Basic Kit for Your Cat

Costs: from 86 dollar (starter set)

Getting a cat? Then you’ll need a few things to make sure that your new family member is comfortable and can start to settle in straight away. A starter set with litter tray, bowls, blanket and cat tree can cost around 86 dollar. Things will break from time to time, so will have to be replaced. You will definitely have to buy cat litter regularly.

Scratching Post and Scratching Board

A scratching post is important so that your cat doesn’t think about sharpening its claws on your furniture. You can buy scratching posts for as little as 22 dollar but they aren’t top quality. Normally, you should be prepared to spend 70 - 90 dollar. You can even make a scratching board yourself by having a small piece of wood cut at the hardware store and simply attaching sisal rope (sisal is a plant fiber). With a bit of skill, you could even make a cat tree with little hidey holes. The benefit: your imagination is the only limit. But in the end, the cat is the one that has to decide if it likes them ...

Basic Kit Includes:

(Valid: June 2019)

Collar vs chip
(approx. 35 - 68 dollar)

Collars can be dangerous for outdoor cats. They can get caught on fences while they’re roaming outdoors and even cause life-threatening injuries. So, most cats don’t wear collars. Most people have their cats microchipped. This means that the veterinarian places a microchip under their skin. This doesn’t hurt much, and it doesn’t affect the cat as it moves around. If your cat runs away or gets lost, the chip will help to identify them and find the owner. A scanner will display the contact details saved on the chip. The chip contains a 15-digit number that isn’t on any other chip in the world. This guarantees there won’t be a mix-up.

• More infos in our main article:
• How Much Does a Cat Cost per Month?

Cat in a basket - Photo: berna namoglu/Shutterstock