An Incomplete Checklist of New Cat Parents

Thank you Pooja, Kenny, Ananya, Cornell for inputs

0. Identify a good vet and enroll your kitty. All vaccination and health related stuff including diet to be discussed with Vet. Best to avoid google or even friends on this.

1. Litter boxes: Preferably one per cat + an extra one if you can accommodate it. Size of litter box will depend on if you are bringing in a kitten or adult cat. Ideally short height for your kitten. They do grow up rapidly and like to hop in and out. So it need not be too short also. The extra litter box is super helpful if you feel like your cat is pooping or urinating outside the box even though your litter is fresh/clean and is not smelly etc.

2. Litter type: Pine wood litter is good. Safe for cats, humans, & the planet. You can scoop the poop out of it with a scooper [can go into where our poop goes and flush] and the Urine usually dissolves into the wood and becomes like saw dust. After a few days, you can replace litter. This urine (it will become dry) smelling saw dust like remainder of the pine wood litter can be added to the wet waste side of garbage disposal. If your litter area smells, keep a bowl of white vinegar and a bowl of baking/cooking soda above the litter area (away from cats reach) , it will absorb a lot of the smell.

3. Litter scooper: Larger the better as they make cleaning easier.

4. Food & water bowls:

   All Bowls should be made of non porous material - stainless steel, glazed ceramic, borosilicate glass, etc. Once they are 1 year old, and if you feel like they arent drinking enough water, you could get a water fountain https://www.amazon.in/Water-Fountain-Drinking-Automatic-Blue/dp/B09BQ4NGDH or https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0C7GMKPP3 

   Bowls must be wide & shallow (not narrow & deep).
   Bowls must be kept in a location that doesn’t see heavy foot traffic.
   Keep the water and food bowls away from each other
   Keep any food, water away from litter area

5. Scratching post/mats: 1 in every room they have access to. 2-3 in large rooms. Can get a few initially & get more as needed. Link 1.

6. Beds: Cats are not picky, floor cushions will do. You might need to get a new bed as they take over your bed pretty quickly :)

7. Toys: Wand is one of the best. Just shoelaces will do actually.

8. Grooming tools: Will depend heavily on type of fur the cat/s have. A good one to have on hand initially.

9. Fur remover: You’ll need this to get rid of any fur sitting on your furniture and you and your guests

10. How to train my kitty? Sorry to disappoint you. Please remember the golden rule - "You dont train cats. They train you."