Cats demand a certain environment where they feel safe, comfortable and well-facilitated. This is why if you are planning to own a cat, there are several preparations that you’ll have to make to help your cat get comfortable with you and your house. You should know what your cats need to be comfortable with you in your house. So, here are 10 cat preparations that you have to make before bringing a cat to your house as a first-time owner.
What To Buy Before Getting A Cat?
We recommend a nice and attractive bowl
Before buying or adopting a cat, there are some things that you have to buy for your cat first:
A Bowl: Buy a nice attractive food bowl for your cat.
A Water Bowl: For your cat’s daily hydration, keep the food bowl away from the water bowl to avoid spillage. Cats can get quite clumsy during meals.
A Small, Soft and Comfortable Bed: You need to make sure that your cat sleeps comfortably. Also, put a small blanket on your furry friend while it’s asleep.
A comfortable place for your cat to sleep
A litter tray: Make sure that the litter tray is kept away from your cat’s food and water bowls.
A high spot: Cats like to go high and explore, so make a high spot for your cat using cardboard boxes. No need to spend money here.
A brush: You have to keep those teeth strong, sharp and white.
Cat Toys: Because cats love to play!
A comfy cat carrier to help you travel
A cat carrier: To carry your cat on buses, trains and flights. Make sure that it’s spacious, strong and well-ventilated.
A harness: Important to keep your cat with you during walks.
Tip: If possible, try buying extra stuff for your cat, especially if you are buying an adult female cat that can give babies in the future.
Health Checkups and Vaccination
A proper check up by a professional vet is truely recommended
To avoid massive vet bills in the future, it is important to get your cat checked up by a vet upon buying. Also, if you are buying your cat from an owner, ask them to provide you with a valid medical record of the cat before buying. If you are adopting a stray cat, here are the medical measures you have to take before introducing your cat to the outside world.
Get your cat properly checked by a professional vet regularly.
If your cat is suffering from fleas, ear mites, and worms like tapeworms and heartworms, get it treated.
Get your cat vaccinated against cat diseases like cat flu and feline enteritis.
Get your cat microchipped once it is 12 weeks or older.
Now that you have made all the preparations, it’s time to go to the pet shop to buy food for your cat. However, once you go to the cat food section, there are two types of food cat food you will encounter, dry food and wet food. Dry food items have a moisture content below 14%, while wet food items have moisture levels of more than 60%. Wet food is more expensive than dry food, but there is a reason for that.
Wet food is not only filling for cats, it allows better weight management and also provides necessary hydration. Wet food protects cats from dehydration and urine tract disorders. However, one downfall with wet food is that it should be consumed as soon as its packaging is opened, as it can perish quickly. Secondly, to keep your cat on a wet food diet, your cat should be having a meal at specific periods, which is something cats don’t prefer. Dry food, on the other hand, is much cheaper than wet food, is good for the teeth of your cat, can be easily preserved even after opening, and most importantly, it’s perfect for frequent munching, as this is how cats like their eating schedule to be.
Here are a few things that you need to keep in mind before buying a cat:
Set Up An Eating Schedule
Even though your cat likes to munch randomly, it’s not good for its health as it will end up gaining weight. It depends on you what kind of cat food you serve, but make sure that you feed your cat according to a schedule so that your cat doesn’t get fat. Also, consult a vet to know about what food items you shouldn’t feed your cat. For example, avoid feeding your cat grapes or raisins as these are fruits that your cat’s digestive system cannot handle.
Keep A Cat Grooming Kit
A cute cat and its grooming kits
Grooming is extremely important for cat owners and it should be done regularly. Through grooming, you can not only keep your cat clean, but you can also develop a special bond with your cat. A cat’s fur coat can get very dirty due to parasites like ear mites and fleas. This is why you should be brushing and combing your cat’s fur coat at least once every day to protect its fur coat from dirt and parasites. If you have a long hair breed, take your cat to a cat parlor to get its hair trimmed.
Don’t Take Its Claws Off
Claws are important for cats as this body part helps cats to defend themselves. Taking their claws out through operation is not only painful for the cat, you will be taking its only self-defense weapon from it. It’s important to let animals be animals. However, you should be clipping the nails of your cat periodically so that its claws don’t hurt you.
Buying a cat is a lifetime commitment, as if you are adopting a kitten, it will be with you for 15-20 years. Therefore, before going for a cat, you should make these preparations so that your furry friend can be safe and comfortable at your house.
