An Ultimate Beginner Guide To Getting Your First Cat

Are you ready to bring a soft, purring, and cute companion at home? Have you already started to shortlist the cat breed you want? Are you planning for some intrinsic and attractive décor that will make your cat feel at home? Before you get more excited about bringing a cat home, potential cat owners need to have some basic learning about their behavioral patterns, instincts, feeding habits, etc.

Should I Get a Cat?, Definitely Yes!.. Cats are one of the most excellent companions humans can have. They are attractive, easy to cuddle, intelligent, and can be your loyal friend. Hence, bringing this feline friend is a significant decision to ponder upon. Although cats have received an acclamation of being more independent amongst the canine species, cats will still require a great deal of energy, time, and money for their maintenance. So, before you go to the nearest pet store and bring home a cute kitty, here is some basic guidance for beginners.

Whether you are a cat, dogs, fish, birds, or reptiles enthusiast, we cover it all, make sure to keep an eye on Pet Supplies Unlimited to get more information and in-depth Pet Supplies Reviews.

What should you consider before getting a cat?

If you think it is the 'purrfect' time to bring home your feline friend, the cat owners must do due diligence on cats. Owners need to ponder on the long commitment and financial aspect that concerns the well-being of the cats. While some may want a cat to cuddle as they sit on their laps, others may like an independent cat who is not much involved with human interaction. 

Every cat has an inherent personality trait that either makes them confident or intimidates them while socializing with humans. So, before planning to adopt a cat, you should do research on the breed you want to adopt, learn more about cat care, accessories, and make a home cat friendly place.

Do I have time for a cat?

Cats are one of the best companions for humans, especially children. So before getting one, you should ask yourself these questions:  

1. Cats can live up to 15-20 years, which means a long-term commitment. Are you ready for this kind of long-term commitment?
2. Kittens require adequate attention for the first 12 months. Would you be able to spare a few hours a day for your most loved pet?
3. Cat care mainly involves playing, feeding, grooming, and lots of love and attention. Are your family members ready for this new addition?
4. Although you can train your cat to walk on the leash, going out for daily exercise helps improve their mental and physical health. Do you have much free time on hand? 

How much should I expect to spend?

The new purr member of your family can cost you nearly $400 a year with maintenance, grooming, feeding, adoption, and medical expenses. 

1. The sum can increase under unforeseen circumstances and emergencies. Most of its expenses are spent on vet checkups, adoption, purchasing cat toys, high-quality food, cat beds, carriers, litter boxes, etc.
2. Besides, additional costs can include pet sitting or boarding fees when the owner decides to have an extended vacation.
3. Cats also require professional grooming to maintain that silky shine fur on their body, having a low maintenance cat can curb this expense.
4. The owners should also consider an emergency veterinary cost as it can go up to a few hundred dollars.

So, it is recommended that save on the luxuries of having a fancy cat collar, use simple cat bowls for food, have a manual litter box, and opt for nutritious yet low-budget cat food.

Do I have any health problems that may prevent me from having a cat?

The most common health peril that can prevent you from bringing home your feline friend is allergy. As a cat owner, if you are prone to having pet allergies, this purr animal may aggravate your perils. 

Cats have allergies to their skins and fur, so having too many of them at home can make your house an allergic-prone zone. But the allergen gets on their coat from a protein named Fel D1 found in the Cat saliva, which dries up and becomes airborne, thereby making the owner prone to cat allergy. 

So, can you live with a cat if you are allergic? Yes, and so we recommend you to bring home a low fur cat that can be easily groomed and kept clean.

Is my living space cat-friendly?

It is imperative to make the living space as comfy as possible if you plan to bring home a cute purr animal. Cats have a curious mind and tend to explore their surroundings.

1. Make adequate space for exploration: Cats tend to hang out in high places, such as window perches, cat trees, tables, shelves, and homemade forts to leverage their natural hunting instinct.
2. Remove the clutter: An open space devoid of too many clutters helps the cat to lounge and play. They will also love to see nature and chirping birds from the windows, so windows must have a more unobstructed view.
3. Eliminate harmful objects: It is imperative to remove harmful objects, such as toxic home plants, chemicals, cleaning supplies, sharp equipment, and candles, which can pose a threat to your feline friend.
4. Be attentive to their needs: Cats are hygienic animals, so cleaning them is a must. Besides, to make the ambiance comfortable, give them a cat bed with a soft blanket to sleep, a cat tree to sharpen their claws, and a litter box.
5. Keep them entertained: Indulge in interactive games with your feline friend to keep them entertained and make the living space comfortable.

Are there any other pets?

As a pet owner, you cannot force your pets to like each other, but you can try to socialize with them by interacting and playing. If you have other pets in the house, adopt a cat who is active and sociable like your existing pet. 

Bringing home, a mature cat that has not come in contact with other animals can make it difficult for them to share space. Start with a slow introduction by placing their food dishes close by and giving them toys to share and play. This will prevent any aggressive behaviors among your pets, and they will slowly become accustomed to each other's presence. 

For animals, smell plays a pivotal role than appearance, so to make your feline friend adjusted to other pets make them get used to each. Take a slow and steady introductory approach, avoid conflicts, and help all your pets feel at home.

Selecting a Cat Breed

A cat is a bundle of joy that brings in emotional, mental, and physical happiness to the owner. So what pet should I get as there are various types of cats, each having their charm?

Cats vary according to a personality trait, shedding, size, temperament, pure breed or mixed breed, etc. Besides, activity level and finance also play a pivotal factor in selecting the cat breed.

So, before you visit a pet store and bring home your feline friend, there are certain selection factors to ponder. Let's have a look!

What you need to know about cat breeds?

Cat breeds are classified into the following genres.

1. Hypoallergenic Cats: Should I get a cat? —a common question asked by every cat allergic person. But you can adopt a cat, preferably the hypoallergenic breed like Balinese, oriental shorthair, Javanese, Siberian, Devon Rex, and Sphynx.
2. Hairless Cats: Planning to get a low maintenance cat, check out the hairless cat breeds like Sphynx, Peterbald, Donskoy, Minskin, and Elf Cat.
3. White Cats: Pure white cats comprise 5% of the total cat population. You can get home one of these furballs, preferably an American Curl, British Shorthair, Japanese Bobtail, Persian, Scottish Fold, or Siberian.
4. Fluffy Cats: Fluffy cats are the best cats’ breeds that suit your family. These cats win the heart with their impressive personality. Some of these are Maine Coon, Munchkin, Persian, Ragdoll, Himalayan, etc.
5. Large domesticated Cats: If you want to adopt a large cat, try for Siberian Cat, Ragamuffin, Turkish Van, Maine Coon, or Bengal cat breed. If you are interested in Bengal cats specifically, be sure to research the costs involved before deciding, as their unique coat patterns and exotic pedigree can demand higher purchase prices than some other breeds.

Best Cat Breeds: Factors to Consider

Felines reeds are broadly classified but will fall in any one of the four categories—mixed breed, semi-foreigner, orientals, and natural breed. Here are some factors that would help you decide that best-suited cat breed for your home.

1. Commitment level: Cats have a prolonged life span of 10-20 years so that owners can bring home cats having a longer life span for a full-time commitment.
2. Family Age: Your family age is a deciding factor before adopting a cat. Children and toddlers can harm the cat and vice-versa. So, bring a cat who is easy to domesticate and friendly with kids.
3. Attitude: Cats have multifarious personality traits and can be shy, mature, or independent. But we recommend an interactive cat for fun-filled entertainment at home.

Other factors to consider before deciding on the best cat breed include age and appearance because an active fluffy ball of fur is most likely to entice kids. Besides, it is imperative to decide on gender and healthcare.

Adopting VS. Buying a cat

Adopt a cat or buy a cat—a brainstorming question that might be bothering you. If it suits your budget, you can easily buy a cat that is best suited to your preference, but we recommend that you adopt one.

1. With an endless number of homeless cats being euthanized in shelter homes, adopting one or more can give you a gratification of offering food and shelter to these pets.
2. Adopting a cat from a shelter home will render your ample choice to select from a vast array of medically treated, hygienic cat breeds of varying age groups having various personality traits.
3. Adopted cats are as loving, caring, intelligent and loyal as purchased ones
4. It is cost-effective and will not impose a financial strain of buying a cat. Adopted cats range from a few hundred dollars and are well-vaccinated so that you can save the initial costs of vaccination.

Should I Get a Cat (Adult) or a Kitten?

Although most household plan on adopting a kitten, adult cats can be beneficial too

1. Adult cats are available in varied size, age, appearance and temperament
2. They are habituated with litter box training and are quieter than the kittens
3. The behavioral pattern and character traits of adult cats are visible to the pet owners, so you know how to tame your feline friend.
4. If you have kids at home, a kitten can become their playmate.
5. If you prefer an active cat at home, a small kitten can make the home ambiance fun-filled and entertaining,
6. While purchasing or adopting, you can get to know their medical history.
7. A small kitten can adjust easily with your family members and share space with other pets in the house.

Now that you have decided to get home, a purr member thinks about whether an adult cat suits your needs, or would you prefer a little kitten entice you!

Indoor or Outdoor cat

The environment given to the cats to explore and reinvigorate their instincts plays a pivotal part in selecting whether to buy an indoor or outdoor cat breed.

1. Indoor cats are homely pets and don't get into an altercation with other animals or have the danger of being hit by a vehicle.
2. They have fewer chances of incurring illnesses such as Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV) and Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV).
3. The outside environment helps outdoor cats to become more active, get adequate training, and promote mental health.

However, health perils such as getting infected with parasites can cause significant health issues with outside cats. Instead of entering this perplexing situation, you can create an outdoor environment for your purr member in your home by indulging in interactive hunting and hiding games, toys, and perches. It is seen that adequate human interaction and proper nutrition will make your kitty active and playful without risking health perils of the outside environment.

Check Also: Best Cat Food For Indoor Cats

Supplies shopping list for a New Cat

Before bringing home your little bundle of joy, it is imperative to have all the adequate supplies to suit your purring friend's needs. As a cat owner, you firstly need to make your home ambiance cat-friendly, get adequate cat toys, food supplies, litter boxes, and, most importantly, have to spend more time playing and interacting with this newest family member. Also, it is necessary to do due diligence about cat health and get the right vet.

Related: Best Cat Litter for Multiple Cats

ID tag with your phone number

An ID tag with the contact details of the owner on the cat is an absolute necessity. The ID will comprise the name of the owner, name of your cat, and phone number. This is necessary because if your cat gets lost, others can quickly contact you and return your feline friend to his/her home. 

Identification of cats is important as without any identity, the pets may have to spend the rest of their lives in a shelter home. So, once you decide to bring home a purr friend, get it registered, and place an ID tag so that it's identifiable.

Besides ID tags, you can also place microchips underneath your cat's skin that will have a unique identification number, so that you can track your missing pets. In your cat's ID tag, you can also add information like whether it's an indoor cat. Get a customized ID tag to enhance the look of your kitty.

Food and water bowls

Cats are one of the most hygienic animals, so while serving them food and water, it is necessary to use clean bowls. Every cat in your house must have separate bowls, preferably made of stainless steel or ceramic. Although you can feed your cat in any desired bowl from your kitchen, cats will eat and sip water from their dish better.

It is highly recommended to avoid plastic bowls usage as cats can scratch soft plastic, thereby making it a hub for the bacteria to reside and develop chin rashes on your feline friend.

While using a ceramic bowl, pay special attention that its glaze is lead-free. It is also important to wash the dishes every day to maintain the cat's hygiene. If you are going on a vacation, you can also use automatic food and water servers to feed the cat in your absence.

Check Also: How Long Can a Cat Go without Water?

Food (canned and/or dry)

While planning to bring home a fluffy-haired cat at home, it is necessary to talk to a vet regarding its daily diet of canned, dry, or wet food. The type of food varies according to a cat's age.

Adult cats often have dry food all the time, while kittens can occasionally be fed a spoonful of canned food to increase their appetite. Until the kitten reaches the age of 1 year, they must be fed high-quality kitten formula dry food. If your cats refuse to eat, then you can switch to offering them baby food or warm wet food with a small amount of kitten milk replacement on the top.

Check Also: Best Vet-Approved Foods to Hide Cat Pills in

Cats are attracted to smelling foods like baby food and tuna. It is highly recommended to avoid giving cow's milk to the cats. For having an active and healthy cat at home, the right amount of nutritious diet is imperative.

Cat Carrier

A cat carrier is necessary for transporting your purr friend. It must be a solid-bottomed carrier made of durable plastic or fiberglass with a secured latch. Every carrier must have a screened opening, through which cats can see the outside environment. If you plan to go on a trip with your new companion, you can buy a heavy-duty airline-approved cloth carrier for your pet.

Related: Best Cat Carrier

Another imperative aspect while purchasing a carrier is to ponder on the carrier size. While kittens can fit in a small carrier, adult cats will require larger space. Besides, it is recommended to purchase an adequate cat carrier to use it even when your kitten becomes full-grown.

The carrier must have at least three openings and adequate ventilation space. Cat carriers that open from both front and top are useful, so it becomes easier to place the cat in it.

Enzymatic odor neutralizer

Chemical cleaners can be harmful to your cat as it contains toxic substances that can cause a potential health risk. So, while you have a feline member at home, try to buy more natural cleaners like enzymatic odor neutralizers.

These cleaners have good bacteria and enzymes that remove odor and break down tough stains and leave a gentle feel on fabrics and surfaces. Enzymatic cleaners’ range in various types of combinations. Choose the one that best suits your preference. Also, before bringing in scented cleaners, check with your pet as cats become sensitive to a strong smell. These natural cleaners can remove organic stains such as feces, urine, or blood and remove grease oil, cooking, and wine stains.

It is recommended to get a strong enzymatic cleaner to remove the bad odor of cat urine and fits your budget.