The Ultimate Shopping List for Your New Cat

Have cat, will travel? Join the #adventurecats movement and brave the great outdoors with your cat as your copilot in this escape-proof cat backpack.

Cat trees come in an endless array of shapes and sizes, so start with something simple and see what your cat likes before investing in a full kitty condo. —Jeremy Gundel

Bold colors, mod flowers…this cartoon flower cat tree isn’t so much about fitting in as it is about standing out. Your cat will be jumping like Super Mario as they goes boing-boing-boing to the top. —Helin Jung

Cats thrive when they have a safe place to hide. While it may sound counterintuitive, when a scared cat has a comforting place to burrow, they will come out of their shell more quickly over time. There are thousands to choose from, so be creative!

If you’ve ever wondered why your cat can’t get enough of your wicker chair or cool woven lampshade, you’ve just encountered a new level of shredding behavior. Although it seems to be a universally beloved texture, “specific materials for cat scratchers will usually depend on a cat’s own preference,” Dr. Iovino suggests. “It seems most cats will gravitate towards carpeting but not the fluffier kind, necessarily.” —AF

If you’ve got a climber on your hands, there’s no better way to keep them occupied than giving them a jungle gym of sorts. This way, they’re happy, and your furniture remains scratch-free.

This wall-mounted hammock with a hand-crafted wooden frame doubles as a guardrail for sleeping cats. For chunkier kitties, you might want to pick up some bigger screws and install this on a stud for extra security. —Elizabeth Geier

Finding the right litter box can be tricky, so start with an enclosed litter box that makes it easy for your cat to see (and sniff) where they should be doing their business. This design doubles down by making it easy for you to clean up with its pull-out litter drawer and anti-tracking roof. Poop scoop included. —JG

For the cat who likes the security of a hooded enclosed space, with a carbon filter that removes odors that ruin the experience. Plus a low-tech addition humans appreciate: a bag anchor that keeps the bag open, the litter in place, and your hands free. —AF

OK, this isn’t actually a litter box, but it’s a good option if you want to integrate your cat’s litter box seamlessly into your home. Made of white wood and designed to contain most standard litter boxes, this simple furniture-style covering has space to store your cat’s most treasured toys. —AF  

PrettyLitter has brains and brawn. It’s odorless (for real), a four-pound bag lasts a whole month, and the crystals magically absorb cat urine, so you don’t need to scoop stinky clumps of it on the daily. But what’s most impressive about PrettyLitter is that said crystals will change colors if something’s off with your cat’s urine — alerting you to a UTI or kidney disease. —JG

A high-quality cat food bowl can last a lifetime, so it might as well be nice to look at. This handmade ceramic bowl is elevated so your cat doesn’t have to crouch or suffer whisker fatigue (it’s a thing). The wooden base ensures it can’t be tipped over, either. –JG

Coming in chic matte black, white, and gray, the Petlibro feeder will look great with any aesthetic in the bedroom or kitchen. To your cat’s dismay, this cat feeder also comes with a cat-proof twisty lock lid. On the bright side, their dry food will remain fresh, and you can even record a 10-second message to call your cat to the feeder. —AF

This colorful, garden-inspired cat fountain is the most affordable of the bunch. Its simple, crevice-free design makes it easy to clean and maintain, and provides three different water settings: gentle flow, bubbling top, or calm stream. Plus, it’s made of BPA-free plastic and holds up to three liters of water for a more sustainable drinking experience. —Maia Welbel

Are cats naturally born with their good looks? Well, it’s certainly not Maybelline, so maybe it’s their balanced diet rich in omegas. Smalls’ human-grade food for cats aims to get back to the nutritional basics that are integral to your cat’s health without any of the additives.

In their meal plans, Smalls offers human-grade fresh food made with protein-rich cow, turkey, and chicken available in pâté, diced, and shredded textures. While they firmly endorse a fresh food diet for cats, they also provide freeze-dried raw food available in duck, turkey, and chicken proteins. With a discount of $10 for your starter pack ($35 for a four week meal plan), Smalls averages about $1.25 per meal, which totals to about $17.50 per week. —AF

Kittens under a year old have specific nutritional needs, but that doesn’t mean you can’t spoil your new baby with some treats. These soft treats are formulated for kittens and are infused with taurine and omegas 3 and 6 for healthy cognitive development (and guilt-free snacking). —AF

Orijen treats are nutrient-dense, high-protein, and made with 99 percent fresh or raw animal ingredients. And if the Amazon reviews are any indication, even the pickiest kitten will be obsessed with these healthy snacks. As one reviewer says, “Our little kitty Ella is the definition of a picky eater, she loves her one specific food and catnip and that is it. Her Grandma (my mom) got these for her for Valentine’s Day. We were expecting her to turn her nose up at them, but to our surprise, she loved them! She kept trying to find more, definitely will be continuing to buy these for her! And the icing on the cake is they are healthy for her and have quality ingredients!” —Sio Hornbuckle

Brilliant Salmon Oil will support your cat’s hips and joint health, help them maintain a shiny coat, and relieve their dry and itchy skin. Bonus: this oil uses a 100 percent pure distillation process with no acid treatments, solvents or chemicals, artificial additives, preservatives, or colorings added. It’s also sustainable, which means no part of the fish is wasted in the process. Brilliant, indeed.—AF

Cats may be strict carnivores that will stalk your bird feeder and pass up your vegetable garden, but there are some greens they do crave. This collection of three mini pots with planting supplies has 100 percent organic wheat, oats, rye, barley, and flax seeds to grow a variety of cat grasses that are sustainable and not treated with any chemicals. All you need to do to get it growing is add water to the pre-planted pots, and the seeds will sprout in four to six days. It also helps your cat avoid munching on plants that could be toxic to them. “[Cat grass] has been known to provide digestive benefits thanks to its impressive vitamin content: vitamins A and D, folic acid, niacin, and chlorophyll,” Dr. Lori M. Teller, a professor at Texas A&M’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, says. Fun fact: the wheatgrass in your smoothie? Cat grass! —Kellie Gormly

According to certified cat behaviorist Ingrid Johnson, your cat is constantly strategizing and — go figure — could be bored. “It’s hard to take the hunt out of them,” she says. “It’s an innate need.” Don’t feel bad — you’re about to splurge on a bunch of interactive cat toys and engaging cat food puzzles that even the softest-skilled kitty can master. If your cat is no stranger to mind puzzles, this Nina Ottosson puzzle may be the perfect toy to challenge their skills. With 16 hidden compartments that allow your cat to access the treats within the toy, there’s no shortage of ways to keep your cat engaged and concentrated. They’ll be lady buggin’ out for this one (sorry not sorry). —Katherine Tolford

Interactive cat toys, like this track toy, have been known to keep kitties so engaged that they help resolve litter box avoidance issues, cut down on overgrooming, curb anxiety, and keep their diet in check. It’s important to pay attention to the challenge level, though. So donate an easy, level one toy to shelter cats to avoid adding to their stress, (aka let them win).

Who doesn’t love sushi? Allow your cat to indulge in a little treat, which you can cleverly hide in the food compartments of this interactive toy for a game that will keep them mentally stimulated for hours.

Animal behaviorist Robert Haussmann says lick mats are a great way to engage your pet’s mouth and keep them busy. He adds that “soft foods, such as peanut butter or canned pumpkin, can be smeared” and that they can also be frozen to keep your pet occupied for longer. “It’s highly enjoyable, engaging, and — most importantly — delicious!” —AF

Cats may be more keto than carb-inclined, but this baguette is stuffed with irresistible catnip. Plus, it’s the perfect size for your pet to bat around when they’re done chewing on it. —AF

Regular brushing won’t just keep your cat’s skin and fur healthy; it’s also a wonderful way for you two to bond. (And if they try to groom you back, it means they like you.) Awpland’s self-cleaning, gentle-bristled cat grooming brush is small enough to groom every inch of your new kitty. —AF

Veterinarian Dr. Lori M. Teller says: “Cats are very prone to gingivitis and periodontitis, which can be caused by a build-up of plaque and tartar.” That’s why it’s important to brush our pets’ teeth daily.

For a natural option that gets the job done, go with this human-grade dental kit by Oxyfresh. Backed by vets and hundreds of five-star reviews, it is as comprehensive as the brand’s climate responsibility and sustainability plan. Plus, it’s flavor and scent-free, so even the pickiest of pups will approve — that is, if they even notice that you’ve sneaked a few drops of the water additive into their bowl. —RC

Maybe the greatest in a long line of cat parent woes is the issue of cats peeing indoors — on rugs, bedspreads, furniture, and literally anything expensive. That’s why we encourage anyone who is acclimating a new kitty to their home or potty training to invest in a good odor remover. And they don’t come much more effective than Rocco & Roxie.

One reviewer wrote: “Almost instantly, the smell of pee and cat spray went away! All of my hours upon hours of cleaning over the last months hadn’t even touched these spots from a smell standpoint and with one spray of this cleaner the smell in each part of my house — was gone — it was that easy!”