What supplies do I need for a cat?

mommyof4boys

I'm assuming a bed, a litter box, litter, bowl for food/water, a few toys, and scratching post.  The boys have been asking for a cat for about a year and we have been putting it off.  This morning a neighborhood friend asked us if we wanted one of their kittens.  Her cat had kittens and she was trying to find homes for them.  Also, how much is it for shots and to spay/neuter an animal?

I am going to get the supplies tomorrow and go from there. 

Liz051405

mommyof4boys:

I'm assuming a bed, a litter box, litter, bowl for food/water, a few toys, and scratching post.

LOL. my cat is 10 year old and FINALLY slept in a cat bed for the first tiem EVER last month. 

And she never used the scratching posts... just my brand new couches.

Get some cardboard boxes. My cats loved them. They slept in them. They played in them, etc. Especially a new kitten. They love tight places when they are uncomfortable/scared.

Add some treats to the list too.

I honestly don't remember what we paid for neutering, but our annual vet appt tends to be about $150 with bloodwork and shots if I recall.

mbcdefg

Our cat's never had his own bed. I put out a folded towel for him when I first got him, but he'd just sit on the couch with me when I was hanging out and then he'd sleep at the foot of my bed at night. When MH and I moved in together MH had an old beanbag chair and now the cat hangs out on that during the day. But if you don't want him on the furniture (our cat doesn't harm the furniture FWIW) you might want a bed or maybe an old blanket or towel for him. Cats usually lay on random stuff ... ours could have a whole empty room with nothing but a tiny scrap of paper on the floor and he'd lay on the paper :P He'll lay on books or full laundry baskets. if he finds a sunny spot on the floor he'll sleep there for a while.

We like Tidy Cats litter, usually $8 or so at Shop Rite for a big container. I tried "World's Best Cat Litter" and it smells really bad.  Tidy Cat clumps well. I get a big container every month or two. I got him a carrier that is way too big (made for a small dog, it was the only one in the store at the time) so if you're only going to use it for vet visits then you don't need a giant one. Definitely microchip/license him if he'll be an outdoor cat at all. If you're getting him a collar be sure it's the breakaway kind so that he doesn't get strangled on anything.

I got him two small metal bowls from the $1 section at Target a while back, but you could use old bowls or plates from your kitchen. My FIL's cat drinks from a small old water glass. I only feed him dry food - Wellness Indoor Cat from petfooddirect.com (PetCo or PetSmart may also have it). I go through an 11-pound bag maybe every two months, and I keep it in a big Tupperware container with a scoop so he doesn't chew through the bag or it doesn't spill. I keep treats on hand for him and he gets a few when we leave for work in the morning ... now he knows to expect them once we get our coats on :P

Defintiely get a scratching post or two, and keep his nails trimmed. A water bottle from the dollar store is useful if he scratches at things or jumps on the table (our cat runs at the mere sight of the bottle). Ours likes to chew on/eat plastic wrappers so keep those out of his reach. If you have houseplants make sure they're not poisonous to cats. He has a couple toy mice he likes, and he loves those toys strung on a wand. Another big favorite of our cat is those little plastic rings you pull off a new container of milk (make sure he doesn't chew them up and ingest them, though - mine doesn't which is why we let him have them ...pet stores have these as toys so that may be safer). And he'll chase champagne corks. He also likes to pounce when you put your fingers under a blanket, so you don't need to go nuts on toys for him, especially since I'm sure your kids will want to play with him. He used to like to sit on the windowsill and "talk" to birds.

I forget how much his shots were, sorry. He had a respiratory infection and ringworm when I first brought him to the vet, so between that and shots I may have spent $150-300, I really don't remember. I know I got a discounted neutering deal through a local animal rescue league ... I bought a voucher from them for maybe $60 and gave it to the vet when I brought him in.

Wow, I rambled a lot. Anyway, enjoy your new friend

Liz051405

Oh a brush. You NEED a cat brush.

mommyof4boys

Thank you! I know we had a brush for our dog.  The boys don't know we agreed to do this.  Chris will be so stinking excited.  He said he wants a cat and he's going to cuddle with him at night and name him "Kitty".

Mrs.JBW

Trim the nails and get the kitten used to this grooming. I used a pair of pedicure clippers so I could see the quick better.  Keeping the nails short will save your furniture, sheets, drapes and your boys' skin!