Supplies to Prepare for a New Cat
📝 Summary
New-cat checklist: kitten formula (goat/lactose-free), bottle, syringe; two bowls + natural kibble; one litter box per cat, low-dust clumping litter; hairball paste/cat grass, brush, nail clippers; supplements (probiotic, vitamins, taurine); dewormer, eye drops, shampoo, ear meds, toothbrush; wand toy, mice, catnip, scratch post; bed, cat tree, heating pad.
1 Feeding and Formula
For kittens, cat milk formula must be goat’s milk or lactose-free (most cats are lactose intolerant), plus a nursing bottle if needed and — importantly — a needle-free syringe from a pet shop or clinic for feeding. For any cat, prepare two food bowls, one for water and one for food. Choose a natural-ingredient kibble; buying very cheap food makes a cat eat more yet stay underfed, raising the risk of illness.
2 Litter and Box
Give one litter box per cat to avoid the territorial disputes that lead to accidents. Clumping litter is the easiest to find; skip very dusty types so the cat and your home stay clean.
3 Grooming, Health, and Toys
Add hairball paste or cat grass (without it, cats can’t pass hair), a brush, and nail clippers — brushing matters most for long-haired cats. Keep basic supplements on hand (a probiotic, vitamins, taurine) and care products: internal and external dewormer, eye drops, cat shampoo, ear-mite treatment, and a toothbrush with cat toothpaste. For play, a wand toy, toy mice, catnip, and a scratch post cover the basics. Warm-bed, cat-tree, and heating-pad luxuries matter in winter; in a small room, let the cat leap between shelves with boxes placed to bridge safe height gaps.
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