If you have a cat then you know that they are much more than just a pet to you. People who own cats understand how easy it is to get attached to them. They provide a fine balance of giving you space and giving you attention, and we love them to death. So it only makes sense that we want to do everything within our power to ensure that they’re leading healthy, happy, and comfortable lives with us in our homes. This is why you need to make sure that as a cat owner, you have the things they need.

Sources for Stimulation

Cats are like babies, and if they’re not asleep, then they need some kind of stimulation so that you’re not putting them at risk of becoming depressed or overweight. This is why you need to have a nice, healthy variety of toys for the little fluff balls. In this day and age, there is such a wide variety of options for cat toys, that you don’t really have anything to worry about when it comes to options. There are even toys that release treats if the cat follows a certain pattern. Another great idea to help keep your cats active and stimulated is to create vertical spaces for them at varying levels so that they are encouraged to jump and explore. 

Automatic Food Dispenser

Most people have jobs or even errands to run, and it’s extremely important that you set a feeding routine for your cat for them to stay healthy. This becomes difficult if you’re not at home, and it’s definitely not a good idea to fill their plates with food. This is why it makes sense to have an automatic food dispenser. There is even a wet food cat feeder option that keeps the wet food fresh, so you won’t have to worry about it going dry or bad. What these devices do is have ice packs within them to keep the food cold, and depending on which one you get, it will either have predetermined intervals set, or you get to set them yourself. 

Scratching Posts & Mats

Cats need to sharpen their nails, it is a part of their nature, so you shouldn’t get mad at them or expect them to stop doing this just because you chase them away. Apart from using scents that cats hate, a good solution to keeping them away from your furniture is to get them a couple of scratching posts and mats and spread them out all over the house. Cats need to sharpen their nails to keep them clean and also to mark their territory, so it’s something that needs to be managed simply by giving them more options from the time you get them. 

Grooming Items

Just because you have your cat groomed professionally every once in a while, doesn’t mean this isn’t something that you shouldn’t be doing yourself at home. You need to have a couple of brushes on you, and make it a point to brush them daily so that their hair doesn’t clump up. If you leave them for too long without brushing their hair, this can damage their skin and can even become painful for them. It’s also important that their nails are trimmed every once in a while because if left to grow out, they will curl into their paws and hurt them. 

More than One Litter Box

Not many people are aware of this, but it definitely helps to have more than one location for your kitty to do their business. You’ll find that if you have only one, there are times where they may decide to make a mess elsewhere, even though they do know exactly where the litter box is. So the best solution is to have 2 and place them in different places. 

Carrier

This is a must to have at home and at the ready. You never know when you might need to take your cat to the vet and it’s not entirely safe to just have them sitting in the car without a carrier. You should also consider taking your kitty for car rides every now and then, and you also need the carrier for this. However, it is important that they don’t relate the carrier with a negative experience, so make sure that you get them used to it at home before venturing out with them.

As you can see, having a cat means that you need to think about a couple of things and have a number of items in order to ensure that they are well taken care of. You can always do a bit of research every now and then to see what new kitty innovations are available, but always make sure you have these basic necessities before you bring them home.