We are often asked, "What toys/food/items do you recommend for our new kitten? Well, we've made a handy list for you! Here are some things we've used, and our experiences with them.
Food And Treats:
Nulo cat food is the best budget dry food we've found so far. We changed from Victor to Nulo because of the high carb content of Victor. High carbs for cats can lead to health problems such as bladder stones. Nulo is available on Amazon and Chewy and many other places, but may be cheaper farm/feed stores.
Nulo Cat And Kitten is the kind we currently use for our females and kittens. This cat food is mostly made from animal proteins, made with named meats rather than by-products, quite low carbohydrate content, and is augmented with probiotics. This food could have more plant content than your cat needs though. Most kibbles do.
This is the current wet food we feed to all of our cats weekly. This wet food is made with a small number of high quality ingredients, contains around 45% crude protein, rich in moisture. Although this cat food does use guar gum which could trigger an upset tummy in some cats and it also uses multiple sources of protein.
This was a treat we have fed to our cats in the past. It can be used for either a full meal or a simple treat. All of our cats liked these. This food is 98% made up of meat, organs, and bones, rich in animal protein, free of animal by-products, and free of artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives. This food could have too much bone in it though. It isn't a problem for us because we use them as treats but it could be an issue if you were to use this for meals.
This is a treat we're currently feeding our cats. This is a single ingredient food, containing only 100% dried liver only. Please note that cats should not have more than 1 teaspoon of liver a day as it can cause a vitamin A toxicity.
Dishes:
This water fountain is the best we've found so far. It's easy to clean as it has very few pieces and it's made of stainless steel. It also has a very strong water flow.
This water fountain is what we use in our stud house because it's wireless. It has three modes: motion detecting, running water every 12 minutes, or infinitely running if plugged in to the wall. It will also flash a leaf symbol when the filter needs to be changed. It has an incredibly long battery. Ours lasts weeks before it needs to be charged. Our boy Shakespeare loves this water fountain so much that he'll only mark when he doesn't have it for a long period of time.
These bowls are excellent whisker fatigue cat bowls. A lot of cat bowls that are too deep cause cats whiskers to repeatedly rub against the sides while they're eating or drinking. This can cause stress on the sensory system and result in pain and irritation for the cat. We noticed our boy Shakespeare would take a mouthful of food from his bowl and eat it on the floor. I later read that cats do this when they dislike eating from their bowl, and that he could be experiencing whisker fatigue. These whisker fatigue bowls are wide and shallow and very easy to clean. They're made of quality wheat straw material meaning they're very durable and hard to break.
Brushes And Tools:
This is the best brush I've ever found for cats who are shedding. This was originally made for horses with sensitive skin but can also be used for cats and dogs too. It will literally brush out mountains of fur from our cats. This works incredibly well for our cats and they absolutely love it.
Slicker brushes are good for cats with thick undercoats and a history of matts especially. This slicker brush we have found has lasted for years and shows no signs of wear and tear. It's very sturdy. It also has a one-click cleaning button.
This is quite a good brush for shedding cats. I use this in combination with the EquiGroomer to brush out all the remaining loose fur.
We use this brush for our boys. It's easy to clean out the fur as it has a one-click cleaning button.
These are good budget clippers. They're rechargeable and quiet. We've used them for sani-trims, removal of matted fur, and to shave our males in the summer. Our studs didn't mind it too much and our boy Phoenix was purring the entire time. These clippers also come with a comb, scissors, a small bottle of oil, a small brush to clean you clippers, multiple-sized clipper combs for various hair lengths, a charging cord and stand. It can be used wireless or plugged in.
We use this to de-floof our furniture and cat trees. It works amazingly well and it's quite sturdy. It's easy to clean the fur from it.
This is the best litter box scoop I've ever tried. It's metal for one, making it easier to clean and more durable than a plastic scoop. It sifts through litter extremely fast and has held up over the last year or so without any cracks or breaks. It also comes with an easy to clean stand.
Toys:
None of our cats can resist this toy! And the best part is how cheap it is since all it really is is some cardboard pieces on a wire. A very simple and worry free toy. I think what cats like about it so much is how unpredictable it moves and how hard to see where the wire is, making for a more realistic playtime.
We gave one of these to each of our boys. They loved em! They're unwashable though and we had to throw them away in the end as they got wet.
These kickers are Maine Coons sized. They've survived a room of Maine Coons so I would say these are very durable too. They're fluffy, crinkly, and full of catnip making them irresistible! We still have all three of these. You can throw them in the washing machine too.
These are just another catnip toy we keep around the room. They look like mice and the cats like to pounce on them. I saw a kitten carrying one around once.
Out cats are obsessed with these. They love to bat and chase these around. They're really durable too. I can't count how many times I've stepped on these and they just bounce right back up. The only thing that's broken one of these was dropping a dish on one by accident.
Our cats LOVE this thing! For full-grown Maine Coons, you will have to get the largest size. It's sturdy, roomy, easy to clean! If you have more than one cat, they will love to play with each other through the peekaboo hole on the side. Our cats have played with this for hours and hours!
This tunnel is large, easily cleanable, and durable. It comes in two halves that can come apart for easy cleaning and a fluffy middle part you can detach and throw in the washing machine. It has shown some signs of wear and tear but it's to be expected when you have a room full of rambunctious kittens and playful adults as we do. One of the wires broke out but that was easily fixable as we just curled it.
We've had one of these for years. It's very sturdy, durable, and there are replacement balls you can buy in case you lose them. The cats like this toy a lot, especially the kittens.
This toy is really good for getting your cat riled up and wanting to play. It comes with a remote control so you can either control it manually or change it to be automatic. The controls are really easy to use and the automatic AI is very smart. It can sense obstacles, turn to avoid them, and turn itself back over if it gets knocked on its side or back.
Silvervine is a plant with effects similar to catnip. This brand of silvervine is also covered in dried gall fruit, making them more potent. 75% of cats who don't react to catnip react to silvervine. Silvervine is also very good for your cats teeth and oral hygiene because of the chewing action. Our cats love these. They love to chew and rub on them. Our cats chew on them so much that all we find left behind after a few weeks is a short and stripped stick.
This is another brand of silvervine. They're covered in hemp rope with dried gall fruit and frills of raffia on either side. Our cats liked them but they weren't as potent. We thought the straight silvervine was better.
Scratching Posts And Beds:
This scratching post is a favorite of cats and kittens alike. It comes in 3 parts and it's very easy to assemble. It has remained sturdy since we've gotten it. It does come with two attached balls with feathers. We cut the feathers off because they can cause a blockage in a cats throat, stomach, or intestines if they eat them or even a part of one.
We bought this scratching post for our boy, Phoenix. He loves it. He especially enjoys sitting on the top of it. It's very thick, making it perfect for a Maine Coon. The base is large and the post is very sturdy as it has never fallen down. It does come in two pieces and can be hard to put together and the top part has become wobbly as well. We bought a cardboard scratching pad for our boy, Shakespeare, as he has a history of spraying every now and then.
- Note: In our experience it's best for scratching posts and cat trees to have a sturdy, wide base and removable cushions for cat trees specifically.
We put these inside of pillow cases as in the past the cats have torn them up. They're excellent for almost any space and you can just throw the whole thing in the washer if it gets dirty. The cats like laying on them.
These hammocks were made to put in pens but we've found other places to put them as well. They're very durable and can be thrown in the washer if need be. They're very comfortable for our kitties. TIP: put the ends in a sock and secure with a rubber band before throwing in the wash!
Misc:
This is the current cat litter we use. It's unscented, clumping, without harmful chemicals, free of toxic dyes, with no mined clay or silica. It's incredibly soft on your cats paws and keeps odors at bay. Since we switched to this cat litter our cat room smells so much better. The only issue I've noticed is how dusty it can be when I scoop it.
We get these from Home Depot. They make excellent litter boxes because of how large they are, without ridges and hard to clean gabs, and quite cheap. They last a very long time too because of how heavy duty they are. I'm old school. I prefer the open boxes, personally.
This is a miracle worker. This isn't just a cleaner to make a spot smell good, it will actually eat and destroy urine, excrement, vomit, and blood. Completely removing the odor and reducing the risk of stains. This works for cats, dogs, and even humans.
This airline approved pet carrier is quite tall with a lot of headspace. It's stylish and comes in a lot of different colors. It's also made out of good material and comes with an attached water bowl. My favorite part is the small petting portal. You can easily unzip the little window to give your kitty a scritch without needing to worry about them escaping. It also has a nice zipper pocket on the outside, making for good storage of any small items you want to bring for you pet. It's easily cleanable too. The inside cushion can be removed and thrown in the wash and the rest you just wipe clean.
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