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Cats are a wonderful pet to have around the house. While they may not be as loyal or unwaveringly affectionate as dogs, they provide great company and are often hilarious to watch. Like any pet, there are a number of important things you should do before bringing your furry friend home. Here are a few great ways to prepare your home for a cat.
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Firstly, ensure that everyone in your household is ready for a cat. This is especially important if you’ve never had a pet before. Keeping a cat comes with a number of different responsibilities. You need to make sure those will be accommodated for before bringing your new pet into your home. If you won’t always be around to care for your cat, make sure your other family members can rise to the occasion. If you’d have to rely on a young child, or a lazy teenager, then you may want to reconsider getting a cat at all. Far too many people see pets as a novelty over a responsibility. Before you take the plunge, have a family meeting and make sure everyone knows what to expect.
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Next up, you’ll need to get all the supplies you need to properly care for a cat. The one thing you don’t want to forget is an uncovered litter box, and a receptacle for the soiled litter. It may be worth asking the cat’s previous owner about the kind of litter substance they’re already used to. Buy separate water bowls, rather than the double-dish kind. Get a selection of foods to see what your cat likes. You won’t believe how fussy these animals can be!
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A sturdy cat carrier is another essential for trips to the vet’s. Toys, beds and so on are optional, but my cats have always preferred pellets of paper and cardboard boxes! Make sure you don’t forget to buy some pet insurance as well. If your cat has an injury, I’m sure you don’t want to spend a small fortune on them!
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Finally, try to make your home as cat-proof as possible. Go into each and every room, and try to see it from the point of view of a curious cat. This will give you some idea of the potential damage to your home and your pet. Like most homes, yours will probably have a lot of wires around. Make sure these are out of reach from your cat, or secured to baseboards. Switch to bins with secure lids, or keep them in a cat-proof cabinet. Make a point of keeping any upstairs windows closed when there’s no one to watch your pet. Make sure to keep any medicines and cleaning products well away as well. If you have kids, and you’ve had to baby-proof your home before, this is a good jumping off point.
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These three steps are brilliant for making sure your home is ready for a cat. After this, it’s all down to learning your pet’s mannerisms and preferences. I’m sure your cat will give you many joy-filled years!
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