Our Checklist of the Most Essential Supplies for Your New Kitten

So you are getting a new cat – great! I bet you and your kids are more than excited to have a new furry friend at home, but you as a parent need to make sure that everything is well prepared for her in advance. Equipping your home with all the essential supplies for a kitten will significantly help you deal with this change in your home better and will help your cat feel less stressed once she comes to her new home.

First things first – get a carrier. You will need this from the very first moment when you go to get your cat. Transportation can be scary for her so make sure the carrier provides a sense of security, enough room, and great ventilation. Besides the carrier, there are some other essential things you will need to buy, so let’s take a look at the new kitten must-haves list.

Get the right foods – Buying the right food for your new furry friend is vital as good nutrition is the basis for her overall health. Foods rich in grains and vegetarian foods are terrible for cats, so when shopping, keep an eye on the ingredients. Make sure to put meat at the top of the list. The ideal food for a cat is about 20% fat and 30% protein. Also, don’t forget to buy some basic feeding supplies for a kitten, like food dishes and water bowls.

Take care of her health – Once you bring your new kitten home, you need to take her to the vet as soon as possible. You should be familiar with her overall health condition and discuss which vaccines are appropriate for your kitten’s lifestyle, age, and location. Inform yourself about other health issues as well such as flea and tick preventative treatments, heartworm preventative treatment, testing for parasites, whether microchipping is good and safe for your cat, etc.

Prevention and cleanup – Generally, cats are clean animals and do not make too much mess. However, crate-training is still one of the best things for your cat to learn to prevent accidents. Once your new kitten learns how to use her litter box, everything will be better. But until then, you need to be equipped with some cleanup and litter training supplies for a kitten, the most important one being the litter box. If you live in a house on multiple levels, place a litter box on each level. Consider a litter scoop, cal litter, odor-neutralizing carpet cleaner, and steam cleaning like spot bot.

Grooming supplies – Keeping your cat clean is important for a lot of reasons, including avoiding damaged skin and itchy fur. Consult with the vet about how often to bathe and groom your furry friend. When it comes to grooming supplies some of the things you may need include soft paws, a wire brush, a slicker brush, nail trimmers and styptic powder, a metal-toothed comb, hypoallergenic shampoo, and a conditioner.

Playtime with educational toys – Last but not least, toys are also important as they help the cat to learn through play. The right choice of toys will tire her out so she can sleep well during the night, help her find the right outlet for her aggression and help you two bond. You can opt for a laser pointer, catnip-stuffed toys, a stuffed mouse or another animal, interactive toys like balls, etc. All these toys will help your kitten to have a great playtime while also mastering impulse control.