Bringing home a new cat is exciting — and a little panic-inducing when you realize you have no idea what to buy.
This checklist cuts through the noise. No fluff, no unnecessary purchases — just the essentials that make your cat’s transition into your home smooth, safe, and stress-free. Bookmark it. You’ll come back to it.
🐾 The quick checklist
- ✓Litter box (×2)
- ✓Unscented clumping litter
- ✓Food & water bowls
- ✓Cat food
- ✓Cat carrier
- ✓Scratching post
- ✓Cat bed
- ✓Toys (wand toy + crinkle ball)
- ✓Cat tree (week 2+)
- ✓Grooming brush
Now let’s go through each one — what to look for, what to avoid, and our top picks.
Before your cat comes home
1. Litter box
One litter box per cat, plus one extra — so two boxes for a single cat. Start with a large, uncovered box: cats prefer space and airflow, and covered boxes trap odors that make cats avoid them. Look for one at least 1.5× your cat’s length, with a low entry for kittens or seniors, and easy to clean.
2. Cat litter
Go with unscented, clumping litter — always. Cats have 40× more scent receptors than we do; “fresh linen” to you is overwhelming to them, and scented litter is the usual culprit when a cat avoids the box. Clumping makes scooping easy and controls odor far better.
3. Food & water bowls
Skip plastic — it harbors bacteria in tiny scratches and can cause feline chin acne. Use ceramic or stainless steel, and choose wide, shallow bowls so your cat’s whiskers don’t bend (whisker fatigue makes some cats reluctant to eat).
4. Cat food
Start with whatever the shelter or breeder was feeding — switching too fast causes digestive upset. When you transition, a mix of wet and dry works well: wet adds hydration, dry helps dental health. Look for a named protein (chicken, salmon, turkey) as the first ingredient.
5. Cat carrier
You need this before anything else — for the trip home. A hard-sided carrier with a top opening is a game changer at the vet: you can lower your cat in gently. Leave it out at home with a blanket inside so it becomes a cozy spot, not a fear trigger.
First week essentials
6. Scratching post
Get this before your cat discovers your couch. Scratching is a biological need, not bad behavior. Choose a post tall enough for a full stretch (at least 28 inches) wrapped in sisal — most cheap posts are too short and get ignored.
See the best scratching posts →
7. Cat bed
Cats sleep 12–16 hours a day and need a safe spot to decompress in a new home. A donut or cave bed suits anxious cats — place it in a quiet corner away from foot traffic for the first week.
8. Toys
A bored cat is a destructive cat. Start with a wand toy for interactive play and a crinkle ball for solo time. Aim for two 10-minute sessions a day — it burns energy before bed and prevents 3am zoomies.
First month additions
9. Cat tree
Once your cat is settled, a cat tree is one of the best investments you can make. Cats are vertical animals — they feel safer at height and love territory of their own. You don’t need to overspend; there are sturdy, well-loved cat trees under $100.
10. Grooming tools
Even short-haired cats benefit from regular brushing — it cuts shedding, prevents hairballs, and becomes a bonding ritual. Start early; a rubber grooming glove is the easiest first tool, and most cats think they’re just being petted.
What you don’t need right away
- ✕Automatic litter box — great product, but learn your cat’s habits first
- ✕Cat fountain — nice to have, not essential week one
- ✕Calming supplements — wait and see if your cat actually needs them
- ✕GPS tracker — only necessary for outdoor cats
Final thoughts
You don’t need to buy everything at once. Start with the “before you come home” essentials, add the first-week items as you settle in, and build from there.
The most important thing you can give a new cat isn’t any product — it’s patience. Give them a quiet space, stick to a routine, and let them come to you. They will, and it’ll be worth it.