Getting a kitten is perhaps the most exciting moment of a cat parents life. Getting the chance to bring a ball of fluff into your home and watch is grow and learn is a wonderful experience. However, when it comes to shopping for your kitten, you can get overwhelmed. There are so many products available; how do you know what you need and what your kitten will enjoy?
That’s where we come in. We’ve had a look at the kitten products available this year, and come up with a list of some of the best ideas we’ve seen, from the Neater Feeder for mess-free meals to playing the day away with the Tower of Tracks. If you’re bringing a kitten home soon, this is the list for you!
Table of Contents
Litter Boxes
It’s not the most attractive of subjects, but one thing we have to deal with as the parents of fur babies is their bathroom activities. If your kittens are too young to go out, or they’re going to be house cats then you need to think about litter training, and having a litter box available.
Dr Elseys Precious Kitten Attract
Get litter training off to a great start with the specially designed litter. It’s just the right size for sweet kitten paws and contains an herbal attractant to encourage your kitten to use their box.
Nature’s Miracle Disposable Litter Box
If you don’t like the idea of using plastic for your litter box, then this one is made from recycled paper! It won’t leak and contains baking soda to control the odors even the cutest kitten can’t help but make.
Non-slip Litter Mat
Even the daintiest paws can sometimes get litter stuck in them, which then gets walked around the house. But this mat will catch it and keep it where it can be easily cleaned up.
Feeding
Kittens should be fed from their mother, or bottled fed with a milk substitute until they are around 4 weeks old when the weaning process will naturally begin. From then, kittens will need special food that meets their nutritional needs. Regular cat food will be designed for adult cats who need less energy than a playful kitten.
You should also think about the size of your kitten, and how easily they can access the bowls that you have. Kittens are much lower to the ground and need saucer type containers until they are a few months old and tall enough to reach regular feeders.
Neater Feeder
Kittens can be messy eaters, but this bowl makes sure that as much mess as possible is contained in an easy to clean plastic area. The feeder is at a good height for cats and kittens to eat from and is compatible with the Polar Bowl which will keep your pet’s water chilled all day.
Indoor Hunting Cat Feeder
Designed by a veterinarian, these mouse shaped feeders help to keep your pet happy and active. Spread the right amount of kibble for a meal between them, and hide them around the house for your kitten to hunt and eat!
Kitygo Ma
This silicone mat will help grip onto bowls to stop spills of food and water. It’s also nice and easy to clean and has a raised edge to stop kibble going walkabout.
If you’re wondering what to feed your kitten, then check out our post on the Best Organic Kitten Food.
Bedding
Kittens need somewhere warm and cozy to snuggle up to sleep – and they will spend most of their day snoozing. Even at 6 months old, they need up to 20 hours of sleep a day. Depending on the time of year and your environment, you may need to look at ways to keep your kitten extra warm or consider whether they’d like their privacy. Accept it when they ignore the new bed and sleep in an old cardboard box instead!
Self Warming Cat Sleeping Bag
With a crinkle lining to make it fun for your kitten, this sleeping bag will make them feel safe and secure. Made from velvet material, inside and out, it traps in your kittens own body heat to stay nice and toasty inside.
Banana Cat Cave
This bed offers your kitten a warm and private place to sleep. But of course, the main selling point is how darn cute it is!
Thermo-Kitty Heated Cat Bed
With high foam walls to protect from drafts, this kitten bed has an electric heater that makes sure your pet is warm and cozy on even the coldest of days.
Furniture
Cats and kittens love to climb, to get up high so they can see what is going on around them (and to pounce on the unsuspecting fools who walk below them). They also have the urge to scratch, and that can be destructive to your own furniture. So, if you’re getting a kitten it’s also a good idea to add a few pieces of cat furniture, to help make your kitten feel at home.
Mr Peanut’s Couch Saver
We love this product for the name alone, but it’s also the perfect starter scratching post. With a shorter height and interactive ball toys as part of the design, it’s just what your kitten needs to distract them from your precious things.
Wellhome Cat Tree
Also known as a cat condo, they’ll spend a lot of time there. With a hammock and cat cave option for sleeping and perches and ledges for playing, the poles are covered in sisal for a good scratch too.
Big Nose Cat Scratching Post/Shelf
Keep your kitten scratching well away from the furniture with this shelf-design scratcher. Make this a part of a set of steps, or cat clouds, to give your pet somewhere to escape away from other pets or children.
Toys
If you’re going to have a kitten, and especially if that kitten is going to grow up to become a house cat, then play time is a vital part of their routine. Cats are hunters, they need to let off their energy by playing hide and seek, pouncing, and biting.
When looking at kitten toys, the same rules apply as for human children – avoid choking hazards. You want to ensure that all toys are at least the same size as a ping-pong ball, and if small parts break off, that you get them cleared up as soon as possible.
Drag/Fly Toys
These are the toys that will help your kitten to develop their hunting instincts. You’ll soon learn whether they like to pounce on things on the ground or in the air (or both) and can tailor your purchases accordingly. Here are some of the best toys that we’ve discovered.
Retractable Feather Teaser
With the action of a fishing rod, this toy is perfect for letting your kitten pretend he or she is catching birds. Whip the replaceable feather end around to simulate flight, and watch that cute little bottom waggle as it gets ready to pounce!
Rainbow Cat Charmer
In vibrant colors, this cat charmer is perfect for dragging along the ground whilst keeping your fingers out of pouncing distance. This toy can be used for dragging along the floor or dangling in the air – your choice.
Jackson Galaxy Ground Prey Toy
Designed to replicate the movements of ground prey such as mice, lizards, and snakes, this toy can be added to the end of a wand or reel toy. Your cat will believe it is chasing the real thing!
Puzzle Toys
Cats love to play hide and seek, hunting out small prey in unlikely places. That makes them curious, and they love to puzzle out what is going on in small spaces. These toys are all designed to make your pet want to explore the environment.
Tower of Tracks
Cats love to spin the balls and send them around the tracks. There are three balls for them to choose from, and the toy has a non-slip base so it won’t go walkabout, no matter how excited your cat gets.
Cat Toy Box
This box has a total of 17 holes for your cat to explore as they seek out what’s inside. The hidden treasure is a total of three balls and a mouse – hours of feline fun.
Three-way Cat Tunnel
Kittens love to explore tunnels, and this one has the added bonus of being collapsible when you don’t want to use it. Roll balls, mice, or other toys through it for your kitten to chase, or tease them with a wand toy.
Automatic Toys
Sometimes, it just isn’t possible to spend the time playing with your fur baby yourself. It might be because you’re at work, or they want to play at 3 am when you definitely don’t – whatever the reason, there are automated toys to lend a hand. Often motion sensitive, they’ll save battery power by only coming to life when your kitten comes near!
YoFun Multifunction Spinning Cat Toy
Start the tumbler for ten minutes of play. This is a three-in-one toy; the ball can be filled with food that will pop out when knocked, it has a laser-pointer style light for your kitten to follow and the dangling toys on the topspin. Hit the on button and retire to a safe distance to watch your kitten go crazy!
PetSafe Pounce
Let your cat chase this motorized mouse for ten minutes at a time. The mouse has randomized movements, so your kitten won’t learn them and get bored, they’ll just keep pouncing.
Motion Activated Feather Wand
This is a three-in-one toy. Not only is it a motion activated feather toy, that rotates randomly for your pet to chase, but the wand detaches so you can take control of the fun. There’s also a ring ball which is perfect for filling with catnip or snacks.
Grooming
It can also be helpful to get your kitten used to be groomed early on. No matter what type of cat you have, it will need to be groomed at least once a week – medium or long-haired cats will need more frequent care.
Take it slow, kittens aren’t used to being brushed. If, in the beginning, they’ll only stay still for 10 or 15 seconds while you use a soft bristle brush, that’s fine. It’s all about spending some quality time with your fur baby and letting them get used to the process.
Safari Soft Bristle Brush
The perfect starter brush, this soft brush will help to capture some of your cat’s loose hair and prevent fur balls. As it doesn’t go too deeply into the fur, most cats are happy to be brushed with this type of groomer.
Kitten Slicker
If you have a longer-haired cat, then this is the sort of brush that will help you get tugs and tangles out of their fur. This model has a small head, so it’s perfect for grooming tiny kitten bodies.
Groomer Glove
It’s a rare kitten that will say no to a stroke! If you want to give your cat the gentlest introduction to grooming, then these wearable, rubber brushes are just the ticket.
So Much More!
Yes, there really is a lot of ‘stuff’ out there that you might want for your kitten. Whether it’s an innovative feeder like the Neater Feeder or a cat entertainment center like the Tower of Tracks, there are a lot of things to spend your paycheck on. Remember, the thing your fur baby will most appreciate is the time that you give them whether it’s playing, stroking or grooming.
