New Kitten Checklist | Essential Starter Kit

Bringing a new kitten home for the first time can feel both exciting and daunting. But it’s not enough to give your new kitten plenty of cuddles and a cute new name: if you want your kitten to feel safe and comfortable in their new surroundings then it’s important to ensure you have all the equipment you need to meet their needs. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have all the essentials your kitten will need before they enter your home, from food to toys, litter trays to cat litter. Here is a comprehensive new kitten checklist of everything you will need to bring a brand-new kitten into your home:

Before you start shopping for your new kitten, the first thing you should do is research local vets and ensure that your new pet is registered with them before you bring them home: you never know when an accident or illness might occur, and it’s important to be prepared! Ensure that you have the number for their emergency 24-hour clinic to hand and that you know where to go if you need to use this service. You might also wish to consider pet insurance for your kitten, to minimise the financial impact of any veterinary care.

Once your new kitten is registered with a vet, it’s time to start researching the supplies your new furry friend will need and hit the shops! You will need:

Where there are cats, there is cat poop! For this reason, whilst it might not be the most exciting or glamorous purchase, the first thing you should buy before you bring your new kitten home is a cat litter tray with a scoop. When choosing a cat litter box you should look for one that is large enough for your cat to fit in comfortably (think about the size they will be when they are fully grown, rather than the size they are now, to avoid buying twice) and you will also need a scoop to accompany your litter tray to help you to keep it clean. A clean litter box is essential because cats are very hygienic creatures, meaning that your kitten will avoid using a litter tray that’s messy and smelly, which may lead to otherwise avoidable accidents in the house.

You can’t have a cat litter tray without cat litter to put inside! There are two main kinds of cat litter on the market: clumping cat litter and non-clumping cat litter. We would always recommend using clumping cat litter wherever possible. As the name suggests, this kind of litter clumps together when it has been soiled. The main benefit of using clumping cat litter is that it is more effective at removing the odours from the waste for a longer period of time. When your litter clumps it is also easier to identify and then remove the cat waste, making clumping litter a more economical choice because you can remove any sources of odour whilst also prolonging the life of the litter.

Cat litter tray liners are the easiest and most convenient way to change all of your cat litter at once, and because they fully line your litter tray, they help to preserve its lifespan, keeping it free from urine stains and smells. Cat litter tray liners also save you the extra work of having to regularly wash and deep clean your cat litter tray. They are incredibly simple and straightforward to use. All you have to do is pull up the cat litter tray liner, tie it in a knot and then bin it every time you need to change the entire contents of your cat litter tray. If you want to own a pet without impacting the planet, then you’ll be pleased to know that our cat litter tray liners are organic and compostable. They are also fully plastic-free as they are made from corn starch, meaning that you can use them guilt-free.

Whether you use cat litter tray liners or not, you will still need to use cat litter waste bags too. These are bags that are specifically designed to hold cat poop or cat clumping litter, and they can be tied up and then binned with ease. They are ideal for daily use e.g. when you just want to remove a small amount of cat clumping litter or poop from your cat’s litter tray, as you more than likely will not need to empty the entire contents of the litter tray every day. Using cat litter waste bags will help you to dispose of this in a way that is clean and hygienic, as it is not safe or healthy to flush it down the toilet. To minimise the impact that your new pet ownership has on the planet, we highly recommend using organic cat litter waste bags which do not harm the planet. These bags are 100% plastic free and fully compostable. Being environmentally friendly doesn’t mean they aren’t up to the task: these cat litter waste bags are strong and leakproof, so you won’t have to worry about litter spilling all over your bin.

Your kitten will need two bowls: one for food and one for water. These should be cleaned regularly, to prevent your kitten’s delicate stomach from exposure to harmful bacteria. If possible, you should avoid giving your cat plastic bowls. This is because some kittens are sensitive to the chemicals within certain plastics, so instead, you should choose a different material, like stainless steel or ceramic, which are both durable and easy to clean.

Your kitten will need their own comfortable place to rest and relax. There are plenty of options on the market and you can choose from a wide range of fancy wicker baskets or plush beds, but if you’re on a budget (or just don’t want to waste your money) then a simple cardboard box with a cosy old cushion inside would do the same job and be just as comfortable for your new kitten.

Even if your kitten is a house cat who shouldn’t be spending time outside, accidents happen, doors are left open, and curious kittens can escape. For this reason, every kitten should wear a cat collar with an ID tag attached. The ID tag should include your pet’s name and your contact telephone number. Leather collars tend to be more comfortable and environmentally friendly than plastic ones, and the earlier your kitten starts wearing their collar the easier it will be for them to get used to the sensation.

Kittens are incredibly playful and full of energy, so it’s important to invest in toys that will physically and mentally engage your pet. Many owners will choose to buy toys specially made for cats – these are durable and are designed not to splinter or tear when scratched and chewed by your new kitten. If you’re on a budget, there are plenty of household objects you could transform into toys for your kitten. These include: a table tennis ball, an empty shoe box, balled up wax paper, an empty wooden sewing thread spool, and cardboard toilet paper inner tubes.

If you’re keen to reduce your impact on the environment then you’ll be pleased to know that it is possible to be an eco-friendly pet owner, and you can build your own eco-friendly kitten starter kit here at Furry Mate!

Avoiding plastic products and switching to natural products, such as cat litter bags and cat litter tray liners made of corn starch instead of plastic, or biodegradable leather collars rather than PU ones, is a great place to start.

When it comes to cat toys, you probably have something suitable lying around your house without spending a penny: toilet roll inners are a great example of this. And when looking for larger items, such as a bed or basket for your cat, or larger toys such as scratching posts, why not consider looking in your local charity shop or buying second-hand? Avoiding buying new when the product you need has already been produced and is in circulation, is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint

The question of the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of cat waste is one that we are asked a lot, and that is why we are so proud to offer a plastic-free alternative to those that want to dispose of their cat waste without negatively impacting the planet. You could invest in compostable cat litter waste bags or compostable cat litter tray liners as the best way to dispose of your cat waste products, knowing that making this one small change really will have a big impact on the world around you.