What You Need To Know Before Getting A House Cat {+ Armarkat Cat Tree Giveaway!}

This ‘what you need to know before getting a house cat’ post is sponsored by Armarkat.  As always, all opinions are my own.

Are you considering adding a house pet to your life?  If so, I’m sure you already know it’s a big decision.  First things first,  you’ll have to decide what type of animal you’d like.  And if you settle on a cat, this post is for you!

A Little Background Into Our Cat Story

Honestly, I didn’t think I was a ‘cat person’.  While I used to enjoy cats when I was younger, I haven’t been much of a fan as an adult.  But a year and a half ago, that all changed.  It was a cold Fall day with Winter just around the corner.  And we ended up rescuing an abandoned kitten, on the farm, out of necessity for it to survive.   So we entered into house cat territory out of a life or death situation.  And that’s okay!  Sometimes, the best things in life are the ones we didn’t plan for.

What You Need To Know Before Getting A House Cat

While this may vary just slightly depending on what kind of cat you have, most cats will have the same basic needs.  Of course, if you adopt a special needs cat, be sure to speak with your vet about any specialized care that would be involved.  But to get you started, here is what you need to know before getting a house cat.

Taking On A Pet Is A Life-Long Responsibility

Bringing a pet into your family isn’t something that should be taken lightly.  An animal is not a toy that can be discarded when you get bored.  You should enter into pet ownership fully understanding that this is a life-long responsibility.  Your new cat is now a member of the family, for better or worse.

How Old Of A Cat Should I Adopt?

This is truly a personal preference.  I have a friend who has adopted two adult cats from shelters and couldn’t be happier.  Others choose kittens so they raise them from baby on.  It’s really up to you and your family on what you prefer.

To Declaw….. Or Not 

So many decisions to make!  Honestly, before having a cat of our own, I never really gave much though to cat de-clawing.  However, once our Rosie was nursed back to health and we knew he’d (yes, months after the vet said Rosie was a girl we found out she was actually a he) pull through, we had some decisions to make.  One was to declaw or not.  

Need More Info About Declawing?: 

People often mistakenly believe that declawing their cats is a harmless “quick fix” for unwanted scratching. They don’t realize that declawing can make a cat less likely to use the litter box or more likely to bite. Declawing also can cause lasting physical problems for your cat.   If performed on a human being, declawing would be like cutting off each finger at the last knuckle.

Instead Of Declawing, Get A Cat Tree With Scratching Post!

Cats scratch by nature.  They are programmed to sharpen their claws by scratching on things.  Sometimes, those things end up being your personal possessions.  Instead of getting frustrated and putting your cat through  declawing, exhaust other options first.  By giving our sweet Rosie Cat a safe place to scratch, he gravitated towards that and away from our furniture.

There are many great cat tree and scratcher options but we went with the Armarkat Premium Cat Tree X3203 since it comes fully assembled and features two little house boxes and toy too.  

But if you’re wanting to go a little bigger, the Classic Cat Tree A5806 is also a great choice.  It will bring your cat much enjoyment through the different tower levels, various scratching posts, and lounging areas.

It’s A Good Idea To Get Your Cat Neutered or Spayed

Like Bob Barker always used to say ‘Help control the pet population and get your pets spayed or neutered’.  It’s just responsible pet ownership and helps ensure that we don’t have more pets than homes available.

Safe Space For Travel

There will be times when you will need to travel with your cat.  Whether heading to the vet or on a long visit to grandmas, having a safe space to keep Fluffy during transport is key.  And this Pet Carrier PC102R is a really great choice!  So much nicer than the bulky plastic options and you’ll quickly see why.

Beige and chocolate in color, Armarkat designed with Pet Carrier for safety and comfort.  It features three zip openings for easy access along with an expandable canopy for stretching out. I especially love the pocket that is great for pet toys or treats.  It’s water resistant, durable polyester construction also features mesh vent panels for air and visibility. The padded handle and shoulder strap also have the human’s comfort in mind.  Plus, it’s size compliant with most airlines and can hold up to 22 pounds. 

Get A Great Litter Box

While I’m sure there are a few good ones, I’m particularly partial to the Litter Robot.  Cleaning out the litter box is a necessary evil of owning a house cat.  However, this litter box makes it pretty easy.  It does all the work for me!  We just grab out the bag from the drawer, replace, and it’s good to go again.  No scooping for this family!

Kittens And Many Cats Love To PLAY!  So TOYS, TOYS, And More TOYS!

Investing in a Pet Toy Pack will help bring both you and your cat hours of fun.  Consider bringing out a new one each week or so and exchanging out older ones to always keep play time fresh and fun.

This large Armarkat Pet Toy Pack features:

• Toys designed for indoor or weather-protected areas
• Plush animals made of ultrasoft polyester
• Some toys have squeakers
• Toys for tugging and throwing
• Some toys have rubber string to attach to Armarkat Cat tree

And includes a variety of toys such as plush balls, plush slippers, plush bones, cartoon plush mice, double ball rings, and elephant frisbees.

Laxitone Is A Must

Our vet immediately recommended that we start giving our Rosie some Laxatone.  It’s indicated as a laxative for cats as well as being an excellent product for eliminating hairballs.   We’ve found that it’s easy to give as our Rosie loves the gel formulation and if comes in different flavors like tuna or maple.  

Pet Bed

It’s important to provide a safe, comfortable place for your pet to relax.  So a cozy pet bed is a great option.  We settled on the Armarkat Cat Bed C18HHL/MH.  The faux suede and faux fur is super soft and this bed also features a waterproof and skid-free base.  Because it’s filled with extra thick 100% poly fill for maximum comfort, our little Yorkie dog also loves to snuggle up in it!

Measuring in at 18″L x 14″W x 12″H, we give this enthusiastic paws up for BOTH cats and dogs!  It is one of the nicest beds I’ve ever seen.

Finding The Best Food

Make sure to consult your vet to see if your kitten or cat needs to be on a special diet.  And if not, I’d still suggest you ask for a recommendation.  Many pet foods feature fillers and ingredients that aren’t the best.  So do some research and choose a high quality pet food to help stave off any health issues that would result from a poor diet.

Access To A Window View

Cats are observers.  They love to just watch what’s going on, both indoors and out.  So make sure you have a perch or cat tree near a window.  You will quickly discover it’s their favorite seat in the house.

And if you choose to place your cat tree near a window that has sun for a good portion of the day, you’re cat will probably thank you double.  Our Rosie really seems to love basking in the warmth of the sunshine.

So tell me, are you thinking about adding a sweet cat or kitten to your family?

And then head over and connect with Armarkat:

Website / Facebook 

Enter Our Armarkat Cat Tree Tower Giveaway!

One lucky Thrifty Nifty Mommy reader will receive the Armarkat Classic Cat Tree B5806!  This giveaway is open to the Continental US only.  Just enter the widget below for your chance.  Good luck!