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Coming home with a new kitten is exciting. But beyond the excitement, you should always have a broad idea of what the kitten wants to stay happy and healthy in your home.
Kittens need a lot of things to live to the fullest in your home. You may be tempted to narrow down the list to food items only, but there’s much more than that.
So, what do you need for a new kitten? Continue reading this article as we seek to answer this question in the best possible way.
What Do You Need for a New Kitten?
What do you need for a new kitten? This is a question that crosses the mind of every new kitten parent.
To answer the question directly, there are more than a few items you should invest in, even before you bring a new kitten home.
The following is a simple kitten care essentials checklist that should guide you to make the right decision:
1. Kitten foods and Water
If you’re bringing home a kitten who’s less than six months old, we strongly recommend you stock up on vet-recommended kitten foods made for growing kittens.
We love the Purina ONE High Protein Natural Dry Kitten Food, and we recommend you give it a try. This food is made with protein-rich ingredients that help your kitten grow healthily.
It’s worth noting that young cats have a much higher needs for energy than their older counterparts. This can be met by offering healthy food made for kittens.
As you build your kitten’s feeding schedule, make sure to include a mix of wet and dry foods for variety.
The risk about feeding your kitten one type of food is that they risk developing finicky feeding habits into their adulthood.
We found the Sheba Perfect Portions Kitten Wet Cat Food to be good enough for most kittens. We love the natural ingredients packed in this healthy kitten food.
Still on feeding, it’s a good idea to quantify what your kitten is eating. Giving them too much food may cause unnecessary weight gain, and too little food is not good for their overall health.
Don’t hesitate to contact your veterinarian in case you need further recommendations regarding your new kitten’s feeding.
2. Food and Water Bowls
Once you’ve figured out the food, your new cat supplies list should include stainless steel water and food bowls.
Look for food and water bowls specifically made for cats. They should be easy to clean and heavy enough to resist easy knocks.
The PETKIT 304 Stainless Steel Elevated Cat Bowls can do the job perfectly. We love that the bowls have a generous capacity, and the adjustable angle feature is nice to have.
To make the life of your new kitten easier, we recommend adding a cat fountain drinker to their feeding accessories.
Many cats naturally love drinking from fountains, and this will, in addition to other advantages, encourage your kitten to drink enough water.
We recommend placing the food and water bowls separately from each other and far from the litter box, for hygiene purposes.
3. Cat Carriers
You will need a cat carrier or a cat backpack to assist you in carrying your new kitten outdoors, for example, when going to the vet.
This item is of extreme importance, and it should never miss in your new cat essentials list. A cat carrier helps in your kitten’s health and long-term safety.
There are many cat carriers to choose from, and narrowing down to one item may not be an easy task.
Luckily, we already made a buyer’s guide on the 9 Best Cat Backpacks you can buy for your kitten today. Be sure to go through that guide to find your preferred model.
It helps to choose a carrier that lets your cat see the outside from inside. This will help reduce stress. Also, pick one that can be opened from both ends.
4. Scratching Posts and Surfaces
Cats love to scratch. It’s an instinctive trait passed down from their ancestors. Investing in scratching posts and scratching surfaces will help your new kitten reduce stress.
Not all cats have the same preferences for scratching materials or orientation. We suggest offering your kitty different scratchers to see what works for them.
If you’re a DIYer, it’s also a good idea to make a homemade cat scratching post for your kitty using available materials.
A stronger fit would be to invest in a sturdy cat tree. It provides the vertical space for exploration and scratching posts in one.
5. Cat Litter Box
One of the must have cat items you should include in your list is a litter box. It’s easy to forget about the litter tray when buying cat necessities for your kitten.
An ideal litter tray for your cat should have enough space for them to move around. They should also dig and turn within the litter box without feeling crumped.
Most kittens do well with an open-topped litter box. An enclosed litter box is okay ,too, but not for a new kitten.
We recommend getting a smaller litter box first, to make it easier for your kitten to learn the toileting routine without feeling overwhelmed.
Remember to replace the small litter box with a bigger one as your kitten grows. They should never feel confined in these spaces.
These FURTIME 2 Pack Stainless Steel Cat Litter Boxes, will serve your kitten right. You can place one in the bedroom and the other along the walkway.
Having two litter boxes is also ideal if you’re introducing the new kitten into a multi-cat household.
Your kitten will most certainly not prefer to get into a dirty litter box. This is a reminder to keep it clean at all times.
6. Cat Litter
Now that you already have a good litter box in your kitten needs list, the next item to stock up is cat litter.
The market is filled with all manner of cat litter, and choosing the best one for your kitten can feel like a lot of work.
We have scented, unscented, clumping, and non-clumping litters as the major categories to choose from.
If you prefer, you can also choose to buy litter that contain attractants to let your cat use the box. We also have litter that monitor for urine issues.
Choose unscented litter whenever possible. Strong artificial fragrances can overwhelm a kitten’s sensitive nose and discourage them from using the box.
For young kittens, who are potty-training for the first time, we recommend using non-clumping litter like the PetSafe Natural Cat Litter.
Clumping litter contains bentonite clay that expands when wet. Because young kittens explore the world with their mouths, ingesting clumping litter can cause dangerous intestinal blockages.
Once a kitten is reliably litter-trained and past four months, you can transition to clumping litter gradually by mixing it with the old type over seven to ten days.
Some of the advantages of clumping litter include making easy clean up and having an odor-free litter tray.
We also suggest you stock up on enough litter. Ideally, you should replace the litter every time the tray is cleaned to a depth of about 1.2 inches.
A litter scoop and a litter mat under the box to catch tracked litter are small purchases that save significant cleanup time.
7. Cat Toys and Enrichment
‘As playful as a Kitten’, goes the old simile! Watching your new kitten play with toys is something every cat parent looks forward to.
You should invest in high-quality toys for your kitten as early as possible. This makes sure they are introduced to the right form of play from a young age.
If your kitten doesn’t get enough toys to play with, they might bite your arms or feet instead, during play. This habit may grow into their adulthood, a time when the bites are painful.
There are numerous cat toys for cats in the market that you can choose for your new arrival. They are all designed to engage your cat in physical play and a mental workout.
Some of the popular cat toys include feather wands, puzzles, laser pointers, catnip toys, teasers, crackle balls, and mouse toys.
Always have your cat engage with these toys in the right way. For example, you need to supervise when they play to discourage them from chewing too much.
It’s a good idea to have diverse types of toys in your kitten essentials list, so that you prevent boredom from kicking in.
8. Grooming Supplies
Your kitten will surely learn to groom themselves, if they have not done so already. But that doesn’t remove the need to invest in grooming supplies.
Stock up on grooming supplies, including cat brushes, combs, towels, ear-cleaners, kitten-safe shampoo, and small nail clippers.
You should always choose grooming supplies that go well with your kitten coat type. You wouldn’t want to destroy your cat’s hair in the process of grooming.
When buying pet shampoo, make sure to pick the one made with an all-natural formulation to be easy on your kitten.
The Breezytail PetO’Cera All-in-One Cat Shampoo and Conditioner can work well thanks to its natural ingredients. We also love that it includes a conditioner.
9. Dental Care
You wouldn’t need to brush your new kitten’s teeth at a tender age. However, we recommend having them used to dental hygiene at a young age so they don’t resist it in adulthood.
For this, you need to purchase a cat-safe toothpaste and a soft toothbrush. Never use human dental products on your kitten’s delicate teeth.
10. Comfy Bedding
Your new kitten will need a comfortable bed, where they can rest after running up and down the entire day.
There are many types of cat beds out there, and different cats have different preferences in what they like when it comes to sleeping surface.
We suggest purchasing a few different kitty beds for a start to see what your kitten prefers before investing in a premium bed.
You can also DIY a simple cardboard box bed at home, as you experiment the other store-bought ones.
Check out our DIY guide on how to make a pet bed within minutes, if you’re willing to go down that route for a start.
You’ll also want to keep your kitten’s bed clean all the times. Ideally, you should dust it off every day. This will make it inviting and comfy for your new kitty.
11. Cat Room
More important than the bed itself is the Kitty safe room setup. Before the kitten arrives, you should designate one room that contains everything they need.
This includes the kitten food, clean drinking water, a litter box, a scratching post, a bed or blanket, and a few toys. That simple setup is everything you need for a kitten to feel at home.
This room is where the kitten will spend the first few days. They will get used to the sounds and smells of their new home without the overwhelming task of exploring an entire house at once.
We recommend adding a blanket or a worn t-shirt that carries your scent in this room to help keep the kitten secure during the first few nights.
If you are thinking about what does a new kitten need in addition to the other items, the answer is a safe, calm space with the basics covered.
12. Harness and Leash
Although they are not a must for most people, a cat harness and leash are some of the things you need for a kitten. They can be of great help during the first years of your kitty.
You can use these tools to train your feline friend on obedience and other ideals you’re planning up on.
13. Identification and Safety
Even if you plan to keep your kitten strictly indoors, identification is one of the first things you need for a new kitten.
For easy identification, we suggest fitting your new kitten with a breakaway collar and an ID tag showing your contact details.
Breakaway design is good because a standard collar can strangle a cat if it catches on a fence, a branch, or furniture hardware.
Discuss microchipping at the first vet visit. A microchip is a tiny device, about the size of a grain of rice, injected under the skin between the shoulder blades.
It provides permanent identification that cannot fall off or be removed. Registration with your current contact information is vital, so update your details regularly as needed.
Microchipping typically costs $45 – 60 and is a one-time expense. These identification steps round out your first kitten checklist.
14. Kitten-Proofing Supplies
Cord-chewing is one of the most common kitten behaviors that catches new kitten owners but surprise.
Cords such as electrical wires are exactly the right size and texture to chew on, which creates a risk of electrocution or mouth burns.
You can invest in cord covers, cable organizers, or even split-loom tubing from a hardware store to protect both the kitten and your electronics.
Childproof cabinet locks are worth installing under any sink where cleaning products, chemicals, or trash bins are stored.
Remember to secure window screens thoroughly, because kittens can push through loose or damaged screens with very little effort.
Another point to note is to Keep toilet lids closed, because a tiny kitten that falls into a toilet bowl can easily drown.
Block access to open HVAC ducts, gaps behind appliances, and any space narrow enough to seem impossible for a kitten to enter, because they absolutely can and will squeeze through.
What to Expect in Veterinary Care for the First Year
Schedule a veterinary appointment within the first week of bringing your kitten home, even if the shelter or breeder has already provided initial care.
This first visit establishes a relationship with a vet who will get to know your kitten’s baseline health and guide you through the critical first year.
A typical first visit includes a full physical exam (eyes, ears, mouth, heart, lungs, abdomen, skin, and coat), a fecal parasite test to check for intestinal worms and other parasites.
You may also discuss the upcoming vaccination schedule with your veterinarian.
The vet will also discuss a flea, tick, and heartworm prevention plan tailored to your location and the kitten’s lifestyle.
Expect the initial exam to cost between $75 and $150, with fecal testing and deworming adding another $50 to $100.
The core vaccines will protect against the most dangerous and common communicable feline diseases.
The FVRCP vaccine, which covers feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, and panleukopenia, typically begins at six to eight weeks.
Your kitten can get booster doses every three to four weeks until they get to 16 weeks of age.
The rabies vaccine is given at 12 to 16 weeks, depending on local laws. Booster shots for rabies vaccines are required every 1 – 3 years.
Your vet may also recommend the feline leukemia virus (FeLV) vaccine, especially for kittens who may have outdoor exposure.
Expect a budget of around $200 to $400 on the full kitten vaccine series spread across multiple visits.
Spaying or neutering is recommended before five to six months of age. Many shelters perform the procedure before adoption, but if yours did not, discuss timing at the first appointment.
At a private veterinary hospital, spaying a female cat typically costs $300 to $500, while neutering a male may part you with $200 to $400.
Low-cost veterinarian clinics and shelters may offer the same procedure for as little as $50 to $150.
When you add up exams, vaccines, parasite prevention, spaying or neutering, and microchipping, first-year veterinary costs typically fall between $500 and $1,200.
This pricing fully depends on where you live and whether any complications may be spotted early during the visits.
It’s worth considering enlisting your feline family on a pet insurance policy. The premiums are lower for kittens, and pre-existing conditions are excluded once a policy is in place.
Conclusion
This kitten checklist new supply list may look long on paper, but the good news is that most of the items here are one-time purchases.
Many of them are also inexpensive. For the ones with traditional high prices, you can always start with a less premium item, especially since you’re experimenting with a cat.
If you have made it through this guide and are still asking, what do you need for a new kitten, the straight answer is you already have what matters most. That is the willingness to prepare.
Do your homework well, get the essential items in place, and bring that new kitten home for your care.
Laura is the founder of Furs'n'Paws. She is a also a pet writer and expert with more than 20 years of experience of working with dogs and cats. She developed a very strong love for animals at a young age. Her passion led her to establish a thriving pet sitting and dog walking business in Dubai. As an expert in pet training, behavior, and nutrition, Laura is committed to helping pet owners and pet lovers by offering high-quality information on a wide range of topics.
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