List of Essential Cat Supplies

"Do you have the right cat supplies ready
for your new cat or kitten?"

It's important to have some things already set up when bringing home a new cat or kitten. Some are essential. Others can wait.

Most of your expenses for will be a one-time cost (for example, a cat carrier and food and water bowls). Some expenses will be intermittent (such as safe and interactive cat toys) and some will be regular expenses (such as cat food and cat litter).

Buying the Best Supplies Can Save You Money

It's best to buy the highest quality cat products you can afford. This will save you money in the long run and will benefit your cat's health. For example, a sturdy plastic or metal cat carrier will last much longer than a cardboard cat carrier.

If you are on a budget, do the best you can do, but in all cases, make sure whatever you get for your cat or kitten is safe!

The supplies you choose will affect your cat's health, so it's important to choose wisely.

List of Recommended Cat Supplies for Your Healthy Cat

The supplies you need for your new cat or kitten fall under four categories:

• Cat Food and Cat Food Supplies,
• Litter Box Necessities,
• Comfort and Entertainment, and
• Cat Safety

Here's a list of what you'll need under each category. Ideally, you should have these ready before you bring home your new cat or kitten.

Cat Food and Cat Food Supplies

• Nutritious cat food
• Water bowl
• Food bowl

• Cat litter box
• Cat litter
• Litter box shovel

• Safe and interactive cat toys
• Cat bed
• Cat tree or "kitty condo"

• Cat carrier
• Cat collar
• Pet ID tag

The Humane Society of the United States recommends the following additional items for your healthy cat:

• Sticker with your veterinarian's phone number and after-hours number to put near your phone
• Small trash can with a lid and small plastic trash bags to line the trash can or gallon-sized plastic zipper bags for your cat's waste
• Crate or box to keep litter-box-maintenance supplies handy

• Flea comb
• Nail clippers
• Toothpaste or dental rinse made specifically for cats
• Toothbrush, or finger toothbrush, made just for cats
• Cornstarch or small bar of cat-safe, unscented soap (for nail-clipping mistakes)
• Feline at-home first-aid kit

All of these products can be purchased for your cat from your local pet store or on the internet. Oftentimes, supplies on the internet will be less expensive, but you usually have to add shipping costs. However, if you buy several supplies at one time, you will often save more because the shipping costs will be less, and some pet stores offer free shipping when you spend a certain amount.

If you decide to use the internet to buy your pet needs, don't forget to consider shipping time. If you are bringing home a new cat or kitten, you want to make sure that you have the essentials already set up before your new family member.

You can even make some of the things you'll need on your own with a little imagination and handiwork. For example, your cat's bed can be as simple as a clean, folded towel on your cat's favorite chair or any other favorite spot (spots in the sun are always a winner).

Listed below are some of the best places to buy cat products on the internet. If you are bringing home a new cat, remember to allow enough time for shipping.

Only Natural Pet - This is my favorite place for healthy cat food and other healthy and natural products, including things like environmentally-friendly cat litter. They offer free shipping for many items.

1800PetMeds carries all conventional pet medications, but they've branched out and now carry some of the best pet supplies I've found online, e.g., their cat nail trimmers. They have free shipping on orders over $39.

PETsMART is one of the biggest online pet supplies stores. Their prices beat most stores and they offer low cost and sometimes free shipping.

Search My Healthy Cat or the Internet for more feline information.

	Web www.myhealthycat.com

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