately 16 hours a day sleeping. They love their napping time. So, when you live with a cat, you’ll get used to finding it all around your home enjoying in its sweet cat’s dreams. However, even though knowing this might make it seem unnecessary, you should get your new furball its own soft comfy bed. Cats love to spend time alone, and they are territorial, which is why they would love it if you put a bed for them in a nice quiet and warm place that will be just their own. There are also many different types of cat beds, from a classical donut cat beds, igloo-shaped ones, all the way to beds that can be attached to windows or left hanging from the ceiling.

Toys and Scratch Posts

Toys may not seem as essential as other things for cats, but the truth is that they are very useful, not to mention fun. Cats love playing alone and with their human companion, they love practising their hunting skills, and they can have many benefits from playing with toys. One of the basic choices for cat toys is balls because cats are so cute when they play with them. However, you can see that many cat supplies online include an incredible range of toys, from simple catnip-filled mice, climbing platforms and some fun engaging scratching posts.

For many cat owners, the biggest trouble they have with their cats is their habit of scratching their furniture. Cats love scratching, and you simply can’t stop them from doing it. This is why it’s important to have a scratching post since before you bring your cat home, so it can get used to scratch the post instead of your furniture. There are many different types of posts you can choose from, from basic simple posts, posts with mice to engage your cat to play, all the way to some very intricate climbing platforms with surfaces for scratching. However, simply offering your cat one isn’t always enough, it’s also important that you choose its place carefully and well.

cats playing with toys
Source: marthastewart.com

Litter Box

One of the things that makes cats so much easier to deal with than dogs, for instance, is that they don’t require much potty training. All you’ll need to do is buy them a good litter box and litter, and simply keep it clean with a litter scoop. You can also purchase chemicals to help against litter boxes odours. Litterboxes are one of the most important cats supplies, which is why there are so many different types you can choose from. Whether you decide to buy a plain plastic box, a hooded litter box, or something fancy, like a self-cleaning litter box, you should do so before getting your new furry pal home.