FAQ: Supplies for cats

Vets most often recommend doing it at about 4–6 months, before the first heat or territory marking. Discuss the exact timing with your vet at the first visits.

A kitten of a few months can be alone for a few hours if it has food, water, litter and a safe space with nothing dangerous. For longer periods someone should visit, because young kittens need more frequent meals and attention.

Two kittens play together, learn social skills and get bored less, especially if the owners are often out. But spending on food, litter and vet care doubles, so weigh that up in advance.

Most cats are considered adults at about 12 months, although large breeds such as Maine Coons keep growing and maturing until 2–4 years. This determines when to change food and what size items you will need.

Set up a quiet room with litter, food, water, a bed and a hiding place such as a cardboard box. Ask the shelter which litter and food the cat used and do not change them at first.

Some cats settle in within a few days, others need several weeks or even months. Do not force the cat out of its hiding place; give it peace and keep a steady routine of feeding and play.

A new environment is stressful for cats, so in the first days they often hide and eat little. A quiet room, a hiding place and food nearby help, but if the cat has not eaten for more than a day, see a vet.

Usually yes, but it may need time. Put the scratching post where the cat likes to spend time and introduce toys through calm play so it understands they are for it.

Not necessarily: older cats are often calm, litter-trained and less hard on furniture. They may need more frequent vet check-ups and adapted items, such as a low-sided litter box.

Ask about the cat's age, health, vaccinations, neutering, microchip, food and litter, as well as its personality and how it gets on with other cats, dogs or children. This helps you buy the right things in advance.

A cat is usually considered mature from about 7–10 years and senior from about 11–14 years. Many cats live to 15 and beyond, so it is worth preparing for their later-life needs in advance.

An older cat benefits from a low-sided litter box, a soft bed in a warm spot, steps or a ramp up to favourite high places, and several water bowls in different places.

The cause is often joint pain or arthritis, which cats show very quietly. Steps or lower platforms help, but discuss the change with your vet, since the pain can be eased.

Mature cats are often advised to have a check-up at least once a year, and senior cats every six months. Blood and urine tests help catch kidney, thyroid and other common diseases early.

The cause may be a health problem such as urinary or kidney disease, or joint pain that makes it hard to climb into a high box. See a vet first, and at home try a low-sided box closer to where the cat rests.

Older cats feel the cold more and love warm spots, so a soft bed with higher sides, a heated pad made for pets or a radiator bed suits them. Only use heated items made for animals, with a safe temperature setting.

Older cats often groom less well, especially the back and rear end, so the coat can mat. Regular gentle brushing with a soft brush and more frequent claw checks help, since old claws can grow into the paw pads.

Important signs are weight loss, increased thirst, a change in appetite, vomiting, urinating in the wrong place, bad breath or behaviour changes such as yowling at night. If you notice them, do not wait for the next routine check-up.

Yes, play helps keep it mobile and mentally active. Choose gentler games: wand toys it can bat at while lying down, food puzzles and scented toys rather than long jumps or running.

Older cats sometimes find change harder, so it is better to replace an old litter box, bed or bowls gradually, leaving the old ones out for a while. Put new items in the same place as the old ones.