First-cat essentials: what to buy before bringing a cat home

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Your printable first-cat starter pack

Print the three-page pack on A4 at 100% or actual size, ideally on separate sheets. Tick what is ready, note questions for the rescue or previous owner, sketch the starting room and record the first week. The same checklist and prompts are below.

Original worksheets by The Cat Standard. If you share the pack, please credit us and link to this guide.

The first-cat shopping checklist

The core needs follow Cats Protection’s bringing-home guidance. Use the last column to sort what to buy, what you already have and what can wait.

For trays, Cats Protection recommends one per cat plus one extra, with enough room to turn around. That means planning for two for one cat. A tray that fits the available cupboard is only useful if it also fits the cat.

For entrance height and the space needed around a covered box, see top-entry vs front-entry litterboxes.

Prepare the space before filling the basket

The second sheet is a plan for a quiet starting room. Write the room name and arrival date, then work through these checks before your cat arrives:

• Secure it: check doors and windows, remove toxic plants, cleaning products, loose cords and other hazards, and keep other pets and busy visitors out initially.
• Separate the resources: place food and water apart, with the litter tray away from both and from the resting area. Leave a clear route to each.
• Offer retreat and rest: provide a hide, comfortable bedding and a safely accessible, stable lookout when suitable for your cat’s age and mobility. A kitten needs a secure bed at ground level.
• Plan a calm arrival: close the room door before opening the carrier and let your cat come out at their own pace. Do not pull them out or force contact.
• Keep the refuge available: introduce more space, people and other pets gradually, following your cat rather than a calendar.

These checks draw on Cats Protection’s settling guidance and the RSPCA rescue-cat guide (printed pages 8, 10 and 13). On the room sketch, mark food, water, tray, hide, rest and scratching areas, plus doors, windows and clear walking routes. Note who will handle meals, fresh water and litter care.

Choose where to put a litter tray, allowing for doors, access and cleaning space. Then check the right tray size for your cat, including inside space and entrance height.

Cats Protection advises a quiet starting room, separate food and water areas, a private toilet area away from them, and places to hide and rest. Its advice for kittens differs: provide a secure bed at ground level and show them where the essentials are. Read the full settling-in guidance, especially when introducing other animals.

Sketch the room and mark where each item will go. Then measure those spaces. This is less exciting than choosing colours, but substantially cheaper than discovering that the door no longer opens.

Make three lists: buy, already have, can wait

Buy: anything needed for the basic setup that you cannot suitably provide already. Record the size or requirement beside it, not just “tray” or “carrier”.

Already have: list suitable items by name and check their condition. Borrowed equipment belongs here only once you have confirmed it is available and usable. “My friend probably has one” is still an item on the buy list until your friend agrees.

Can wait: automatic feeders, fountains, decorative storage, additional beds and elaborate furniture. Add them when you can name the problem they will solve. Anything needed for your cat’s individual care belongs in the basic setup.

For scheduled meals, compare automatic feeders. For moving water, compare fountains and their cleaning and filter costs.

For larger furniture, compare cat-tree layouts and use the sizing worksheet. Check the condition and care instructions of suitable furniture you already own before replacing it.

When you are ready to try the toys, our cat play guide covers short games, learning preferences and putting supervised toys away.

Questions to ask before collection

• Which exact food, usual amount, feeding routine and litter are being used?
• What equipment or familiar bedding comes with the cat?
• What age-specific or individual care instructions should I follow?
• Which veterinary records and identification details will I receive, and what remains to arrange?
• Who should I contact with settling-in questions?

Keep the answers in one note. An adult-cat checklist is not a complete kitten care plan; ask the rescue or your vet about the individual cat rather than buying around an assumption.

For the journey home, start with our carrier buying guide and check the fit before ordering. A carrier’s weight limit and its usable inside space answer different questions.

The first-week check sheet: notice, don’t rush

Write your cat’s name, arrival date, vet phone number, out-of-hours contact and the rescue or previous owner’s contact on the third sheet. Refresh water, follow the agreed feeding and care routine, and scoop the trays daily. Record what you actually observe; “not seen” is useful information, not confirmation that everything is normal.

Keep a separate note of preferences noticed and questions to ask. Look for changes over time; this is a note sheet, not a settling-in scorecard. Seven rows do not mean your cat must be settled, meeting other pets or going outdoors by day seven.

Get help when needed: PDSA advises contacting a vet immediately if a cat has difficulty passing urine, including straining with little or no urine or crying when trying to pee. Contact your vet promptly about illness or concerns with eating, drinking or toileting; Cats Protection notes that young kittens can deteriorate quickly. The sheet helps you explain what you have noticed; it does not diagnose the cause.

Leave room in the budget

Separate setup spending from repeat bills with our UK cat budget guide. Work out monthly food cost from pack size and daily use, and choose a suitable litter before pricing regular supplies.

Use the household cat-budget calculator for your own monthly, yearly and first-year figures, or take the two-page budget worksheet to collect prices and quotes.

The aim is a home ready for a cat, with enough money left to keep it that way. You are allowed to stop shopping when that job is done.

Find more life-at-home guides and keep the free tools and printables handy as you need them.

Checklist and original printable worksheets · Guidance checked 6 October 2026 against Cats Protection’s preparation advice, its linked settling and kitten guidance, the RSPCA rescue-cat guide and PDSA urinary-emergency advice. Follow the individual care instructions from your rescue or vet. How we work.