Mary Allen
What equipment does a kitten need? With our checklist and the right tips, your new darling will immediately feel at home with you.
The time has finally come: A kitten moves in and is looking forward to his new home.
In addition to age-appropriate food, the little cat needs other important things to feel really comfortable with you. We provide you with a checklist and give you tips on the ideal initial equipment for your new cat.
Why does the cat need initial equipment?
Purchasing a kitten is not enough, because the little creature needs food and comfortable home like we do. You cannot avoid buying basic equipment if you want your cat to have a good life with you right from the start.
For example, a cat’s home is only comfortable if you enable it to satisfy its needs. Like humans, cats need a comfortable bed and a clean toilet. And like all children, young cats are also happy to have as many toys as possible.
It is best to get the initial equipment before the new housemate moves in and to prepare everything nicely before moving from the breeder.
These things belong to the initial equipment for a kitten:
Transport box
It all starts with the carrier because without a safe means of transport it is difficult to bring the kitten home. The box also serves well during subsequent visits to the vet.
Remember that your kitten will eventually become a cat. It is, therefore, better to buy a box that is large enough for adult cats.
Litter box
So that nothing goes wrong, the kitten needs its own litter box. This is of course also on the checklist.
First of all, it is important for a young cat that it can use the toilet at all. Since cats are usually around 12 weeks of age or older, kittens are usually, but not always, fit or big enough to climb the edge of an adult toilet.
Very young kittens just learning to walk will use a shallow container with a low entry.
Many cats prefer an open litter box without a lid. While this is less attractive to the human eye, cats tend to prefer relieving themselves in it than in a litter box with a lid.
When you buy the litter box, you must of course not forget the litter scoop. You can use it to clean the litter box quickly and easily.
Once the cat has moved in, you have to teach the little ball of fur to use the litter box. Read here how you can do this gently and without force: Getting your cat used to the litter box.
Cat litter
In and of itself, small cats are not picky about the loo. They use almost anything that is easy to scratch as a toilet.
But there are also particularly stubborn kittens who do not accept every litter. They usually want what they got to know from their breeder. Sometimes it’s like food because cats are creatures of habit.
Some animals react very sensitively, especially to suddenly different smells. If you want to gently get your cat used to the new litter box, it is best to use the usual litter that the breeder used for the time being.
Be careful with clumping litter. There are some kittens who play with the lumps and swallow them too. Then use clump-free cat litter. Otherwise, clumping litter is the more practical alternative in the long term.
Bowl or bowl
Of course, the kitten also needs its own eating utensils. A clean bowl for the food and a bowl for the drinking water is therefore on the checklist.
Lining
Also, get quality food that is appropriate for your cat’s age for your new roommate. Let the breeder or a veterinarian advise you on which food you should start with.
First of all, give the cat the same food that the breeder gave the little cat, you are doing the kitten a big favor. This way, you don’t have to add an upset stomach with diarrhea or constipation because of new food to the excitement of moving to a new home.
Bed
Small cats like it warm and cozy. Very young cats have something in common with very old ones.
As with us humans, the bed is ideally soft and comfortable. Location is also important for cats. While dogs like to sleep on the floor, cats prefer a bed at a dizzy height.
The window sill is one of the cats’ favorite spots. There are special window loungers in specialist shops, but many of the conventional cat beds also fit perfectly there. It is usually a soft cushion with a rectangular or round edge. However, make absolutely sure that the bed cannot slide down if the cat jumps in or out with a gust.
Especially in winter, places near the heating are popular. Some cat loungers attach directly to the radiator. In addition, small cats can often be enthusiastic about sleeping in caves.
Scratch tree
Many new cat owners make the mistake of buying everything as small and cute as possible. However, small cats do not like a small scratching post, but rather a large one. After all, they are still young and sporty and easily climb the highest point to enjoy the view from up there.
A large scratching post also offers the cat a variety of opportunities to romp and play. Especially models with different elements arouse the interest of cats. Hammocks, stairs, and balls attached to ropes activate the play instinct and ensure entertaining entertainment.
Most cats love their scratching post dearly. It’s a piece of home, so to speak. They use the viewing platforms and retreat to the integrated snuggle baskets and caves to sleep. The pillars wrapped in sisal are also very suitable for sharpening the claws.
So that you don’t have to buy a new scratching post again after a short time, go for quality right from the start and choose a sufficient size.
Toy
Kittens are children. And children need toys. So this is a must on the checklist.
Like little people, the kittens learn for their future lives – and that consists primarily of hunting. That’s why they love catch games more than anything. They are very sensitive to movements and rustling noises. In this respect, they are very similar to human infants.
- Small children love rattles and kittens play with squeaky stuffed mice and small balls. With many cat toys, a little bell increases the appeal of playing with them.
- One of the classics is the Katzenangel. Here the mouse or a feather duster is attached to a string. You move the stick with the string back and forth and the cat tries to catch the “prey”.
- Intelligence toys are interesting for clever kittens. An activity board or fiddle board encourages the little house tiger to discover and experiment.
- Even more exciting is the game with hidden treats, which the cat skillfully catches with its paws.
- A somewhat simpler variant is the marble run.
- Mice bobbing on wires, rustling tunnels, and cushions filled with catnip complete the offer.
Shop for a sensible selection of several types of toys. Once you’ve found what your new cat enjoys the most, you can pass on the other toys, or you can donate them to the local animal shelter.
Do you need more than the initial equipment?
The initial equipment for a cat includes numerous things that can still be used well in the later cat age. Of course, new items of equipment are constantly being added over time, but in and of itself it is worth buying high-quality products right from the start, which ideally will accompany the animal for a lifetime.
That’s why “basic equipment” is probably the more appropriate term for the very first things one gets when a cat is to move in. This basic equipment can be expanded or reduced as required. Simply follow the preferences and wishes of your cat, but also what fits in your home visually and in terms of space.
Once you have the basic equipment in place, all that matters is that you give your new kitten a gentle and loving start in your home. So if you have ticked off all the items on the checklist for the basic equipment, please add one more thing: lots of love!
We wish you lots of friends with your new cat!