Cats: Care Guides, Breeds and Gear
Everything for life with a cat, from the first day with a kitten to the senior years: preventive health, food and water, litter, behavior and play, grooming, gear and breed guides. Wherever you live, we point you to your vet and your local rules.
Bringing Home a New Cat
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Have the basics ready before the carrier door opens, and set up one quiet room first. Our kitten guide has the full checklist.
New Cat and Kitten Basics
Start here: a new kitten, the indoor or outdoor question, neutering and preventive care.
Bringing Home a Kitten
Kitten-proofing, the base room and first vet visits
Indoor or Outdoor?
Risks, benefits, catios and local rules
Cat Health Basics
Check-ups, vaccines, parasites, teeth and weight
Neutering Your Cat
When, why, myths and recovery at home
Lilies and Toxic Plants
Why lilies are an emergency, and safe swaps
Microchip Cat Flaps
Keep other cats out, lock up at night
Moving House With a Cat
Moving day, a safe room and the first trip out
Moggies and Domestic Shorthairs
What mixed ancestry tells you, and settling a rescue
Food, Treats and Water
What goes in the bowl, how much, and how to get more water into your cat.
Cat Food
Dry by life stage, wet by texture, toppers
Wet vs Dry Food
Water, teeth and cost compared
How Much to Feed
Label calories and body condition
Kitten to Adult Food
When to switch and how
Cat Treats
Crunchy, lickable, freeze-dried and catnip
Fountains, Bowls and Feeders
Moving water, wide bowls, puzzle feeders
Urinary Health and Hydration
More water, less stress, and when it's urgent
Litter and Litter Boxes
The box, what goes in it, and what to do when a cat stops using it.
Behavior, Play and Training
Understanding the hunter on your sofa, and helping it fit in.
Cat Body Language
Tail, ears, eyes and what purring means
Play and the Hunt Sequence
Stalk, chase, pounce, catch, eat
Cats and Garden Wildlife
Play, food and collar covers that cut hunting
When Neighbors' Cats Visit
Keeping your cat's territory peaceful
Indoor Cat Enrichment
Climbing, toy rotation, puzzles and routine
Night Zoomies
Why 3 a.m. sprints happen and what helps
Stopping Sofa Scratching
Posts in the right place, never declawing
Clicker Training
Targeting and stress-free carrier training
Harness Training
A days-long plan and an escape-proof fit
Introducing a Second Cat
Scent, sight, then supervised time
Cats and Dogs
Gates, escape routes and the never-chase rule
Multi-Cat Harmony
Enough resources, spread out
Overgrooming and Stress
Vet check first, then a calmer home
Pheromone Diffusers
What they can and can't do
Grooming, Comfort and Gear
Coat care, climbing gear, toys and travel.
Cat Grooming
Deshedding, nails and long-hair mats
Hairball Control
Brushing first, then food and water
The Cat Care Kit
Grooming, dental, recovery and comfort gear
Cat Trees and Scratchers
Towers, shelves, posts and perches
Cat Toys
Wands, motorized toys and puzzles
Catios and Window Boxes
Safe outdoor time, small to walk-in
Carriers, Travel and ID
Carriers, collars and microchip details
Senior Cat Checklist
Warmth, easy access and closer checks
Breed Guides A–Z
Temperament, coat care and the health checks to ask a breeder about. Traits are tendencies; every cat is an individual.
Maine Coon
Big, slow-growing and heart-screened
Ragdoll
The famous flop, and gentle handling
British Shorthair
Calm, plush and prone to weight gain
Abyssinian
A climber, not a lap cat
Bengal and High-Energy Cats
Wheels, puzzles, harness walks and hybrid rules
Balinese
The long-haired Siamese: chatty and clever
Birman
Gentle, white-gloved and easy to groom
Bombay
A sociable mini panther with copper eyes
Burmese and Tonkinese
Devoted shadows with a big appetite
Chartreux
Quiet, blue-gray and French
Devon and Cornish Rex
Thin curly coat, warmth and mischief
Domestic Longhair
A plush coat that needs daily combing
Egyptian Mau
Naturally spotted, green-eyed and fast
Exotic Shorthair
A short-coated Persian, flat-face questions included
Manx
Tailless, playful, and Manx syndrome explained
Munchkin
What the short legs mean for the cat
Norwegian Forest Cat
Weatherproof coat and a born climber
Persian
Daily eye and coat care, flat-face welfare
Ragamuffin
A big, gentle Ragdoll relative in many colors
Russian Blue
Shy at first, loves a routine
Savannah and Hybrid Cats
Wild ancestry, licenses and bans: think first
Scottish Fold
What the folded ear means for joints
Selkirk Rex
Loose curls and a cuddly nature
Siamese and Oriental
Vocal, lean and full of opinions
Siberian
Triple coat and the allergy claim
Somali
The long-haired Abyssinian, foxy and lively
Sphynx
Weekly baths, warmth and sun care
Turkish Van
Color on head and tail, energy to spare
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Frequently Asked Questions
A few answers before you dive in.
What do I need before a new cat comes home?
A litter box with litter in it, food and water bowls, the food the cat is already eating, a scratching post, a bed and somewhere to hide, and a carrier for the trip home and the first vet visit. Climbing trees, toys and grooming tools can follow in the first week or two.
Should my cat live indoors or go outside?
Both can work. Indoor cats need plenty of play, climbing and enrichment; outdoor cats face traffic and other risks, and some places restrict roaming. Many owners choose a middle way such as a catio or daytime-only access. Our indoor or outdoor guide weighs it up.
My cat has stopped using the litter box. Product or vet?
Vet first. Pain and health problems can look exactly like a behavior issue. Once your vet has checked your cat, work through the box type, litter, cleanliness and placement.
Why are there no medicine or supplement links on this site?
We don't link to medicines, parasite treatments or supplements sold as treatments, because what suits a cat depends on its health, weight and where you live. For those, see your vet or a pet supply store with trained staff.
Related Reading
- Rescue or breeder?: where to find your cat.
- The first 30 days with a rescue cat: settling in, week by week.
- Toxic foods for dogs and cats: what never goes in the bowl.