This page is “stuff to have if you’re planning to adopt a cat or kitten.” Since there is already a lot of info on the subject, I’m going to stick to providing information that differs from or adds to the standard advice.
Food
I feed all the kittens and moms high-quality food for optimal health.
I have dry food out all the time. I use Wellness Core Kitten dry food.
I feed 5 or 6 times a day. Kittens nurse many times in the day. As they start getting interested in wet food, their stomachs are not big enough to eat a lot at a time, so they need several feedings. I feed different brands of canned food, especially Royal Canin Mother and Babycat. I change the type and brand every so often so they get used to different foods.
I also feed raw food at least once per day. Most kittens love it, and I think raw is the most natural option for them. Also, for foster kittens, they will then transition more easily to whatever the adopter prefers to feed them. I am currently feeding the chicken variety from a brand called Small Batch, which comes frozen in small puck shapes so you can defrost as many as you need.
Litter
We use non-clumping litter for kittens. Kittens often eat litter, goodness knows why, and the clumping could have a disastrous effect on their innards if they eat clumping litter. What I like best is pine litter. It seems to control odor better than other litters, and they seem to do well with it. I’m using this now for all the foster kitties, kittens and adults.
You can pay a lot of money for pine pellets for cats, but if you have access to pine pellet horse bedding, I recommend that. It’s the same stuff, and it’s a great deal less expensive. I’m paying around $6.00 for 40-pound bag. In Madison I buy it at Farm and Fleet.
Having grown up with non-clumping clay litter, I consider clumping litter to be a minor miracle. For my adult cats, the clumping litter I like a lot is the wood litter by ökocat. It clumps well, smells nice, it’s very lightweight – and it seems to last forever! The only downside is that it’s imported from Europe. From an ecological standpoint, that’s not great, so I hope someone develops a more local alternative.
Scratching Place
It’s not always mentioned on lists of essentials for your cat or kitten, but cats need a place to scratch. Interestingly, some prefer a vertical scratching place – like a scratching post or part of a cat tree. Others prefer a horizontal surface. With the scratching pads available these days made of cardboard, there are inexpensive ways to find out which your cat prefers. There are cardboard ones that can be set up vertically or laid down on the floor. Some of them even come with some catnip, and that can be a good way to encourage your cat to choose the scratching place you’ve provided, rather than your furniture.
Toys
I believe toys are one of the most important things for kittens – and cats. Kittens tumble about with each other, but toys take those developmental accomplishments to a new level. Toys improve eye-paw coordination, and inspire kittens to feats of athleticism, and it improves confidence.
My favorite toy is the Cat Dancer, a brilliant toy developed and produced in Wisconsin. It is simple and inexpensive and brilliant. There is a curve of wire of the perfect thickness, and at one end are twists of tough paper. If you hold the other end, the twists of paper dance around on the wire in a most enticing way, and kittens love it. You can also fix one end in something (like a drawer) so it dances all by itself, to tempt them even when you’re not there.
Cats and kittens love toys that mean you’re interacting with them. As well as the Cat Dancer, toys on sticks are great. You can pull them around, or hide them under a blanket. A toy on a string with a stick to hold onto is also usually a hit. My favorite is Da Bird, which has a wand the perfect length, a nylon string, and a replaceable toy at the end. The original Da Bird is a feather toy that twirls in the air and makes a small sound as it goes. You can also get a mouse, a toy made of rabbit fur, and a couple of ones with streamers.
The best toy ever might just be the stick. Any stick. Pull a stick along on the floor, and your cat will likely go for it. I couldn’t tell you why – what in nature does that mimic? I don’t know, but they love it. Don’t forget the cardboard box – also a great choice. And the grocery bag is also right up there. Be sure to remove any handles so they don’t get their heads caught.
Pay attention to any potential dangers in any toy you give your kittens or cats. Never leave them with any toy that includes a string, because if they can wrap it around their necks, they will try to strangle themselves. Beware of bits that could be swallowed with bad consequences, like loops or button eyes.
Generally speaking, I prefer toys of natural materials. If a kitten pulls off a feather and eats it, or a bit of fur, their digestive systems are designed to handle those. If they eat synthetic materials, like synthetic fur, they can’t digest it and it might end up causing a blockage.
A cat tree is also very much appreciated by cats of all ages. Kittens especially will get more athletic and fit and agile with a cat tree to climb on.