Last updated: January 18, 2020

There is something very aristocratic about a cat. They combine majesty and affection in equal measures, and they are such paradoxes. No other animal can ignore you in such style one minute then love you with such devotion the next. How can anyone resist a purrrrr? Or a whiskery kiss? Or a warm furry body curled up in your bed at night? They are purr-fectly awesome! But, in order to take care of you little feline aristoc(r)ats, certain basic needs must be catered for, plus a few extras to pamper his delicate sensibilities. One really ought to take into account that Felix, Fifi, Fluffy, Rex or Rascal expect the finer things in life. So here are some of them!

Cat Scratchers

• 
  
• 
  

It’s one of Mother Nature’s rules that cats gotta scratch, so in the absence of trees growing through the bedroom floor, a cat scratcher is the next best thing.  Cats need to scratch for various reasons, but not to annoy you – they are just obeying their instincts. Your moggy needs to strengthen his forelimbs and flex his body so that he can put on those bursts of speed he needs to kill small prey, as he would in the wild. He also needs to slough off the outer layers of claws to keep them in shape and deposit his scent, both to warn other cats off and to mark his territory.

Of course, some of them just enjoy it – they like anything with a coarse or nubbly texture, so if you want your furniture and carpets to stay pristine – get one! Scratching posts are usually made from sisal, a plant fiber, which is definitely the best. They can also be made with carpet or even cardboard, but carpet can catch his claws and cardboard wears out. They should be tall so that Kitty can stretch to his full length, and if possible have a perch at the top. Being of the upper class, cats like height!

Cat Beds

• 
  
• 
  

Cats love luxury. Ever noticed that moggy always chooses the softest cushion on the sofa? If there’s a woolen blanket on the bed he’ll immediately go and do what cats do best, which of course is sleep. They have their morning snooze, afternoon siesta, five o’clock  forty-winks, evening nap, and dawn doze, but at night-time and the wee small hours, they’re up, dashing around the house or carousing with other cats, making more noise than an ambulance in an emergency. Go figure! So, since they spend such a lot of time in dreamland, they need a comfortable bed or they’ll use your pillow. (Then you’ll end up with a hairdo like a cross between a sheep and a hedgehog!)

You can invest in the basket type or the one with soft fluffy sides, padded cocoon types and even ones with heating pads. Heaven forbid that kitty should ever get a cold tummy! Lovely padded cat blankets can be placed anywhere. Whatever you choose, don’t throw the receipt away till you know that he DEFINITELY likes it! They really are fussy so-and-sos!

Litter Trays

• 
  
• 
  

Well, when a cat’s gotta do what a cat’s gotta do, you need a litter tray. These should be not too small, too big or too high. This is very important for indoor cats especially. If they aren’t able, for whatever reason, to use their litter tray, they will find somewhere that is less appropriate, not for you, but for them. Some cats don’t like the litter box because it has a lining, the sides are too high, it’s too small or it’s in a place where they can’t reach it. So when you buy your litter tray take all these into account.

Litter itself can be made of clay, silica, and biodegradable plant materials, each of which has its own pros and cons. Whatever you use, change it at least once a week. If kitty’s not partial to what he parks his bum in, you may have little “accidents” everywhere! Eee-yow!

Cat Carriers

• 
  
• 
  

Just saying – CATS DO NOT LIKE TO BE CARRIED! They’re not like dogs, who will jump into the car and stick their heads happily out of the windows, tongues flapping in the breeze. Unfortunately, cats are not so obliging, and if you force a cat into a car unrestrained, YOU WILL BE SORRY! Trust me, I know this from bitter experience. So it’s important when transporting your little prince or princess, to keep them securely contained at all times. (Mine used to travel in a cardboard box. He got out one day, stood on the window button and nearly hurled himself into the traffic!).

These days there are lots of different types. I have a hard plastic one with a secure lock, but there are nylon ones with see through netting sides so that kitty can see through them. This should keep the little darlings from panicking – much! For the cat who has everything, there is a cat stroller! This looks just like a baby stroller – but for cats! My cat wants one. (Oh, all right then! I want one!)

Cat Tents

• 
  
• 
  

We’ve already mentioned the feline penchant for cozy places like cardboard boxes, but to give your kitty that little bit of “je-ne-sais-quoi,” let your little darling show off his cat tent to all his feline friends. You can make a D.I.Y. one out of wire hangers and t-shirts, but there are so many bee-you-tiful ones on the market – why bother? This is not one of those things that’s strictly necessary for your cat’s health and well-being but it will enhance the quality of his life! Just like the cat carrier, there are millions of designs.

There are nylon ones with see-though panels in lots of different shapes; teepees, pyramids, cubes – even ones that come in pairs with tunnels in between! (What will they think of next???) There are tents with cats’ ears, and there’s even one that you can get in too and enjoy some catnaps together. And for the pampered pussy – a padded one! Now tell me you can’t find one of these your moggy will like!

Cat Medicine

• 
  
• 
  

There are any amount of little disgusting things who regard your cat’s body as prime real estate! Ticks, fleas, mosquitoes – and a whole host of other biting things and creepy crawlies – can all infect your cat’s skin causing irritation and infection. Young kittens can actually die of blood loss from flea bites, and ticks can pass on some serious diseases such as Lyme Disease which infect humans too.  

As if that weren’t enough, roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms, and lungworms are all getting in line to infect your kitty’s insides. They can cause weight loss, vomiting, bloody stools, coughing, and a host of other symptoms. However, there are many commercial preparations that are pretty effective against the evil little blighters! You can usually buy these at your pharmacy or shop online for them.

Fleas, especially, are determined, little so-and-sos. Not only do you need to treat the fleas, but the whole house – several times over, since they like to take up lodging in your furniture! And they’re quite partial to human blood too! Prevention is better than cure, so if you want to avoid fleas, medicate before they move in! Buy preparations with active ingredients. “Natural” products are not very effective.

Cat Treats

• 
  
• 
  

When we say “treat” we mean things that aren’t strictly necessary but are given to delight or reward good behavior. For ourselves, they’d be things like chocolate or wine. It’s no secret that fifty to sixty percent of cats love catnip, hence its name. (Mine goes BANANAS!!!) This is a healthy and low- calorie reward for cats, even those who are on a restricted calorie diet. Catnip has a mildly hallucinogenic effect, caused by a chemical called nepetalactone and we can compare it to either cannabis or LSD! Eeek!

Cat treats are usually available boxed in biscuit form or in pouches. The pouch variety can be safely given instead of their evening meal OCCASIONALLY. If your cat is trying to lose weight, catnip is best once every two or three weeks only as most cats develop a tolerance for it. Treats should only be given now and again and should be given as part of their daily calorie intake. You can give them things like bits of cooked liver, cheese or bacon once in a very long while but the commercial treats are safe and nutritionally balanced – especially for fat cats!

Cat Toys

• 
  
• 
  

Everybody knows that cats LOOOOVE to play, and the importance of active games to an indoor-only cat cannot be understated. The funniest thing I ever saw was my first ever pet cat chasing the beam of a laser pointer. Watching a cat going round and round in circles is hysterically funny! We can’t go into every treat on the market but the best ones are those which exploit the cat’s natural instincts to hunt, stalk and kill.

There are great feathered toys which resemble fishing rods with feathers attached to them which mimic birds flying. Cats love to swat at birds! Even something as simple as a ball can keep a cat amused for hours, particularly if it has something twinkly inside! There are chew toys, (catnip filled or not) which keep kitty’s teeth clean and remove tartar and prevent dental infection, thereby killing two birds with one stone! Try a crinkle ball made of crinkly pieces of shiny foil which make a crackly noise when pounced on. Cats are best entertained by toys which mimic their prey – you can’t tame a cat!

Cat Bowls

• 
  
• 
  

You thought feeding and watering your cat was a simple matter of putting a plastic bowl on the floor and waiting for your cat to stick his head in it, right? Ha! Not any more! For the truly well-pampered pet, there are water fountains that provide a continuous flow of water while filtering out fur, feathers, dirt and other detritus to keep your kitty safe from every choking hazard known to catdom!

There are also some very fancy bowls which dispense food in measured amounts, so that no matter how much Acme De Luxe Kibble for the Discerning Cat your moggy wants, he will only get as much as he needs! This is particularly handy for tubby tabbies who are trying to shed a few pounds! To keep your kitty’s feeding area pure and pristine, moreover, he desperately needs a placemat to keep his kibble off the carpet!

Cat Collar

• 
  
• 
  

It doesn’t matter what you do – cats will always be cats and cats will always chase mice, rats, and birds because it is his instinct to do so. In doing this, if he is wearing a cat collar he may become caught on tree branches, fence poles, rocks or other hazards on which he can become caught and unable to move or even choke to death. The answer to this is a breakaway cat collar which unlatches itself as soon as it catches on something. If you have a soft spot for your local wildlife, put a bell on it so kitty can’t creep up on those stealthy padded paws.

For the cat with exquisite good taste, there are DESIGNER collars patterned with whatever design your kitty finds attractive. Does your cat wander? Make sure to get a collar with a phone number and his name on it. Life-threatening illness? Special diet? Make sure no well-meaning friend accidentally gives him some “forbidden fruit” by advertising his condition on his collar. Does he enjoy a midnight stroll? A reflective collar can help you find the little blighter in the dark no matter how clever he thinks he is! Yup! For every cat, there is a collar!

Last Word

I could go on and on about cat products. There are thousands of different foods, toys, treats and medicines to keep your moggy in the style to which he’s accustomed, but you don’t really need all these things to keep your cat happy. However, it’s good to know that he’s enjoying the best products to give him the best quality of life possible for as long as possible. You’ll live with your moggy for around fifteen to twenty years, and of course, you want him to be well fed and in good health with a well-stimulated mind. (Yes, cats have minds too!) But even if you don’t get any of these products, or if you buy all of them, your cat will love you anyway!