If you’ve recently become a cat parent, you’ll no doubt have quickly realised how all-consuming taking care of a cat can be. Let alone you need to ensure you’re feeding them properly, you also need to take care of all kinds of other matters to keep them happy and healthy. Of course, it’s all worth it given the pure love you have for your fluffy bundle of joy.
But that doesn’t make it any less of a challenge! The good news is that it definitely gets easier once you get used to your new responsibility. You can also help yourself out by having all of the essential items you need on hand. We’ve listed 5 items that you should purchase as soon as possible to make your life far more manageable as a new cat owner.
1. Cat Brush
One of the not-so-fun ‘surprises’ your cat will leave for you is plenty of hair around your house. While it may not seem like that big of a deal at first, after a while, cleaning up their hair will get frustrating. After all, who wants to constantly clean up cat hair, only for it to be replaced moments later?
While you won’t be able to stop this problem completely as shedding is a natural process, you can certainly minimize it. Getting a well-designed cat brush for shedding will aid you to remove excess hair directly from them before it finds its way all around the house.
2. A Comfy Cat Bed
Your cat possesses an enviable ability to cat nap just about anywhere. Whether it’s on your couch, in your cupboard, or somewhere completely unconventional, cats are well known for their flexible sleeping habit.
Many new cat parents therefore make the mistake of not providing their cat with a bed of their own. The thing is, while cats do love lazing around your house, they should still have a comfortable cat bed to retreat to. In addition to giving your cat the privacy they need to have a restful night’s sleep, you’ll also be able to prevent your cat from setting up shop on your belongings.
3. The Right Cat Litter
If you’re wondering why we’ve listed such an obvious item as cat litter on our roundup, the reason is that not all cat litter options are created the same. For example, there’s clumping and non-clumping, litters made with different kinds of properties, as well as a ton of other features which help to differentiate different options.
“Choosing the right litter for your cat will require some research on your behalf as the selection process isn’t as straightforward as it may first seem,” says Angela Stringfellow from Pet Life Today. “Different types of cat litter have different advantages and disadvantages, so you’ll need to weigh up which is most suitable for your particular situation. For example, the relatively more affordable price of non-clumping litter may make it initially an attractive option, but it will need to be replaced significantly more often than clumping litter.”
4. Fun Toys
Just like their ability to make a bed out of any and every item, your cat has an uncanny ability to make everything a toy. For example, they may paw at the string for your curtains or make their own inventive games with your possessions. Cats love to keep mentally stimulated, so will always find a way to keep themselves entertained.
If you’re finding your cat getting a little too creative with your items, it may be a sign the toys you’ve treated them too aren’t floating their boat. Notice which types of items your cat is drawn to and purchase a toy that mimics the shape or sensation. For example, if they’re playing with your fluffy pillows, they may like a toy with a feather on it. If you want to keep costs down or have a DIY streak, you can even make your own cat toys!
5. Cat Carrier
One final item we highly recommend you get for your cat is a cat carrier. This is an item that you’ll only need to use when a situation calls for it—but you’ll be very glad to have when the time comes.
There are no shortage of situations a cat carrier will come in handy, from taking them to the vet to any car trips together. We can’t stress the importance of buying a cat carrier before you need to use it. After all, trying to transport your cat into your car and keeping them safe while you’re driving without one is a recipe for disaster. So be sure to save yourself the trouble by getting one sooner rather than later.
This was written by catlifetoday.com