I'm getting a cat what do I need in advance to prepare my house for my new kittie?

Answer 1

I have 2 adorable kitties that I adopted when they were only a couple months old. I've had them for 2 years now.
You will need:

a food bowl
a water bowl
a litter box-----tip----save grocery store bags and use them to dispose of the "stuff" from the litter box when you clean it. Also, I bought a litter box mat that catches all the sand under the litter box.
some type of scratching item--cats have different preferences. One of my cats likes a vertical carpet scratching post, the other likes a horizontal cardboard one.
You will need toys, but you don't have to buy all of them. Many cats are very pleased by a string trailed on the ground. My cats like the little "fishing poles" with a feather on the end. You can buy them at most pet stores.
Cats also love treats, and most cats--not usually kittens--love catnip. There are different kinds, so you can experiment with that too.
If you are going to let your cat roam outdoors, (only do this if you live in an area free of dangerous wild animals such as coyotes) you will need to buy it a collar and I.D. tag. These can really help.
I hope you enjoy your new cat! Good luck! They're awesome!

Answer 2

This will be a long answer...

To kitty proof: Make sure you have screens on all your windows or you repair any holes in windows or doors. Try to run electrical cords behind furniture to avoid chewing or you can cover cords with cardboard tubes from paper towels or rubber hosing. Make sure all plants are above the level they can jump to. Your vet can get you a brochure on which plants are poisonous. If you're worried about scratching, make sure you get a scratching post and you can also use slip covers for awhile on furniture if you're worried.

The great powers that be (whoever they are) say that you should have as many litterboxes as cats plus one. So for one cat, two litterboxes is good...and I've found this works well in my home. Try to stick with clay litter, either clumping or non-clumping is fine, but if it's a kitten, I go with the non-clumping so they don't think the clumps are play toys. Litter scoop. I don't use liners, they always rip and I think they are a waste of money, at least in my place.

Food... stick with a well known brand. Grocery store foods like Friskies don't have the best nutrition. Some good brands are Science Diet, Iams, Purina, Precise, Nature's Choice, Natural Recipe, Sensible Choice. Heavy food dishes are the best choice for kittens because they are less likely to tip over if the kitten is playing. Water dish or dispenser.

A must have is a travel kennel. You can pick them up cheap at garage sales or check with your local vet... at the very least a cardboard box type carrier that closes well. A plastic one is nice if you have to travel in the car, plane, or if you need it in an emergency (such as a tornado, flood, fire, etc).

A vet. If you don't have one already, talk to your friends and see who they like. It really sucks if your cat gets sick and suddenly you're paging through the phone book trying to find a vet that's close who can see them.

Toys, treats, grooming supplies. All good things to have around.

Other things to remember if this is your first cat: Cats like to eat string type things...so don't leave sewing thread, tinsel, or any other fine string type products around. Can't tell you how many cats we've seen at the clinic who have swallowed these and they need surgery because their intestines are twisted or they have a needle lodged in their soft palate.

Cats will scratch. It's natural. If you are getting the cat declawed, do it as young as possible. They heal much faster the younger they are. If you aren't declawing, learn how to trim the nails. Your local vet can show you how.

Cats will shed. People seem to throw a fit about it, but all cats do. Keep your cat's coat in good shape to avoid excess hair. If your cat is longhaired, consider using a professional groomer.

Hope you enjoy your new love!

Answer 3

You need the usual food and water bowl - make sure they are ones that won't tip up when you're kitten try's to put his/her paw (or themselves) in them!

A cat litter tray which should be placed on another tray or thick newspaper as they frequently manage to get as much mess outside the tray as inside.

Make sure you can obtain the same food that it has been used to feeding on - this will help to decrease the inevitable stress of moving to a new home.

Somewhere warm and safe to sleep in - I usually use a small box with plenty of towels and perhaps an old woolly jumper you don't want anymore.

You can make toys out of all sorts of everyday things, just use your imagination and make sure there is nothing too small for them to swallow - a favourite toy of one of my cats was a piece of screwed up paper.

And finally a lot of patience and a good sense of humour - have fun!

Answer 4

Kitty Litter box with a top, food, collar with tag, id, and if the kitty is still pretty young, the canned food to mix with hard cat food. Also, my kitties LOVE the little fake mice. If you have things to keep them busy while they are young, you will see less attacking of your furniture!! Have fun!!

Answer 5

If you go to: www.littlebigcat.com Dr Jean Hovfe has an article there in her article library titled, "Base Camp - How to Prepare for Your New Cat". I'm sure you will get good tips there.

A new cat is certainly exciting. May the cat give you many years of love and delight.

Answer 6

Make sure none of your house plants are toxic to cats. Make sure anything fragile is put up so it can't be knocked off of ledges by curious exploring. Decide on a litter box box spot and have that ready before homecoming.

Answer 7

Cat Litter Box, Cat Litter, 3 ceramic bowls (1-water-1-dry food-1can food), cat scratching post, buy some cat friendly toys, be careful with those, cat box liners and both wet and dry cat food. Good Luck to you and your new little friend.

Answer 8

Cat litter box, quality kitten food both soft and hard (I recommend Iams), cat milk, bowls for cat food, and a cat furnature tree.

Answer 9

Kittens are cute! Mine tried her very best to stay warm. But as she grew up she started getting into things. She would chews on my hairdryer cord...she'd runs behinds the entertainment unit (the cords!)...she tries to get to the highest point in the room and watch, that means knocking over everything on your dresser...You won't be able to fully kitten proof your house until you see what she gets into and what she tries to play with. Oh yeah...I had to take of my framed pictures off the wall beacuse she would bat at them and they swing from side to side.

Answer 10

you need a litter box, lots of fun toys, a cute kittie dish, a nice kittie bed, pleanty of food,and to just make her feel happy