Prepare to bring your new feline friend home by making sure you have all the supplies kitty needs to succeed. Here’s a list of items to pick up for your cat before they head to their forever home. Click here or scroll down for the ultimate shopping checklist.

Comfy Digs
First thing first: pick out a bed for your cat to lounge and hang out at home. There are different bed styles from caves to swirls, all made to keep your kitty cozy. Think about your lifestyle and your cat’s personality when picking out the perfect pad.

For kitties on the go, make sure you have a carrier so your cat can be comfortable on any adventure. For the jet setter kitty, consider getting a thick mat to place in your cat’s carrier for even more comfort.

Cat Trees & Scratching Posts
Cat trees are a great plus for new cats adjusting to your home. They can act as a safe space, which is especially important when your kitty is getting used to their new house. Feline friends are also bound to explore and hide in a cat tree and feel secure in a high place overlooking their families.

Scratching posts are another furniture item to have for your cat. Not only do they help with maintaining nail length, but scratching posts also help your kitty adjust to their new space quickly. Need something more affordable? Cardboard scratchboards are generally less expensive and cats love them all the same!

Litter Box
Kitties get their very own commode at home. Pick up a litter box – one per cat – with a scoop and unscented litter. Check out our tips for success to learn more about which litter and litter boxes would be best for your cat.

Food
Along with a comfy spot to sleep and hang out, cats also need to be fed nutritious foods for a long, happy life. Be sure to have ceramic or stainless steel food and water bowls and low-starch, protein-rich foods for your kitty.

Treats can seem like an easy fix to win a cat’s heart fast, but it’s important to remember everything’s good in moderation. Giving treats too often can make your cat too full to eat regular food. Meanwhile, giving treats throughout the day for specific reasons, like rewarding good behavior, is a perfect compromise to save your wallet and cat’s appetite!

Enrichment
Cats need enriching activities to exercise their brains around the house. Get a variety of toys that keep your cat entertained like an assortment of balls, feather toys, pole toys, mice and more.

Every cat has different tastes – your cat may love ping pong balls and another may prefer to chase after a stuffed toy. Once your cat is over six months old, feel free to play around with catnip by stuffing it into soft toys. Don’t worry — it’s not addictive for cats!

Keep things interesting for your kitty by having about four or five toys available and rotating them each week. Household items like cardboard toilet paper rolls, plastic shower rings and paper bags with the handles removed are also great, affordable toy alternatives.

Grooming
You’ll have the prettiest cat in town when you have the right grooming goods. Having a brush on hand helps with shedding, matted fur and preventing hairballs. To keep kitty’s claws pristine, grab a pair of nail clippers that are scissor-shaped – they’re more comfortable for feline friends.

On-the-Go
Don’t forget the finishing touch – a collar that your cat can wear in style. They help ensure your cat’s safety, especially when it has the information on how to contact you if they’re separated from you. Be sure to get a breakaway collar to quickly release your cat if they get caught in any snags while investigating inside.

While you may want your cat to have plenty of space, we don’t recommend letting your new kitty wander around outside for their safety, Stray cats have already seen enough of the challenges of outdoor living before being adopted by you – keeping them indoors helps them live their best life. And if your cat does get out, be proactive by making sure kitty’s microchip is up-to-date to ensure a safe return home. Read more about microchips in our blog.

House Warming Made Easy
Getting ready for your cat to come home can be stressful at first, but once you’re informed on how to keep kitty comfortable it’s a breeze. Picking up the basics that make your cat feel safe, clean and comfortable is a surefire way to help them adjust to your space happily. Make your cat’s transition even smoother with tips and tricks on introducing your cat to the rest of the family: other cats, dogs and children.

Want to welcome a forever friend into your home? Meet our cats who are looking for forever homes here.

THE PERFECT CAT SUPPLY CHECKLIST

• Carrier
• Litter Box (one per cat)
• Litter scoop
• Litter (unscented)
• Water bowl (ceramic or stainless steel)
• Food bowl (ceramic or stainless steel)
• Bed
• Toys (assortment of balls, feather toys, pole toys, mice)
• Food
• Collar (breakaway)
• Brush
• Cat-specific nail trimmers
• Scratching post/cardboard scratcher (different substrates)

Click here to download the list as a PDF.

Did you know 10 million pets are lost each year? Collars and tags are great ways to identify lost pets and reunite them with owners, but they can easily come off or be removed.

Never fear, dear cat pawent, peace of mind is as small as a grain of rice! Microchips are a safe, painless, and most importantly, effective way to ensure your kitty comes home if it gets lost.

Here are the ins and outs of microchips:

What is a Microchip?
Microchips are a small device that is placed under the skin of a pet that can be scanned and used to identify and retrieve pets if they get lost. Basically, it’s a permanent identification that your cat is your cat.

What does a Microchip do for Pets?
Pets get a microchip with a unique identification code in between their shoulder blades. Once your pet is chipped with SAFE Haven for Cats, it is enrolled into the Found Animals Microchip Registry, keeping a national database available to you 24/7.

If your kitty is lost and found at any time, it’ll be scanned at an animal shelter or veterinary hospital. The ID includes your contact information so your pet can safely return home.

Are Microchips Painful for Cats?
Chipping is a safe and ultimately painless process for you and your cat. The chip is tiny – about the size of a grain of rice! Moreover, there aren’t any batteries or devices inside the chip that could cause any harm. In short, this procedure is permanent, can’t be altered and doesn’t change or harm your furry friend.

Maintaining the Chip
You went to your local shelter to get your cat chipped. What’s next?

It’s important to check your cat’s chip every year to ensure your contact information is up-to-date. Although you can’t see the chip, your vet can scan it during your kitty’s annual check-up. Or, set a reminder in your calendar for Check the Chip Day on August 15 every year.

A *Good* Chip on Your Cat’s Shoulder
Overall, chipping your cat helps keep your feline friend safe and you sane. Implanting a microchip is painless and permanent. Be sure to check it annually or on Check the Chip Day.

Cats adopted from SAFE Haven are already microchipped, but microchips can be purchased and implanted at our SAFE Care Spay/Neuter Clinic at the time of spay/neuter surgery for only $15. This includes lifetime registration.

Happy chipping!