Allocate an area (bedroom, bathroom, etc.) in the house where the cat can be secluded for a short period of time. This provides the ability for a slow introduction into their new environment, especially if other pet(s) are in the household.

The litter box should be large enough for the cat to turnaround and grow into.  Make sure the sides of the litter box are high enough for flinging litter.  Tall plastic tote bins, normally used to store belongings, make a great litter box. Just make sure the bottom is fairly flat and cut an appropriate sized hole.  A good rule of thumb is one litter box per cat and one on each level of the house.  Cats usually prefer a sand textured litter, so a standard clumping, low-dust type is usually a safe choice.  You may run into difficulties when trying crystal, pellet or fragrant litter.  The fragrance is put in there for you, not the cat.

Stainless steel or ceramic are best and make sure they can go into the dishwasher.  A cat’s whiskers actually play a role in this decision.  Bowls that are smaller than the width of a cat’s whisker span or deep bowls can cause the cat not to eat or drink.  Cat’s whiskers are sensitive receptors and constant rubbing can cause them not to eat or drink.

Cats are carnivores.  A high-protein, grain-free diet is ideal.  It is a good idea to supplement a cat’s diet with wet food so they intake more water.  If switching to another food, mix the new food in slowly and over a period of time to try and avoid diarrhea and/or vomiting.

Cats instinctively will scratch to shed the linings of the claws and to stretch.  Having multiple tall vertical and horizontal scratching posts and surfaces in various areas is a good idea.  The best scratching surfaces are made of sisal or cardboard.  Carpeted cat towers are okay but it may encourage them to scratch floor carpet.  However, you can remove the carpeted posts on towers and replace with sisal rope.

Provide a soft bed located in a draft-free area away from the main traffic in the home.  Beds that you can remove the covering for machine washing is a good choice.  Elevated structures, such as towers or appropriate shelving, provides cats with an instinctive perch to survey the environment.  It also may help with separation in multi-cat households that contain some friction.

Make sure you provide an assortment of toys for play by themselves or with you.  Balls that rattle, catnip mice, crinkle balls and wand toys are popular choices.  String, thread, rubber bands, cork and aluminum foil should be kept away from cats as they are likely to be consumed.

Make sure it is roomy and well-ventilated and will stand the test of time.  Cats are usually stressed during transport.  One suggestion is to lightly spray an old bath towel with Feliway™ spray and cover the carrier during transport.