Bringing home a cat is thrilling and, if you’ve just looked at a “starter kit” online, faintly terrifying — the internet will happily sell you eighty things before your cat has crossed the threshold. Most of it you don’t need on day one, and some of it you don’t need at all. Here’s the honest version: what to have ready before they arrive, what to add once you know them, and what to quietly skip.
Day one: the non-negotiables
Have these in the house before the cat is. A new cat wants to eat, drink, wee and hide within the first hour, and being ready for all four makes the settling-in far calmer.
- A litter tray, litter, scoop and mat. One tray per cat plus one spare is the rule. Add a mat at the exit and a decent sifting scoop so daily cleaning is a two-minute job you’ll actually do. (More on keeping it off your floors in our litter-tracking guide.)
- Food and fresh water. Shallow, wide bowls (cats hate whisker-squashing), kept well away from the litter tray. Many cats drink far too little from a still bowl — a gravity water bowl that keeps the level topped up genuinely helps the fussy ones, and if you’re out all day a scheduled automatic feeder keeps mealtimes steady.
- A warm, safe place to sleep. Somewhere enclosed and cosy, tucked in a quiet corner — not the middle of a busy room. An enclosed plush house is a first-week favourite because it’s warm and tucked away. Browse The Pudding Lounge for options.
- A sturdy carrier. We don’t sell these, but get a hard-sided one before the trip home, not after. Leave it out at home with a blanket inside so it stops being “the vet box” and starts being furniture.
Week one: enrichment (the stuff that keeps them sane)
Once the basics are covered and your cat is exploring, this is what turns a nervous newcomer into a settled, happy one — and saves your furniture in the process.
- Something to scratch. This is a need, not a luxury: cats scratch to stretch, mark and shed claw sheaths. Give them a better option than the sofa on day one. A shape-shifting cardboard scratcher, a cardboard scratcher tunnel they can also nap in, or a sisal scratch post all earn their keep. Full tactics in our sofa-scratching guide.
- A couple of toys — one solo, one you play together. An interactive bird toy or a wobble-ball scratcher for when they’re alone; a wand and some catnip rope toys for the daily play session that burns off the zoomies. See the full range in Toys & Play.
- Height. Cats feel safest looking down on the world. Even one high perch changes an anxious cat’s whole outlook — a wall-mounted bed gives them the high ground and gives your floor its space back.
The grooming kit: small, but saves grief
You don’t need a salon’s worth of kit, but two things prevent a lot of future drama. A pair of round-tip nail scissors (the rounded tips keep you clear of the quick) makes claw trims a non-event — our claw-trimming guide walks you through it. And a brush suited to your cat’s coat — long-haired breeds like Ragdolls need it several times a week to stay mat-free. Both live in Everyday Essentials.
What to skip (or at least wait on)
- Six beds. Buy one or two, see where your cat actually chooses to sleep, then buy for that spot. They will ignore your careful choices and adopt a laundry basket regardless; work with it.
- Outfits and costumes. Cute for a photo, stressful for the cat. A breakaway collar with an ID tag is worth having; a tiny hat is not.
- The giant cat tree, on day one. Wait until you’ve learned whether your cat is a climber or a floor-loafer, then spend the money on the right thing rather than the biggest thing.
- Gadgets that solve a problem you don’t have yet. Automatic laser towers, water-drinking cameras, the lot. Get the basics right first; add the clever stuff only if a real need appears.
The one-page version
If you read nothing else, have these ready before your cat comes home:
- Litter tray + litter + scoop + mat
- Food, treats, and two wide water bowls (or a fountain)
- One warm, enclosed bed in a quiet corner
- A carrier (out and open, made friendly)
- One scratcher and two toys
- A brush and a nail clipper
Everything else can wait until your cat has told you who they are.
We built PuddingCats around exactly this problem — too much landfill-grade tat, not enough honestly good stuff — and our two Ragdolls, Ruby and Rosie, test what we can at home, and their verdicts shape what we stock. Start your own checklist in the shop.