If you’re one of those who love to buy indoor cats, then my advice is to find and get into the pet store and purchase some basic stuff before going back to the home. It doesn’t matter whether or not you’ll only stare at the cats. Why? Because the chances are you will fall in love with those cute little faces! Just imagine you have a cat, with no essentials!
You have to take it from my experience! I thought I was prepared when I acquire my cat; however, I wasn’t even close. Before turning back to my shelter in the hometown, I picked up a travel crate that wasn’t big enough along with a dodgy litter box that I returned because I had a chance to go through some online reviews. So, I scampered to purchase cat food and a simple litter box while someone else cater to my new pet partner.
The goal of this blog is to save you and your cat from these headaches! Below-mentioned is a list of recommended items, to begin with, while making the process go smoothly!
Food
Regarding food, it is advised to buy a mix of flavors, including dry as well as canned varieties. Cats are finicky and you need to be on your toes in the initial few stressful days to make her adjust to a new environment.
When shopping, remember that canned grain-free food is advisable for feline and optimal health. This starts from its nutrients’ balance, which is quite similar to a cat’s natural diet. This will aid in providing your cat with the water and protein she needs.
Also, it’s best to have good quality cat food that has high levels of protein. Also, you should want to look for 10 percent in canned food and 30-40% protein in dry food.
Further, stay away from cat foods that contain wheat, soy, corn (sometimes listed as “maize”), and rice. If these ingredients are indicated as the first ingredients; avoid them at all. Cats hate to eat grains!
Regarding flavors, tilt towards poultry-based food items like turkey or chicken rather than seafood-based foods. These should be offered on a limited basis, once or twice (at most) per week.
Suggested Canned Food:
Freshpet Select
Evo
Innova
Wellness (grain-free), go for chicken formula
Suggested Hard Food:
Nature’s Variety Instinct
Nature’s Balance Ultra-Premium Dry
Wellness CORE
Although these mentioned varieties can be expensive than regular grocery brands, your new cat won’t eat much because of the lack of grains and fillers. Once I got some cat food that contained rice in it; my cat consumed double the amount of the food compared to a Wellness grain-free product.
Dishes
You could wait for these and start using your own, but if you choose to buy them now, look for bowls that are heavy or rubber-edged to prevent slipping. Stainless steel is recommended. Plastic and porcelain dishes can scratch, resulting in crevices where germs can grow.
Canned food, which tends to get stuck in the edges of the dish as a cat eats, works best in bowls with a slight contour or slope on the inside.
Litter Box
A conventional, large, and uncovered litter box that has high sides is recommended, compared to hooded cat litter boxes that trap odors. These litter boxes by quality cat litter suppliers are widely available, affordable, and they are good to begin with.
If you’re in search of getting a kitten, inspect that the edges of the litter are low enough for your kitten to step across. If you want to get a full-grown cat, make sure the litter box is spacious enough for the pet to move across without stepping in her business; take it as “clean paws.”
Mypethappiness has an amazing cat litter box with high sides alongside a ‘scooped out’ entryway that even older cats can use.
If you consider getting more than one indoor cat, buy at least one box per cat, to begin with. Understand the rule of thumb, which is one box for every pet plus one.
Also, remember to take a litter scoop for box cleaning and that too from one of the reliable cat litter manufacturers! It’s better to have narrower slats. Keeping the litter box span and spic is among the best things you should do to ensure your kitten develops and has good litter box habits! Clean the litter box at least once or twice every day!
Litter
Cats love unscented litters; thus clumping litter is the best. You can find workable cat litter on different websites. Some of the brands are astonishing that can help in keeping the litter box clean.
Toys
I recommend you to spend some time playing with your cat every day. Playing will help you bond with your cat and it’s entertaining as well!
I’ve never met a cat who didn’t enjoy batting at something feathery on a string, so that’s a good place to start.
You could also get a laser pointer toy for around $5. My cat goes crazy chasing that tiny light around the living room. This is also an excellent exercise for your cat, and catnip is an excellent way to break the ice and help your cat relax!
Scratching Post
Cats love to scratch, isn’t it? Thus, you must give indoor cats a scratching pad or post as an adequate outlet for this freaky behavior.
There are a lot of choices to pick from; especially from online pet stores. To begin with, make sure what you are buying is stable and will not tip over when your cat puts her weight on it. If everything fails, a bit of carpet or firewood sample will do the magic.
Crates
Buy travel crates that are big enough to allow adult cats to turn around comfortably. If you will have to travel for more than an hour, then it’s advised to grab a bottle to make them go home smoothly. This product imitates the cat’s pheromones while it also has a calming effect. You only need to spray it into the crate before putting your cat in. Crates also help in calming your cat as she adjusts to the new environment