Getting a new cat is always exciting. Before bringing your cat home, however, it’s important to have the minimum essentials to make the transition easy for you and the cat. Here are a few things that you want to have on day one of bringing home a new cat. To make the process easier, shop products for your cat online.
Buy the Proper Food
Once you buy a cat, you become its caregiver. As a caregiver, you have to ensure that your new family member has plenty to eat. The food that you need to buy depends greatly on the age of your cat. If it’s a kitten, for example, focus on food that provides balanced nutrition for growing cats. Kittens need proteins and fats to grow.
Look for foods that follow the guidelines of the Association of American Feed Control Officials. The AAFCO ensures that cats receive proper nutrition for every stage of their lives. Kitten food typically has keywords that include nutrient-dense or easily digestible. Continue to feed your kitten this food for around eight weeks. After that point, you can switch to adult cat food.
Once your cat becomes an adult, you can give it canned cat food. In most cases, canned food is better for your cat than dry food. However, you shouldn’t feed your cat only canned food. The dry cat food helps clean its teeth while it eats.
Water Bowls
As cats age, they typically develop problems with their kidneys first. The reason is because over the course of their lives, they don’t drink enough water. However, you can encourage your cat to drink more water in a few ways.
First, buy stainless steel water bowls. These bowls keep water cool, which makes it more appealing to cats. Avoid plastic drinking bowls because they hold bacteria better, and some cats can develop rashes from drinking from plastic bowls.
If at all possible, invest in a water bowl that keeps water flowing. Cats are naturally drawn to drink from flowing water. Studies show that those that have access to a flowing water fountain drink more over the course of their lives than those that don’t.
Don’t Forget the Toys
Some people think that cats only sleep all day. While they do sleep a lot, they need something to do when they wake up. When they get bored, they start to look for things to get into. Cat toys are a great way to keep them occupied during their waking hours.
Some popular cat toys that you can buy online include dangling lures and catnip balls. Eventually, you may also want to spring for a cat climbing tower. Cats love to climb up to high places, and a cat tower can keep them from clawing up furniture too.
Cat Litter
Lastly, you’re going to need cat litter. In most cases, cats are easy to potty train. Just make sure that you buy premium cat litter to keep the smell down. You may also want to invest in a nice cat litter box. Cheap boxes fail to keep all of the cat litter inside.
Don’t let the special day of bringing home a new cat get ruined by not having the right products. Invest in some of these cat products to make the homecoming for your cat a special one.
