Now how do you spoil your kitty rotten? And what do you get your kitty before you go and pick it up from the breeder, shelter or pet shop? In other words, how do you make every kitties dream come true? And why would you want to?

Well, first of all, it is not really that hard. Cats are remarkably easy to please once you know what they crave. So why wouldn’t you? And second, once you tend to their needs, they tend to tend to yours. A happy cat is a problem-free cat. And a happy cat is an excellent tool for de-stressing you like no one else can. An unhappy cat is a stressed cat, and a stressed cat WILL stress you, in ways you can’t even imagine, I guarantee it ;)

So how is it done? Well, we will take a little look at the tools of the trade. And then we are going to look at those tools through the eyes of your favorite feline. In other words, I am going to list the things you probably want to get for your kitty. Consider it a carte blanche for shopping like a maniac. The list will go from things that might be fun, to things that you won’t want to be without ever, if you have cats. And then we are going to position them in your house in the most heavenly way according to your cat.

Ok, so the list:

A scratching post

or two, for that matter. A scratching post is a true necessity. Even if your cat goes outside, chances are a scratching post is just what the doctor ordered. You want to get a vertical post, and a horizontal pad, if you do not know if your kitty is a horizontal or vertical scratcher. Most cats are vertical scratchers though.
Also, if you get a kitten you can get away with buying a relatively small scratching post, but make sure you make the scratching post grow as the kitten does. An adult cat can often not stretch very well when faced with a small scratching post and will often resort to the couch.
Why get two or more? Because cats use scratching as a marking system. That means you want to scatter scratchable stuff around the house, especially if your kitty loves marking. An outdoor cat won’t have as much of a need for a scratching post as an indoor cat, but it will still be beneficial for him to have his own furniture, so he does not use yours inappropriately.

Litter box

For an outdoor cat this is probably not necessary, although some owners still keep a litter box in the house in case the cat gets locked in during the night. Saves them the trouble of having to get up to let the cat out. With indoor cats, this clearly is a necessity. Now what kind to get? If you have one cat, then you can try the covered kind and you probably only need one.
However, as soon as you have two cats, take the lids off. Cats turn into raging predators at the sound of another cat in the box, which they cannot see because of the lid. And the unsuspecting cat inside has no clue she is about to be pounced once she leaves the box. It is a disaster waiting to happen.
Next, consider the size. If you have a big neutered male of about five kilos, then do not get the tiniest box ever. It is not fun to sit on a cramped toilet for us, and it isn’t fun for them. Same principle applies when it comes to a kitten or a senior. Do not get a tray with a huge edge, coz that is just annoying to get into for kittens, and for seniors whose bones already ache without having to stretch over the edge.
As for the litter itself, ask the breeder or shelter which kind they use so the cat doesn’t have the added shock of finding a strange restroom. It will have enough stress from having to adapt to a new home already. Over time you can gradually switch to the kind you would like to use and see if the cat agrees.

Snooze spots

This isn’t as much a necessity, but it will save you a lot of hassle if you do spoil your kitty a bit with this. It depends on the personality of your kitty which kind of spots she will like, but generally they all like carton boxes, both to play in and to sleep in, they love covered or hooded soft cat beds, and anything else that is soft, including your bed, the couch and your clothes in the hamper or wardrobe.
Some great stuff can be found in pet shops and some of my personal favorites are: scratching posts with a ‘cave’, hanging baskets which can be attached to the radiator, and soft cat beds, baskets or pillows dispersed around the room. My least favorite spots they pick: my clothes and towels. They will crawl in the craziest of places. So it helps to guide them somewhat and give them their own stuff to use.

Feeding bowls

Another necessity. Try not to use plastic bowls, because those trap bacteria, even after washing them. Glass or porcelain are the best materials to use in my opinion. You can get stainless steel as well, but some kitties resent the taste of metal in their food. Get several, that way you can change the bowls often with a minimum of fuss, and serve them treats in another bowl (helps them not to beg whenever wherever, since they associate the treats with a bowl).
When it comes to the food self, try getting the brand your breeder or the shelter used, so that the stomach doesn’t get upset. The kitty is already going to be prone to diarrhea because of the stress of moving. No need to add to that. Talk to your vet to know what you can best feed your kitty, then mix the old food with the new, to give the stomach time to adjust.

Drinking bowls

You are probably thinking, why does she bother to separate them? Well, drinking bowls tend to come with extra complications, in my experience. If you get them a water bowl (same standards on material apply), be sure that the bowl is heavy enough to not be tipped over by a cat (especially black cats love that game in my experience, but this could be a biased opinion ;)). That means that the bowls you use for the food, might not be suited for this purpose. Don’t get me wrong, if you have a kitty that has no water obsession, you do not need another kind of bowl. Most cats though, are fascinated by water, and some take that fascination and do something with it. Generally that means dipping your paw in it, swirling the water and tipping it over.
In either one of these cases, I would even go as far as to recommend buying a water fountain for your cat. They will love the movement on it, but they won’t be able to dip their paws and bacteria in the water, it gets filtered, and they will still be mesmerized by their favorite attraction. I got one for my birthday and it is a blessing considering I have a black cat in the house.

Toys

If you have an outdoor cat, you probably think you do not need toys. And again, it depends on your cat’s personality. Young cats will always benefit from having toys, as will obese cats. But on the whole, outdoor cats get their jollies outside. You want to get your indoor cat some toys though, it is a necessity, and it is best to get some new ones occasionally, or rotate the ones he has, so he always has something to do during the day, besides being bored out of his skull.
Now, one toy you always want to have and occasionally want to use on your cat is a fishing pole with something interesting hanging from it. Why? Because it is the best therapeutic thing to have about. If ever your cat is unhappy, stressed, angry, bullying another cat, or doing something he aint allowed to do, this will be your weapon. There aren’t many cats who can resist it. It will instantly make your cat feel better and deflate his anger or distract him from his mischievous act. One note though. If you have a scaredy cat, then you need to start her off on a simple string, before upgrading to a fishing pole, or she will be too intimidated.
Next are the solo-toys. My cats have different preferences. Falkie and Lulu like their sponge balls. Prinny goes mental over anything that hides under something, especially fake mice. Trini plays with whatever she can find, including other cats.
Feeding balls are also brilliant, especially if you want your obese cat to work for his food. There are some cats that do not get the idea behind this but most, once they realize it contains food, will work for it. It can keep them entertained for hours and is a great distraction tool (if your cat likes to keep you up by meowing for instance).
Catnip is a harmless drug your cat will certainly enjoy. Use in moderation though. Once a week, throw a catnip party and let your kitty relax and ‘chill’ a bit. You will love the effect it has on your already bonkers kitty going mad.
Carton boxes. They have a multitude of functions. You can hide in it, while stalking another cat. You can toss your mouse in and out while chasing it, or you can curl up inside and feel safe. And getting a new one with a different shape every now and then makes life so much more interesting.
Tunnels are THE toy of the scaredy cat. You can walk in it without being noticed. You can play in it. You can sleep in it. You can observe the room from it and you can stalk someone. Absolutely perfect for kitties needs.

Grooming tools

Depending on the breed you are getting, you are going to have to groom your companion once a week to sometimes even once a day. It helps them in their grooming, aka less hairballs for you, the owner, to clean up from the carpet. It also stimulates the follicles of the fur, so kitties coat stays nice and shiny. And it creates a bond between you and your furry feline. Get a wide tooted comb and a brush with iron wires and real hair. Use the real one to get kitty used to the brush and get rid of loose hairs, and the iron one to really clean the fur and stimulate the skin. Use the comb to clean the real hair brush. The iron one is easy to clean on its own.

Travel carrier

There are several carriers available. Depending on the amount of traveling you plan to do with your kitty, you can choose between a solid plastic box, a basket carrier, an iron carrier, or a carrier made of fabric with a shoulder strap. One tip I would like to give you: put the carrier somewhere in the living room, or another room which you yourself frequent. Why? Well, that’s the room your kitty is most likely to be. This way, kitty will get used to the thing and might even use it as a snoozing spot, which seriously increases your chances of getting him in there year after year when he has to visit the vet.
Also, when going to the vet, try to put in the carrier a sweater your recently wore, and/or spray the sweater or a blanket with feliway. This way, your cat will suffer the minimum amount of stress it has to endure while at the vets. This will also help kitty not to be too traumatized by the experience, making it easier to repeat this the year after.

And there you have it, the basic needs of a cat. Next, you need to run out to the pet shop and get your supplies. Now that you have a house overrun by cat supplies, how do you make your house human and feline friendly?

Decorating kitty-style

First things first. Pick a spot for the litter box. What to look for? Well, humans don’t like a public place for their bathroom, but felines do not share our shame. Try finding a spot that works for both of you. From the cat’s point of view, these preferences apply:

• Put the box somewhere quiet, not near a ‘busy high way’ in the house.
• Keep the box close enough to the rooms the cat frequents. Unfortunately, this often means the rooms that their favorite people frequent.
• Do not put the box in a tight corner, especially not if you have dogs, kids or several cats. A cat is vulnerable to attack when taking care of its business, it has to be able to see attacks coming. It is therefore also wise to put it in a room that has several exits.
• Do NOT put the box in the vicinity of the food or water bowl, nor near kitties favorite nesting spot! Waste can attract predators, therefore cats do not go potty near their nest or source of food.
• If you have several litter boxes and cats, do not put them all next to each other, since one of the cats might start guarding them, therefore making it unable for other cats to use the boxes. If however you feel one box is very popular, and is too filthy too soon, put a second one next to it.
• Do not clean out the box or the room it is in, with any type of lemon cleaner. Cats hate that smell.

Next we want a spot for the food bowl. The following feline rules apply:

• Do not put food in the vicinity of the litter box!
• Do not put the food too close to the water bowl, because if your kitty eats quite messy, the food will contaminate the water. Often also, cats do not like their water bowls and food bowls to be too near, even if the food stays in its own bowl
• If you have several cats, try to have multiple feeding stations, especially if you have a cat that likes to guard the food. Otherwise your other cats might not get the chance to eat what they need.
• Feel free to put food on elevated places, such as maybe his scratching post. Cats feel a lot safer on elevated places than on the floor.
• Try also to put the food in a corner of the room where kitty can see who is coming into the room, and preferably with more than one exit. This is again more important if you have multiple cats. It is harder to guard a room with several exits.
• Clean out the bowls often, because otherwise your kitty will most likely develop diarrhea.

What about water bowls? (If you get this wrong, feline alternatives include: knocking over vases to get to the water, drinking from the toilet, licking the faucet and drinking the water that drips from the tub.)

• Keep water bowls away from the litter box!
• Keep water bowls also away from food to prevent contamination of the water.
• Try to put water bowls on top of something. In my experience, water bowls get tipped over a lot less when put on a window sill for instance. And drinking from toilet bowls and vases reduce immensely when lifting the water bowl. Do not ask me why.
• Clean out the bowls often, because otherwise your kitty will most likely develop diarrhea.

Now, the last necessity was the scratching post. These are marvelous tools in a variety of ways.

• Place your scratching post where your kitty likes to sit. Consider it her personal piece of furniture. If kitty likes you a lot, put the post where you reside most of the time.
• Another good bet is to put it in front of a window, so they can watch the pretty birds. A window is like television to them. Just make sure kitty does not get upset from watching stray cats in his garden. Then you need to move the post
• You might want to put a small post near the door. Some kitties get existed when you come home and they want to express this by scratching. The front door is also the main source for foreign smells and scratching there is also important for marking their territory.
• If you have a dog or small children, put your scratching post in the living. This way, kitty can be with the family without constantly being pestered.
• Behind the couch is also a big favorite, especially if kitty likes to stretch on the couch. It might divert his attention from the couch to the post.

So what kind of snoozing spots does kitty like? This really depends on the kitty, but here are some general clues.

• Some cats love being near their favorite people, while snoozing. One of my friends works from home and the cat used to constantly lie on his keyboard and desk. Now he has a hanging basket next to his desk and she gladly resides there while he works.
• Window sills are a big favorite. You can look out the window, watch the birds, sit in the sun, while staying near your favorite human and away from dogs. What’s not to love? Window benches exist to modify your window sill in the perfect cat perch.
• For scaredy cats, often tent baskets in their favorite persons bedroom, can be the perfect hide out. Or even better, a pillow or basket in their wardrobe. Surrounded by your favorite humans smell. Heaven…
• Clearly the bed and couch are going to be very high on the preferable snoozing spots-list. No adjustments needed mostly.
• Anywhere under a table or in some dark corner, sheltered from everything while capable to follow everything that is going on, is going to be tempting.
• Cats absolutely love several levels to jump on, so you will often find them on top of closets and the highest things in the room. If you can make room for them to sleep off the ground on some furniture, they will love you forever.
• Scaredy cats will often choose a very quiet room as their territory, especially if there are other cats or animals about. They will often choose themselves the laundry or utility room. Check which room your cat prefers and make her paradise right there.

You can see for yourself it is not that hard to make a kitty purr. All you have to do is see it from their point of view. With a bit of effort, your cat will greet your purringly at the door every evening when you come home.