The New Cat Checklist: Everything You Actually Need

Getting a cat is a small amount of essential gear plus a lot of optional stuff the internet will try to sell you. This list separates the two. Buy the essentials before your cat arrives, then add the nice-to-haves once you see what your specific cat is into.

This is the list I wish someone had handed me on day one: the essentials sorted from the noise so you can skip the rookie mistakes.

Start here, because nothing ruins a first week faster than a cat who won't use the box or a room that smells. The rule that saves you: one box per cat, plus one extra. One cat means two boxes. It feels like overkill and it isn't.

Go unscented on the litter. Cats have strong opinions and perfume drives a lot of them off. A hard-clumping clay is the safe default that most cats accept without drama. I run a pellet-and-pad system myself (see the litter guide), but for a brand-new owner, unscented clumping clay is the easiest on-ramp. If your cat flings litter everywhere, a high-sided box solves more than you'd expect, and a trapping mat under it catches the rest.

Pick a solid, vet-trusted food and don't overthink it on day one. You can refine later. What matters more early is feeding some wet food, because cats are bad drinkers by design and get most of their water from meals. It's the easiest hydration win there is.

Skip plastic bowls. They hold odor and bother some cats' whiskers. A wide, shallow bowl keeps whiskers happy. Hold off on a fountain until you know whether your cat cares about moving water, then come back to it.

Cats scratch to stretch, mark, and shed claw sheaths. They will do it whether or not you provide a target, so give them a good one before they pick your couch. The trick is height and stability: a post tall enough for a full vertical stretch and heavy enough that it doesn't wobble.

Add a cheap cardboard scratcher for variety, since a lot of cats like a horizontal surface too. Put scratchers right next to whatever furniture you're trying to protect, not off in a corner where nobody goes.

An under-stimulated indoor cat gets destructive, loud, or chunky. Two short play sessions a day fixes most of that. A feather wand is the single best toy for burning real energy, and 10 focused minutes does more than an hour of solo play.

Round it out with something the cat can do alone (a flopping fish or a puzzle feeder) and free passive entertainment from a window perch. You don't need a bin full of toys, you need a few good ones you actually use.

Even short-haired cats benefit from a weekly brush, and long-haired cats need it to avoid mats and cut down on hairballs. A deshedding tool pulls out loose undercoat before it ends up on your clothes or in your cat's stomach.

Get nail clippers and start trimming early, ideally as a kitten, so it becomes routine instead of a wrestling match. A treat right after every trim makes it a job your cat tolerates.

You need a carrier before you bring the cat home, not the morning of the vet appointment. A hard-sided carrier is sturdier and easier to clean; a soft one is lighter for frequent travel. Either way, leave it out as furniture so the cat stops seeing it as the dreaded vet box.

Book a vet check early to confirm vaccines, microchip, and overall health. Toss a few treats in the carrier in the days before so the trip starts with a positive association instead of a chase.

Start your cat in one quiet room, not the whole house at once. A single room with food, water, a box, and a hiding spot lets a nervous cat decompress and learn the place is safe before you open the rest of the doors.

A pheromone diffuser in that room is an easy, effortless way to take the edge off. Lickable treats are gold for building trust: hand-feed one and you instantly become the best human in the house. Go slow, let the cat come to you, and don't force interactions.