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Are you a new cat caregiver who is spoilt for choice on what necessities and accessories to buy for your cat? Apart from the right food and litter, here are some other considerations. Do not be scammed by fancy marketing: cats do not really need excessive things to be happy.
A general rule of thumb is to avoid getting extremely expensive items without having tried the standard priced items. Your cat does not care about their $300 food bowl, if they don’t like it, they won’t use it!
If possible try to get the honest opinion of another cat owner, that will give you a good idea of what you need and if it’s a good fit for your own cat. This will reduce waste from buying unnecessary things.
Food dish : Plastic, Stainless steel, Ceramic, or Glass?
Stainless steel cat bowls are sanitary, germ-resistant, unbreakable, long-lasting, and easy to clean. However, some cats can get spooked by the reflective surface and the sound metal makes.
Plastic cat bowls are the least ideal. Plastic cat bowls can get tiny scuffs just from placing kibbles in it. These tiny scratches on the surface of the bowl can trap bacteria. Bacteria trapped in plastic cat bowls can cause chin acne. Also, biofilm tends to form on plastic.
Ceramic and glass bowls are much safer than plastic bowls, but they are much more fragile. Chips and cracks on ceramic bowls may trap bacteria as well. Choose ceramic bowls coated with food-safe glaze and non-toxic paint. Many ceramic cat bowls are raised, providing comfort to your cat without having to bend their head too low to reach for their food.
Cat toys : Do cats really like lasers?
Laser pointers are a very effective way to attract your cat’s attention, it is an almost foolproof method to engage your cat in play. However, due to cats’ predatory nature, laser pointers are not a rewarding form of activity, as they are unable to physically “catch” their prey. You can consider simply attaching a shoelace to the end of a stick and dragging it around the floor, behind and under furniture to engage your cat in a rewarding and fun hunting activity. Wand toys are highly effective depending on the movement of the toy around the house, dangling it in front of your cat may not interest them after some time.
Catnip/Silvervine toys are effective to some cats, some cats are not responsive to catnip. Catnip toys should also be dried and kept in a closet after around 10-20 minutes of play to ensure that it is a “fresh” experience to your cat every time. Catnip toys are best used once to twice a week.
Toys that are left out and are motionless do not interest cats due to their predatory nature. For example, plushies and rat toys. Anything that moves and resembles prey (string, laces) can engage your cat much better.
Litterbox
Closed litter boxes may be suitable for anxious cats. It also keeps smell and litter in. Even though it may benefit us in that aspect, the cat’s experience may be less ideal— think poorly ventilated humid toilet! A better option is to put up dividers around the litter box, like what you would do for a changing room etc.
Open litter boxes are easier to clean and have better ventilation.
The length of a litter box is best to be 1.5x the length of your longest cat.
In our opinion, non-tracking mats do not work well. Also, there are cats that eat/play with them.
There are many fancy boxes out there but trust us and get the simplest one. Those automated ones are scary and prone to error (smearing soft stools everywhere?) in our opinion. Often we have seen them end up being turned off and just function as an oversized and inconvenient litter box.
Unicharm has products that minimize odour, tracking and the need to sieve out litter regularly. However, they are slightly on the expensive side.
Just remember rectangle boxes are the best as far as we know. Try to get ones with minimal parts so they could be easily cleaned. Also, remember n+1 is the ideal litter boxes to have in the household! (n= no. of cats). E.g. if you have 3 cats, the ideal number of litter boxes is 4.
Cat Beds : If it fits they sits
There are many cat beds out there, ranging from thick fluffy cushions in a variety of designs to small tent-like structures or miniature sofas. Cats may not use cat furniture so it may be better to leave them out for now. You could experiment with ready items in your house. For e.g. placing a towel on a spot right next to a window or giving them a clean cardboard box. They love fabric, cardboard and sisal.
Cardboard scratchers that can double as a bed/sleeping spot could be something to acquire first. You can always get more after getting acquainted with your cat. Some cardboard products have multiple parts that require sticky tape/velcro to hold together. We prefer those that are held together without tape/velcro.
Box and house shaped cardboard scratcher :
Cat Tree: The taller the better!
Cat trees are a great way to prevent unwanted behaviors such as scratching and climbing on furniture. A cat tree will provide the cat with a safe and cozy place to nap, to play and jump around and to also keep their claws in shape.
Cat trees with multiple levels encourage your cat to leap and jump, getting their daily exercise in. Placing a cat tree in front of a closed window can also provide mental stimulation.
Anxious or shy cats can greatly benefit from a cat tree as it provides them with small, confined space to hide.
Ensure the cat tree is sturdy enough not to topple easily! Also, we have heard of cats that got injured after falling off cat trees! If your cat is a little clumsy (medical or non-medical reasons), you may like to hold off on this for now.
We found an amazing cat tree that’s made locally!