Welcome to the Wednesday Cats of Catster! Each week, we share a narrative from certainly one of our cat-loving Catsters. This week is about Crystal and her soul cat, Ivy.
Hello Catsters!
If you happen to’ve learn my introduction, you’ll know a bit about how I adopted Ivy and the way uncertain I used to be that I used to be able to tackle such a giant duty.
At present, I’m going to be taking you thru how I ready for Ivy’s arrival.
Having by no means owned a pet by myself, saying that I used to be nervous is an understatement.
First Issues First: The Cat Service
After Ivy needed to be taken away from her unique household (storytime on that to return!), she was staying with a woman who had her personal rescue shelter.
Ivy needed to be vaccinated and spayed earlier than I may decide her up – one thing that I wholeheartedly agree with.
I used to be requested if I had a cat provider and, unusually sufficient, this was the very last thing I had considered. I’ve considered cat meals, bowls, beds, scratchers, litter containers, however not the precise factor I’d use to get her to my home. (This will inform you a large number about how I’m as an individual, haha!)
The woman expressed that the cat provider is of utmost significance – it shouldn’t be a kind of primary, plastic cat carriers which can be discovered round each nook. It wanted to be sturdy, ideally have a steel gate/door, and be capable of lock securely. It will even be preferrred if it couldn’t be opened from the highest. All of this to verify she wouldn’t escape throughout the 2-hour journey to my home.
This led me on a journey and a half of making an attempt to find a provider that will tick all of those containers, in a means that I may afford. I couldn’t consider the costs of those carriers in our native pet retailers. I finally ended up shopping for a second-hand, barely used cat provider from a really candy previous woman. I completely washed and sun-dried the provider and received approval from Ivy’s momentary foster mother.
Cat provider: verify.
Subsequent Up: The Bowls
Now this was means earlier than I knew about cat whisker fatigue and their dislike for having their water proper subsequent to their meals, so no judgment, please!
I settled for 2 primary steel bowls. Straightforward to wash and never needing as frequent changing as plastic bowls.
Meals and water bowls: verify.
The Cat Mattress
So, I knew that cats had a fame for not essentially sleeping of their beds the identical means canine do. In every single place in the home is honest sport – together with the sink!
However after I noticed the cutest plaid, spherical, pink cat mattress, it was a no brainer. I considered all the cat snoozes she may take, curled up in her cute little mattress. (Yeah, proper. That was not the case in any respect.)
However nonetheless: cat mattress, verify.
The Litter Field and Litter
I had been doing plenty of analysis within the days main as much as her arrival, and actually, it wasn’t sufficient.
I knew the litter field’s dimension was actually necessary, however I didn’t actually know the way huge/small she was. I settled on a really primary, customary litter field and non-clumping, extremely absorbent, biodegradable cat litter.
Litter field and litter: verify.
Final Up: Toys & Equipment
I, as soon as once more, foolishly believed that she would love all the toys extensively out there at each pet retailer. Little squeaky mice, light-up balls, and even a self-moving mouse.
I’d later discover out that no, she really hates all of these.
Out of all the toys I received for her, the one actual winner was the wand toy! (Despite the fact that that curiosity didn’t final lengthy.)
I additionally received her a collar and a nametag together with her identify and our quantity on, simply in case.
I additionally received her a cat tree made by yet one more very candy woman, who I discovered on certainly one of our Fb teams. Granted, it wasn’t the prettiest or the sturdiest, but it surely must do for the primary couple of weeks. Oh, and we additionally stored each single field we had from buying our first kitchen home equipment, as one does.
And that checked off the final on my listing: toys & equipment.
This was the lengthy and in need of how I prepped for Ivy’s arrival! I used to be a little bit misinformed on the time, and my judgment might have been clouded by my pleasure. However the fundamentals received us via the primary few weeks!
Since then, we’ve upgraded huge time.
Ivy now has:
And this listing retains rising, each single week. As a result of actually, she deserves it!
How did you put together in your cat’s arrival? Are there some stuff you want you knew beforehand? What are some stuff you’ve modified or acquired additional since then?
This text options Crystal and Ivy in our Wednesday Cats of Catster collection.