Are you considering adding a new kitten into your home? Check out my recommended kitten essentials kit:
I get it. Adding a kitten to your family can be a big transition. To help with that, I have come up with an affordable Kitten Essentials Kit of recommended products you can easily find and purchase on Amazon. Below, I share my favorite items to have on hand when introducing a kitten to a new home. Enjoy the journey, and welcome to the cat lady/cat daddy family!
1. Litter Boxes:
Remember this golden rule: you need one litter box for every cat in your home PLUS one extra. This means, if you have one cat, you need two litter boxes, and so on. For very young kittens, a small cardboard box (like the one canned wet food comes in) with a pee pad and non-clumping litter is perfect. However, as your kitten gets older, you will want to transition to a bigger litter box. Here are some of my top picks for litter boxes that are affordable and make your life easier!
BEST LITTER BOX WITH DOGS:
- WHY I love this: It is too tall for most dogs to be able to stick their heads in to eat the litter.
- Potential negatives: It is not smell-proof and some larger dogs can still get into the litter box. Otherwise, this is my favorite type of litter box if you are pretty diligent about changing the litter out.
Best litter box to limit odor:
- WHY I love this: This litter box definitely helps prevent odor, which is why I recommend it.
- Potential negatives: I switched from using this litter box to the one above for a few reasons. First, I have a dog who could stick his nose into the litter box door and eat the cat poop. Second, the trapped air causes a very bad ammonia smell for your cat when they are using it. I really am not a fan of that. And third, it can be pretty messy due to the front access door so you really need a mat in front of it to prevent your cat from tracking litter throughout your home.
2. Types of Litter:
Here is another golden rule for litter that I have learned over my time in the veterinary industry. Scoop the litter box once per day. Dump the litter at least 2-3 times per week and replenish it (ideally you would replenish the litter every day). This is obviously not feasible for most people. I find myself most realistically able to dump/replenish the litter 1-2 times per week, and scoop the litter once daily. Now, when adding a kitten to your home, it is important to know what type of litter to purchase. Similar to puppies, kittens have the tendency to eat things that they shouldn’t. In the beginning, make sure to use a non-clumping litter with kittens. This way, they are less likely to get an impaction in their GI tract if they accidentally swallow it.
I like the basic grocery store brand, non-clumping litter for kittens, but you could also try products similar to the one below from Amazon.
3. Toys/Enrichment:
In order to keep your kitten healthy and happy, it is important to provide enrichment to keep them entertained. I like to provide kittens with a variety of toys to choose from in the beginning. Make sure your kitten isn’t attempting to eat the toys as this could lead to an expensive visit to an emergency veterinarian.
Apart from toys like this, kittens love to climb and scratch, so cat towers and scratching posts are recommended. My favorite scratching post/hammock is the one I linked in my blog post, Top 6 Tips for New Kitten Owners, which I will relink below:
If you want a more elaborate kitty condo, check out this option for a larger space:
4. FOOD:
As I mentioned in my blog post, 6 Tips for New Kitten Owners, the choice in food is essential to set your kitten up for success. I personally feed Purina Pro Plan Kitten, which is available online or in pet food stores. I tend to start kittens out with wet food and slowly transition to dry food after weaning them off formula (if I have had them as fosters).
5. Lifestyle Items:
There are many lifestyle items that you can add to your home that will improve your kitten’s overall health. One such type of product that I recommend is a water fountain. Cats like to play with them and these fountains encourage increased water drinking.
Another lifestyle product that will help your kitten stay at a healthy weight as he/she ages is a slow feeder. This is a form of enrichment that encourages pets to eat more slowly while having fun!
5. Kitten Wellness Veterinary Visits:
Remember, you should always bring your kitten to a primary care veterinarian for a wellness exam, vaccines, and flea/tick/heartworm preventatives. They will also be able to detect any other diseases that could be concerning down the road for your kitten. This is a great step to take to insure your kitten is as healthy and happy as possible.
I hope you found this Kitten Essentials Kit helpful for your newest addition to your family. Please reach out should you have any questions at all.
