10 Things Every Cat Owner Should Have at Home

Cats are famously independent, but good cat ownership involves more infrastructure than most people realise before they get one. The right equipment prevents common problems, makes vet visits more manageable, and improves your cat's quality of life in ways that go far beyond the obvious food and litter.

1. More Than One Litter Box

The standard guidance is one litter box per cat, plus one extra. A single cat in a two-storey home should ideally have two litter boxes — one per floor. Litter boxes should not be in noisy, high-traffic, or enclosed areas where the cat feels trapped. They should not be next to each other — two boxes in the same corner function as one box in the cat's mind. If you have ever had a cat toilet outside the box, the first question is always: how many boxes, where, and how often are they cleaned?

2. A Cat Carrier That Stays Out

Most cat carriers live in storage and only appear when the cat needs to go to the vet — at which point the cat associates it entirely with something unpleasant and refuses to go near it. Keep the carrier out as everyday furniture. Put a familiar blanket inside. Occasionally place treats inside. Feed meals near the carrier. A cat that uses its carrier as an occasional nap spot is dramatically easier to get to the vet. Buy a carrier that opens from the top as well as the front — this allows vets to examine the cat inside the carrier without fully removing them.

3. Vertical Space

Height equals security for cats. A cat tree, wall-mounted shelves, or access to the tops of furniture allows cats to observe their territory from a position of safety. In multi-cat households, vertical space reduces conflict by allowing cats to have separate territories at different heights. At minimum, every cat should have access to at least one elevated resting spot where they cannot be reached by other pets.

4. Multiple Scratch Surfaces

One scratching post in the corner of a room the cat rarely uses is not adequate. Cats scratch to maintain claws, stretch muscles, and deposit scent. Place scratch surfaces near sleeping spots (cats scratch after waking), near the front door (territorial marking), and in any room where you have seen the cat scratch furniture. Offer both vertical (tall enough for full body stretch) and horizontal surfaces — some cats strongly prefer one over the other. Sisal rope and corrugated cardboard are the most popular materials.

5. A Thermometer

A digital rectal thermometer (or ear thermometer designed for cats) allows you to take your cat's temperature at home. Normal body temperature for cats is 38–39.2°C (100.4–102.5°F). A temperature above 39.5°C or below 37.5°C is a reason to contact the vet. Being able to take a temperature at home means you can give the vet an objective data point rather than "they seem a bit off." A tub of petroleum jelly to use as lubrication and a calm approach makes the process manageable for most cats.

6. Tick Removal Tool

Cats that go outdoors can pick up ticks, particularly in spring and autumn. A proper tick removal tool — a flat hook or tick tweezer — removes the tick without squeezing the body or leaving the head embedded, both of which increase the risk of disease transmission. Never use fingers, matches, petroleum jelly, or nail varnish remover on a tick. A small tick hook costs almost nothing and is effective when used correctly.

7. A Supply of Their Current Food

Running out of a cat's usual food and substituting something different is a surprisingly common cause of digestive upset and, in cats with sensitive digestion, more significant gastrointestinal problems. Keep at least a week's supply ahead. This is also relevant for prescription diets — if your cat is on a vet-prescribed food, running out and substituting a different food while you wait for a reorder can disrupt management of an underlying condition.

8. A First Aid Kit

Not a complex kit — a basic one covering the most common scenarios: sterile saline for flushing wounds, non-adherent wound dressings, cohesive bandage (vet wrap), tweezers, a digital thermometer, and the number of your vet and nearest emergency clinic. Treating a wound in a panicking cat with nothing to hand is significantly harder than having the basics ready. Keep the vet's number and the emergency clinic number saved in your phone and also written in the kit.

9. A Hiding Spot in Every Room

A hiding spot — a box, an igloo bed, a cupboard with the door left ajar — gives cats a place to decompress when they need to. This is especially important in households with dogs, children, visitors, or other cats. A cat that has no way to remove itself from a stressful situation is a cat under chronic stress. You do not need to buy anything expensive: a cardboard box with a blanket inside placed in a quiet corner works perfectly.

10. Health Records in One Place

Vaccination certificates, microchip records, insurance documents, medication history, and a log of vet visits are things most cat owners have scattered across several locations — or not kept at all. When you need them, you always need them at short notice: a sudden illness, a boarding cattery requirement, a move to a new vet, a house call. Having them organised in one place saves considerable stress at the worst possible moments.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I replace cat litter?

Clumping litter: scoop daily, full change and clean box every two to four weeks. Non-clumping: full change every one to two days. Cats are highly sensitive to litter box hygiene — a dirty box is one of the most common reasons for inappropriate elimination.

My cat never seems interested in the scratch post I bought. What should I do?

Relocate it. Posts in corners away from the cat's usual routes are ignored. Place it next to where the cat sleeps or near the front door. If it wobbles, the cat will not use it — stability is non-negotiable. Sprinkle a small amount of catnip on it to attract initial interest.