What Cat Supplies Do You Need to Prepare?

1 Overview

Because there are many daily supplies, cat foods, cans, nutritional supplements, and medical items involved, this time we’ll share the daily supplies first:

First, the daily essentials:

1. Litter box:

Litter boxes come in open, closed, semi-closed, and top-entry styles. Which one to choose depends on the owner’s and cat’s preferences (a lidded litter box can block a bit of the odor and prevent litter from spilling out, but some cats won’t figure out how to open the door!).

2. Cat litter:

There are many types of cat litter; the more common ones are bentonite, green-tea, and tofu litter. Pine litter and crystal litter are too impractical to mention. There are also many brands of litter—choose according to your judgment.

3. Cat bowls:

These include food and water dishes—they should be made of sturdy material with thick bottoms and edges so the cat doesn’t kick them over while eating at the rim. Bowls are generally ceramic, stainless steel, or plastic. Plastic easily harbors bacteria and can’t hold hot food; stainless steel rusts over time. Ceramic is recommended—easy to clean and less likely to cause ‘black chin’ in cats. Many owners work and have no time to feed every meal; there are also many timed automatic feeders on the market, suitable for working pet owners.

4. Disinfectant:

Disinfect cat supplies and the cat’s living environment periodically to kill germs and clean. A disinfectant is essential. Common human disinfectants like 84, Dettol, and similar products are too irritating for pets—they easily irritate a cat’s respiratory tract, and long-term use lowers immunity. For cleaning pet items, use a pet-specific disinfectant, such as a pet-safe disinfectant.

5. Cat ear cleaner:

A cat’s ears easily breed ear mites and dirt. Check the ears periodically; when they look dark and dirty, put in a few drops of ear cleaner, then gently massage the back of the ear and let the cat shake the debris out. Common ear-cleaning products include vet-grade ear-cleaning solutions.

6. Deworming:

Regular deworming is an important part of keeping a cat healthy. This is especially true for stray cats just brought home, free-roaming cats, and cats fed mainly meat—internal and external deworming is a must. Common external parasite treatments include spot-on drops; common internal dewormers include tablet formulations.

7. Cat bed (optional):

Generally cats rest just about anywhere—the bed, the sofa, the table—anywhere safe and comfortable where a cat can lie down, it can sleep soundly. So there’s no need to deliberately prepare a cat bed. But if the owner doesn’t want the cat on the bed, a separate cat bed can be prepared.

8. Cat food:

Choose natural cat food, which is made from fresh chicken, beef, lamb, vegetables, whole-wheat flour, fiber, and other natural ingredients, without any artificial colors or additives.

9. Cat cans:

Cats are carnivores that need high-quality animal protein and fat. Compared with dry kibble, canned food has far higher moisture and animal protein/fat content, with added vitamins, minerals, and taurine to ensure balanced nutrition. If you worry about nutritional imbalance, consider feeding both kibble and cans. Common cans include various premium brands.

10. Cat grass:

Cats like to clean themselves by licking their fur, so hairballs form in the stomach. Cat grass is generally plants like wheatgrass, oat grass, mung-bean sprouts, and foxtail grass—rich in fiber, it stimulates intestinal movement and helps the cat vomit up hairballs formed in the stomach; it also improves the oral environment and helps prevent and control oral disease. There are special cat-grass kits for sale, including the container, soil, necessary fertilizer, and cat-grass seeds, which you can buy and grow yourself. Alternatively, a special hairball paste can substitute for cat grass.

11. Scratching post:

A tool to help cats sharpen their claws and prevent them from using furniture. Generally made of sisal rope, though some use corrugated cardboard.

Cats have a weak sense of security and leave their own visual and olfactory marks in their territory. They like to leave scratch marks on protruding objects to claim their safe space, which is why they scratch sofas and other furniture. If you don’t want the furniture scratched up, placing scratching posts around it is a must. The post should be tall and large enough—about 30 cm longer than the cat’s body—preferably wood, and several of them; you can also put some cardboard scratchers on the floor.

12. Cat toys:

Common cat toys include teaser wands, cat balls, plush mice, and rolling toys, in various types and prices—choose according to your household. If you have a kitten, prepare more toys; this effectively corrects bad habits like random scratching and biting.

13. Cat tree

Owners in better financial condition can buy a cat tree, which combines the functions of a cat bed, scratching post, and toys—a large playground for the cat. But it is pricey and bulky.

14. Cat comb

Cats love being brushed, especially during the spring–summer coat change when they shed heavily. Buy a comb to brush your cat, improving circulation, making the coat shinier, removing dead fur, and reducing the amount swallowed.

15. Cat nail clippers

A cat’s claws are its weapons. Cats like to sharpen them on posts, chair legs, and door corners. Overly sharp claws easily scratch people or furniture. If the cat doesn’t need to catch mice, regular nail trimming is fine.

16. Cat shampoo

Cats are clean animals; their tongue is like a tiny disinfecting brush, spending at least 4 hours a day cleaning their fur. Don’t bathe cats too often, or skin problems can result. Generally, long-haired cats get a bath every two months, while short-haired cats, which don’t get dirty easily, can go 3–4 months or even half a year between baths.

17. Cat travel carrier

Cats need to go out for vet visits, vaccinations, and so on, so a cat-specific carrier is needed. Common options are cat backpacks and airline-style crates. I’d suggest every cat-owning household keep an airline crate—more practical than a backpack. Some owners buy a dedicated cat stroller; the well-off cat lover can try it.