10 Things Every Cat Owner Should Have at Home
Prepare ten feline care essentials, from trays and carriers to safe rest and play. Use placement checks, maintenance tasks and a small-home decision example.
In short
Prepare ten feline care essentials, from trays and carriers to safe rest and play. Use placement checks, maintenance tasks and a small-home decision example.
The things every cat owner should have are the resources that make eating, drinking, toileting, resting and veterinary care straightforward. Useful equipment earns its place by being accessible to your cat and easy for you to maintain.
Start with the functions below, then choose sizes and locations for your home. A second resource in a different place can help more than an expensive replacement beside the first one.
Ten things every cat owner should have
1. Clean, accessible litter trays
A common starting point is one litter tray per cat plus one extra, in different locations. Choose trays the cat can enter, turn in and leave comfortably. A low entrance can help a cat with limited mobility.
Scoop at least daily and clean the trays regularly with pet-safe methods. Keep them away from food and water and avoid trapping the cat beside a noisy appliance or in a route another animal controls.
2. Food bowls and separate water access
Choose stable bowls you can clean fully, and place food where the cat can eat without being crowded. Give cats in a shared home separate feeding locations. Make fresh water available in places the cat visits comfortably.
A fountain is optional. If you use one, follow its cleaning and filter instructions and keep a familiar water bowl available. Wet food affects drinking patterns, but the cat still needs access to water.
3. A secure, usable carrier
Choose a carrier with reliable closures, ventilation and enough room for the cat to move comfortably. A removable top or additional opening can make access easier, but check how the whole carrier locks together.
Keep it available as a familiar resting option when possible, with bedding the cat knows. Practise calm voluntary access before a veterinary appointment. Check the latches and handle before every journey.
4. A quiet hiding place
A covered bed or sturdy box can let a cat retreat without disappearing into an unsafe gap. Choose a place where children and other animals will not follow. Keep an easy route out.
Leave a resting cat alone instead of reaching into the hide. In a multi-cat home, provide choices so one animal cannot take over the only protected place.
5. Resting height the cat can reach
A stable cat tree, safely fitted shelf or accessible furniture can offer a lookout and rest. Check the route up and down as well as the top platform. A confident jumper and an older cat may need different access.
Follow mounting instructions and check for wobble. Keep an elevated resting place away from an unprotected window or a drop onto hard clutter. Lower steps can preserve choice when mobility changes.
6. Scratching surfaces that match the cat's preference
Offer vertical and horizontal options if you do not know the preference yet. A post needs to stay stable while the cat stretches and pulls against it. Place scratchers near resting areas or places the cat already scratches.
Cardboard, sisal and other cat-safe textures can serve different preferences. Replace damaged surfaces and remove loose parts. Protect furniture while providing an outlet instead of punishing scratching.
7. Play toys and simple food activities
Keep toys for short interactive games and a few options the cat can safely use alone. Make prey-style movements with a wand toy, letting the cat stalk and catch rather than teasing endlessly. Put strings and wand toys away after supervised play.
Begin food puzzles at an easy level and use part of the cat's planned food allowance. If the cat cannot reach the food, make the task easier or offer it normally. Eating must not depend on mastering a new gadget.
8. Coat-care tools for this cat
Use a brush or comb that suits the coat and introduce it gently. Long-haired cats often need frequent brushing, sometimes daily; shorter coats usually need less. Ask a groomer or vet about the cat's individual needs.
Stop if grooming causes discomfort. Do not cut mats close to the skin or force a struggling cat through a long session. Nail care also needs tools and handling you can use safely.
9. Basic first-aid supplies and veterinary contacts
Keep simple supplies such as clean gauze, a clean towel and gloves in a known place. Ask your vet what belongs in a cat-specific kit and how any equipment should be used. A stocked kit cannot replace assessment.
Keep routine and out-of-hours clinic details beside it, along with a transport plan. Avoid adding human medicines or leftover prescriptions as general-purpose emergency supplies.
10. Current identity and care information
Keep a recent photograph, microchip database details, veterinary records and the food and care instructions another person would need. Check microchip registration whenever your contact details change. Store originals securely and make essential contacts easy to find.
For carers, write how this cat likes to be approached and where the carrier, trays and food are kept. Include indoor-access rules and which doors or windows must remain secure.
Place resources so the cat can use them
| Resource | Useful location | Access problem to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Litter tray | Quiet, reachable place with an easy exit | Another pet waiting at the only doorway |
| Food | Separate eating area for each cat | Shared bowl beside a busy passage |
| Water | Places the cat visits comfortably | Only one source behind a frightening obstacle |
| Rest and hiding | Quiet choices at accessible heights | Visitors following the cat into every retreat |
| Scratching | Near sleeping or current scratching spots | A wobbling post in an unused corner |
Walk the route between resources from the cat's viewpoint. Narrow doorways, dogs in hallways and loud machines can make a resource practically unavailable. Spread the choices rather than arranging every item in one attractive corner.
Check maintenance as carefully as the purchase
- Scoop trays and check that each cat can approach without conflict.
- Wash bowls and refresh water.
- Inspect carrier fastenings before travel.
- Check scratching posts and resting structures for wobble or loose parts.
- Remove damaged toys and store string toys after play.
- Wash bedding without removing every familiar resting option at once.
- Check grooming tools and seek help for skin, coat or handling concerns.
- Review contact details after a move, phone change or clinic change.
Give shared tasks named owners. “Someone cleans the fountain” is easy to forget; “Ari cleans it according to the instructions and keeps the spare bowl filled” describes the job. Add the tasks to an ordinary household routine so equipment remains usable.
Choose the missing function before adding another item
In a two-cat flat, the owners have one large cat tree but only one tray beside the washing machine. The quieter cat avoids that area during laundry. The next useful purchase is an extra tray for a different location, rather than another tall tree.
They also move feeding into separate spaces and provide a low resting step for the older cat. Each change addresses access. They check with the vet about any toileting or movement changes while improving the layout.
Decisions for a small home
If floor space is limited, look for secure height and distributed resources rather than crowding a single room. If a cat cannot climb easily, choose lower resting options with straightforward routes. If an item requires cleaning you cannot maintain, use a simpler version that still meets the need.
Common mistakes
Do not assume matching bowls prevent competition or that two trays side by side offer the same choice as separate locations. Check who uses each resource. Avoid a bargain cat tree that tips when climbed, and do not make a cat's only resting place inaccessible during cleaning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a single cat need two litter trays?
One tray per cat plus one extra is a useful general starting point. Separate locations offer choice and help when one route is busy or blocked. Adapt tray design and access to the individual cat.
Is a fountain essential?
No. Fresh, accessible water is essential. Some cats use fountains happily; others prefer bowls. Choose an arrangement you can keep clean and retain a backup water source.
Can a cardboard box count as a hiding place?
Yes, if it is stable, clean and free of staples, tape or other reachable hazards. Position it in a quiet place with access the cat can control.
Which item should I upgrade first?
Start with a resource the cat struggles to access or equipment that is damaged or unstable. Improve the function before buying another decorative or duplicate item.
Resources & Links
These sources help match feline equipment to access, maintenance and veterinary readiness.
- PDSA: How to Create a Cat-Friendly Home — Plan accessible feeding, toileting, hiding, height and resting resources.
- PDSA: How Often Should You Groom Your Pet? — Match brushing tools and home upkeep to the cat’s coat and handling comfort.
- Cornell: Feline Destructive Behaviour — Provide scratching surfaces and play outlets instead of punishing normal behaviour.
- PDSA: Emergency Care for Pets — Keep veterinary contact and transport arrangements alongside basic first-aid supplies.
Health records, vet visit log, vaccination tracker, daily routine, feeding schedule and emergency contacts — everything a cat owner needs in one organised, printable binder. Get the Complete Cat Owner Binder →
Printable and fillable PDF templates for pet owners — feeding schedules, health records, training trackers and more.