Cats are stunning, fascinating, bizarre creatures. When you’re fortunate sufficient to be liked by one, it is your God-given duty to offer them a cushty and enjoyable house. Cats require a specific environment to play, scratch, and loosen up. Based mostly on years of testing with our pets, these are our favourite cat toys, litter bins, and different feline provides. Even when our cats rejected a selected product, we nonetheless examined total development, design, and worth to find out whether or not it could be helpful for different kitties. They are often finicky, so you might have to contemplate a number of to search out the correct match.
Take a look at our associated guides like Our Favorite Fancy Cat Furniture. Extra of a canine individual? We have got you coated! See our Best Accessories and Tech Essentials for Your Dog information.
Up to date April 2024: We have added new favorites, together with the Eufy 360 Pet Digicam, Tuft and Paw Porto provider, Okay&H Moveable Automobile Seat Kennel, plus well being suggestions like Chewy’s free telehealth service and smooth cone collars.
Particular provide for Gear readers: Get WIRED for just $5 ($25 off). This consists of limitless entry to WIRED.com, full Gear protection, and subscriber-only newsletters. Subscriptions assist fund the work we do every single day.
Desk of Contents
Fundamental Cat Guidelines and Suggestions
Do not take heed to the cat haters: Cats do type a connection to their human homeowners. Whereas they could be extra low-maintenance than canine, they require considerate care. Listed below are some fundamental dos and don’ts when proudly owning a cat.
Do: Separate meals and water. Use a number of litter bins for a number of cats. Give them methods to hunt their meals. Guarantee they get train and playtime. Give them locations to cover and really feel protected. Recurrently trim their nails. Give them love and affection!
Do not: Declaw them. Go away them unattended round these toxic plants. By chance hurt them with frequent essential oils like eucalyptus. Feed them a vegan diet, milk (sure, actually), or these different toxic foods.
Greatest Litter Containers
A litter field is crucial. What variety you get will depend on your cat—not each cat likes enclosed bins, and others want excessive sides to protect your partitions from urine (generally they purpose excessive!). A very good rule of thumb is having one field per cat, and one on every ground in case you stay in a multilevel house. You will discover low cost, customary litter bins anyplace you should purchase pet items, however we have now a number of suggestions we have examined.
Tuft and Paw’s merchandise are fashionable and exquisite (and normally fairly costly). The Cove is straightforward however is elevated with removable sides and a spot to carry its scoop and small dustpan. When you forgo the perimeters, it prices $149. The newer Cubby ($69) is a simplified model for lower than half the value. It would not have the built-in holder for the news and duster however has the identical elegant look.
Any medium-size plastic storage bins (with out the lid) are low cost and work effectively for litter bins. I sometimes get these from Goal as an alternative of the multi-packs on Amazon. When you get a tall one, contemplate chopping out an entryway and sanding it down so your kitty can simply get out and in—I take advantage of a rotary cutter and sandpaper sheets to do that.
Extra Litter Containers We Like
- Smart Paws Extra Large Litter Box for $59: Thus far this has been an amazing funding. It is giant however mild, even with litter in it, and it dampens a number of the sound from my cat who likes to scratch the perimeters all night time.
- Good Pet Stuff Hidden Litter Planter for $67: This field properly blends into small areas with a intelligent plant disguise. My solely gripe is that it must be changed extra typically than different bins. It felt prefer it obtained dirty rapidly, and no quantity of washing may minimize it. There is a equally designed planter from ExquisiCat we’ve not tried.
- Kitty Poo Club Disposable Boxes for $16-$29: Cannot resolve on a field? Kitty Poo Membership delivers disposable, recyclable bins to your door each month, with or with out litter. The cardboard has a skinny plastic coating inside, so it should not leak, so long as you are changing it. Standard-size boxes are $16 with out litter and go as much as $29 with litter, relying on which kind you need. XL boxes are $18 on their very own and $60 with litter.
Automated Litter Containers
Robotic litter bins are huge and costly, and specialists warn that not cleansing out a field every single day may imply lacking potential indicators of illness. However we tried two that modified our minds. Each are nonetheless giant and expensive, however they’ve related apps to maintain observe of your cat’s lavatory habits. You will know if one thing is up, however you’ll be able to nonetheless scoop much less.
Whisker’s Litter-Robotic 4 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) is smooth and futuristic-looking, with a much bigger drum that may probably attraction to bigger cats. The cleansing cycle is fast and almost silent. It does an amazing job of concealing odors too—the odor is stunning once you open that waste drawer. Learn our evaluation for extra about our expertise utilizing it.
The Casa Leo (previously known as Smarty Pear) was the primary automated litter field I attempted and it satisfied me they’re price it. Leo’s Lavatory Too (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is a tad cheaper than the Litter-Robotic and has the identical highly effective odor management. Each are loaded with security options to cease cleansing cycles ought to a cat leap in, however this one is extra delicate if in case you have notably curious cats. I really like the pop of colour, however the drum has a smaller opening that some cats might not like. As somebody who desires of proudly owning a bar or espresso store known as Huxley’s Home, I admire that it is named after the proprietor’s late cat Leo.
Litter Field Equipment
Litter field placement is tough and most of the people do not wish to relinquish closet area or a bed room to a litter field. I (Louryn) examined and love this litter field enclosure. It conceals my cat’s bins from eyes and noses and it provides my kitties privateness. My cats took to it instantly and appear to be as relieved as I’m that we will not see each other whereas they do their enterprise. It seems to be like a small credenza or freestanding cabinet and the impartial colours work effectively in most rooms (you too can paint it). I do not assume you may guess it housed litter in case you did not know. I sprinkle this deodorizer on the litter, however the enclosure does job of trapping odors by itself. That is my favourite piece of cat gear I’ve ever examined, and it is typically on sale.
Automated litter bins now offer you well being insights, however you do not have to spend $700 to know precisely what’s occurring when Fluffy visits the commode. Purina’s Petivity (8/10, WIRED Recommends) sits beneath a regular litter field and, as soon as related to the app, tells you which of them cat visited the field at what time, how a lot they weigh, and in the event that they went primary or two. This has made my life a lot much less hectic as a result of now I do know precisely how a lot my cat Huxley, who has decrease urinary tract illness, is urinating. If one thing is off, I do know instantly and might get him to the vet.
Litter Genies allow you to scoop the field every single day with no journey to the rubbish can. As with a Diaper Genie, you scoop clumps into the highest compartment and open a hatch that drops it to a backside compartment, the place it holds within the odors for as much as two weeks. If you’re able to empty it, there’s a helpful attachment that safely cuts the bag to tie it off and begin a brand new one. You will must commit to purchasing refills although. We tried the usual one however there are a number of dimension choices, together with a Plus, XL, and Easy Roll Genie, which says one refill pack can final six months and comes with perforated baggage as an alternative of the chopping mechanism. We’ll check that mannequin quickly.
Extra Litter Equipment We Like
- Do not forget a litter mat. Whether or not you utilize low-tracking litter, a field with steps, and even an enclosure, litter one way or the other will get all over the place. A litter mat will assist hold it beneath management and you should purchase these anywhere they promote litter bins. Simply vacuum usually and shake it out sometimes.
- Cat not taking to their litter field? Sprinkle somewhat little bit of this litter attractant after cleansing the field. It will assist them do their enterprise within the designated spot. It is also useful for after a transfer.
Meals and Water Bowls
Most vets and cat specialists inform you to make use of chrome steel or glass bowls on your pet’s meals and water. Plastic can get dingy and soiled quick, and it holds onto micro organism, which may end up in cat acne. In case your cat likes the units of bowls that sit in a stand together, nice, however some like their water to be separate from their dry kibble.
It is no secret that I (Medea) am obsessive about Owala. I drink from the model’s FreeSip water bottle and my cats drink from this bowl, as do some WIRED canine. It has a rubbery grip on the underside to cease it from slipping round, and the coating has held up after many dishwasher runs. It additionally is available in 48 ounces. We like Yeti’s stainless steel pet bowl too nevertheless it prices extra.
My (Louryn’s) neighborhood has an affectionate real-life squishmallow of an out of doors cat named Stokely. He’s the sweetest, greatest gravy boat possible, nevertheless it’s powerful to not really feel like an enabler when he comes round asking for dinner. A gradual feeder has helped curb his habits—perhaps not his urge for food—however the mat slows him down. We tried a number of lick mats from Catflower, and there are dozens of similar options with suction cups to maintain them in place. Some evaluations point out that notably toothsome cats may chew on the mats to the purpose of degrading them. Whereas I’ve not skilled this, it is at all times good to oversee your pet whereas they’re consuming.
Elevated feeders are nice for giving your cats a cushty consuming posture and might even assist them to eat slower, hopefully stopping them from vomiting it proper up on the carpet. These bowls have some peak to them and are available in varied widths and sizes.
Different Elevated Bowls and Stands We Like
Water Fountains
Cats do not feel the necessity to drink water the best way people do. So in the event that they’re sad with their water state of affairs, it may result in dehydration and other serious issues like bladder stones and urethral blockages—some cats don’t love their water proper subsequent to their meals, which is why it is advisable to maintain them separate. Male cats are particularly inclined to those points. Feeding them moist meals helps with their water consumption, however we needed a extra attractive approach for our cats to drink water. Some cats want ingesting from fountains (or, as many cat homeowners have skilled, from the bathroom faucet). You will want to alter the filter about each month, and in some instances, it would must be close to a wall outlet, nevertheless it’s price it in case your cat makes use of it.
We tried Catit’s plastic flower fountain and its stainless-steel-topped fountain. Whereas chrome steel bowls are most well-liked, some cats might like the best way the water flows out of the flower in streams. Simply clear it usually, and ensure to replace the filter when wanted.
Uah’s fountain makes use of a chargeable pump so that you need not plug it in whereas utilizing it and the battery lasts a minimum of three months earlier than needing a cost in our testing. It is all stainless so it is simple to scrub—you’ll be able to put it within the dishwasher. It is also almost silent and in case you activate movement activation, it begins to run when a cat is close to it and turns off once they stroll away.
Catit’s Pixi sequence gives a wise fountain and feeder managed through the Pixi app (accessible on iOS and Android). The fountain’s pump has a small LED that shines by way of the clear cat nostril on the entrance, turning crimson when the water is low and blue if UV-C sterilization is on. It blinks blue when the filter must be modified, and the app can even warn you. For the feeder, you should use the app to both pour meals remotely or on a each day schedule. You may as well press the cat’s nostril to pour or disable it in case your pets determine it out. The app will inform you when the reservoir is prepared for a refill. Plus, it features a spot for backup batteries in case the ability goes out when you’re away.
The Felaqua Join (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is not a fountain, nevertheless it mechanically dispenses water into the bowl as your cat drinks. It connects to an app and, utilizing your cat’s microchip quantity, retains observe of when and the way a lot every cat drinks. You want the Positive Petcare hub for the app connection, which is included for $199. When you do not look after app connectivity, you’ll be able to forgo it for $115 and solely get an automated dispenser, however at that value, you need to go together with a less expensive fountain.
Scratching Posts and Furnishings
Cats must scratch, and if you wish to stop them from ripping up furnishings, it’s good to present them with ample scratching posts. Declawing just isn’t the reply—it is like eradicating your fingers on the final knuckles—and can lead to problems.
Cats additionally like to leap and climb no matter they will, so a cat tree ought to assist hold them occupied and off your mantle or breakable glassware. Cat bushes are constituted of supplies that may be scratched up, and a few embody separate scratching posts. When you aren’t frightened about aesthetics, you will discover loads of good cat bushes at pet shops, in addition to locations like Residence Items or the like.
PetFusion lounges are a long-lasting, but pricey favourite. They’re sturdy and look good, and as soon as the highest has been completely destroyed, you’ll be able to flip it over for a brand-new floor.
Pet beds are sometimes hit and miss with cats, however this cave has been an enormous hit in my home. Even my 20-pounder, Donny, will get in right here. There are a number of designs to select from and all are constituted of sturdy wool, which ought to hold them heat and comfy and last more than fake fur.
Catit’s Vesper line has a pleasant fashionable really feel that is onerous to search out in reasonably priced cat furnishings. The Small Vesper Field would not take up an excessive amount of area, nevertheless it’s the right peak to get my cats proper at window degree. They will nap within the coated backside degree, scratch and play on the second degree, and sit on the smooth fluffy pillow on prime for chicken watching. It was straightforward to place collectively, and the fabric pillows and pads are machine cleanable. The Vesper High Base is a taller choice, nice for multi-cat houses or for pets that do not essentially wish to lounge collectively. The Vesper line consists of many other sizes and colors.
If you stay in a small condo, the whole lot you enhance with issues as a result of it is all on show—nothing will get hidden once you solely have one to 3 rooms. A few of us need our cat’s furnishings to match too. Mau’s Cat Tree is one in every of our favorites. When you can afford it, your cats will thanks.
These window seats are an effective way for cats to bask within the solar and hold a watchful eye on the neighborhood whereas safely indoors. They’re straightforward to put in too, with sticky strips that connect to your window sill that may maintain as much as 40 kilos. You may as well nail the bottom into the window body, and there are even heated seats for super-spoiled kitties. The covers are detachable and will be machine-washed. You will want a window sill a minimum of 2 inches deep to correctly help it. If you do not have that, see the product beneath.
I (Medea) was scared to strive perches that connect with suction cups, out of worry they could all of a sudden fall, however after some looking out, I discovered the Kitty Cot perches. They stick extraordinarily effectively—Huxley’s 13-pound stomach did not budge the factor. The seat is fabricated from nylon that ought to outlast even the sharpest claws. The corporate used to have mats for the perches, however they have been unavailable for months, and your cat might want a blanket or mattress that they already like anyway.
Extra Furnishings and Scratchers We Like
We now have a full information on the fanciest cat furniture we’ve tried, however be ready to shell out some critical money. These are two of our favorites:
Pet Cameras
The power to sneak a peek at your cat once you’re out gives nervous pet homeowners (most of us) some peace of thoughts. Eufy’s digital camera is our favorite. It isn’t low cost, nevertheless it pans round and lets you toss treats whereas away. An enormous plus is that you simply need not subscribe month-to-month to get video historical past. Most different cameras require you to make use of an SD card in case you do not wish to pay.
You do not want a pet-specific digital camera until you need particular options like deal with tossing or meow alerts. A easy security camera works simply as effectively they usually’re normally cheaper. This one from Wyze rotates 360 levels and has a privateness mode the place the lens faces down when you don’t need it watching.
Cat Toys
You probably have a cat, you will know they sometimes need no matter piece of trash they discover quite than a pleasant toy you’ve got spent good cash on. That stated, these Cat Wonderful puzzle toys have been well received. They hold my kitties sharp by activating their searching expertise and making them use their brains. They nonetheless get a lot of treats, however they must work somewhat more durable for them.
My cats additionally went nuts for this Ripple Rug. The underside piece stays in place whereas the highest will be configured into completely different shapes for taking part in (or searching), and you may reshape it as typically as you want. The fabric looks like felt however is constituted of 24 post-consumer plastic bottles and might face up to sharp claws.
If you cannot work out which form of toy your cats will like, otherwise you simply need them to be refreshed sometimes, Meowbox is a good subscription. You possibly can select to get deliveries each one or two months, they usually embody extremely cute toys following an equally cute theme, and treats. Plus, for each field bought, the corporate provides meals to a shelter. You possibly can see exactly where on its web site.
Extra Toys We Like
- Cat Person Toys for $7: Along with the Mesa Bowl we talked about earlier, Cat Particular person makes different nice merchandise, like these cute catnip toys. Bonus: The packaging turns into cardboard cat homes.
- Yeowww! Banana Catnip Toy for $9: I am unsure a single toy has appealed extra to my cats than this rattling banana.
- Friendsheep Wool Toys: These toys are cute and our cats love enjoying soccer with the wool balls or bees. In case your cat would not take to them, you should use important oils to make use of them as air fresheners. (However do not use oils on them in case your cat does play with them! That might be poisonous.)
- Catnip Spray for $10: Most cats love catnip. Ours have responded effectively to Pet Craft Supply Co’s for $8 and Yeowww for $9, however I like this spray for days once I do not wish to get flakes throughout.
Cleansing Provides
Cats puke and cough up hairballs, normally on no matter carpeted floor they will discover. They will additionally often get somewhat piece of poop caught to their fluffy butt hair and drag it throughout the room in a determined try and flee its grips (perhaps that is simply my cat). A very good carpet cleaner shall be a lifesaver. We now have a guide with several options, however I notably just like the Bissell Pet Stain Erase PowerBrush. It is small and lightweight however highly effective, cleansing even day-old stains, and there aren’t any lengthy hoses or tiny little components for particles to get caught in—any half that is going to get dirty from what you are cleansing will be rinsed out simply. It is moveable too, so so long as it is charged you’ll be able to stroll round cleansing each floor possible with out being tethered to an outlet. I do not audibly groan once I spot a pile of puke anymore, and that is an enormous deal.
You probably have numerous carpets, chances are you’ll wish to get a big stand-up cleaner. Our favourite is the Bissell ProHeat 2X Revolution Pet Pro. It is somewhat bit more durable to search out now, nevertheless it’s nonetheless accessible instantly from Bissell.
In case your cats aren’t afraid of it, a robotic vac is perhaps a worthy funding. It would hold the hair and litter at bay with as minimal effort from you as attainable. We now have a list of favorites, and this X8 is our choose for pets as a result of it makes use of twin generators to suck up twice as a lot filth in a single move. We did not love its maps characteristic, nevertheless. The X8 is expensive, so if you need one thing to only hold shifting across the ground, get the iRobot Roomba 694. It is typically discounted to beneath $200.
I additionally suggest investing in an air air purifier or two, particularly in case you’re allergic to the cats you like a lot (responsible). We now have a number of favorite options throughout various budgets, however this one is nice for rooms as much as 930 sq. ft.
Extra Cleansing Provides We Like
- Fur Zapper for $13: Until your pet is hairless, their fur is probably going all over the place on a regular basis. The silicone Fur Zapper is of course sticky, so hair clings to it within the laundry. Throw these within the washer and dryer, then simply rinse ’em off and use them once more.
- Chom Chom Hair Remover for $28: Our cats are arguably too fluffy. This instrument makes it straightforward to de-fur the couch, ottoman, footwear, and some other floor that will get coated of their hair. We use them each single day. It would not replenish too rapidly, and emptying it takes all of three seconds. It really works effectively and would not take too many passes to de-fur a whole sofa.
- Sprinkle & Sweep Messy Pet Accident Cleanup Aid for $45: This powder makes cleanups barely much less disgusting (so long as your cat is puking on onerous surfaces). You want a bit greater than the bundle suggests, however as soon as the mess is roofed, you’ll be able to sweep it up. The perfume is usually a little overwhelming, nevertheless it would not final, and it is actually higher than the odor of throw-up.
Cat Well being
I really like Chewy for a number of causes—what different firm sends flowers if a pet passes away or randomly selects pets to have their portraits painted—nevertheless it notably gives a free telemedicine service (until you reside in Alaska, Hawaii, or Alabama). The licensed vets you discuss to will not be capable of diagnose, however generally you simply want somewhat peace of thoughts or have somebody affirm that you need to make a vet name. If you wish to video chat as an alternative, that may price $20.
It’s useful to have a thermometer readily available in case you watched your pet could also be operating a fever. I don’t learn about you, however I don’t assume I may carry myself to make use of a rectal thermometer on my fur infants. Mella’s thermometer, however, goes beneath their arm … er, leg … and connects to an app if you wish to observe and share outcomes. It’s step, but when there are different signs chances are you’ll wish to go to the vet anyway.
Louryn’s drawback little one, Luna, has pores and skin points and a bent to over-groom. When a flare-up will get too unhealthy, a smooth Elizabethan-style collar might help give tender pores and skin an opportunity to heal (or, within the case of Luna’s stomach, an opportunity for the hair to develop again.) This lovable, strawberry-shaped collar stays put and is straightforward to scrub. We additionally tried this bread-shaped collar, which has typically constructive evaluations, although Luna rapidly found out how one can take it off. Your cat’s mileage might range. Do not forget that you need to at all times seek the advice of a vet in case you discover any accidents or modifications in your cat’s habits.
Basepaws is thorough. After swabbing our cats’ cheeks and sending the samples again within the included envelope, we acquired PDFs of almost 70 pages detailing their breed percentages, a number of pages about all of the cat breeds, and the way our infants stacked up in opposition to round 115 feline well being markers. The check tells you in case your cat is evident, a provider, in danger, or at excessive danger of quite a few metabolic, cardiovascular, eye, blood, endocrine, renal, autoimmune, pores and skin, musculoskeletal, and connective tissue problems, in addition to blood kind, transfusion danger, and different traits. Any cat can develop a illness or dental issues, however having a baseline can alleviate anxieties and might empower you to work together with your vet to make one of the best life selections on your cat.
Cat Carriers
We love Tuft and Paw’s upscale design, however normally it is out of our value vary. The Porto cat provider (8/10, WIRED Recommends), however, within reason priced given the competitors. It seems to be implausible, and you may unzip it in quite a lot of methods. Lay it flat, open one finish, or open the complete facet. There are seat-belt straps and a baggage pass-through.
The Diggs Passenger Provider elicits compliments each time we go to the vet. It is sturdy and thoughtfully made, with security options like seat belt clips and a buckle strap. There are additionally 1,000,000 pockets, and the inside mattress simply suits a pee pad over it in case your pal is vulnerable to accidents (one pad is included to check out). There’s simply sufficient mesh to permit your cat to see outdoors however not be overwhelmed.
I (Medea) just lately made a cross-country transfer for the second time with my cats. I needed them to be extra comfy than final time, so I purchased this automotive seat cat kennel. The medium dimension suits each Huxley and Eely-Rue, plus the Friendsheep cave talked about above with room to spare. It did not budge within the automotive, because of a strap on the again for the seatbelt to move by way of and a prime strap that buckles across the headrest. It folds flat once you aren’t utilizing it.
Roverlund’s provider is the one one I’ve (Louryn) used that my cats will (type of) tolerate. I really feel higher not cramming them in opposition to onerous plastic or squinting by way of tiny holes to see them. They really feel higher with all-encompassing air flow and a totally unzipping prime as an alternative of a claustrophobic cage opening. It is a win-win state of affairs that has drastically shortened the standoffs between me, my cats, and a looming vet appointment. (We additionally suggest this provider in our dog gear buying guide; it is a WIRED Gear crew fave.)
Cat Equipment
Sadly, I (Louryn) can converse firsthand to the devastation that comes with a lacking pet. There are some things you are able to do to forestall it. The first step is to get your pets microchipped. Step two is to verify they’re sporting a collar with identification. ID tags are broadly accessible, however ideally, the one you purchase shall be reflective and legible. Whether or not to listing your cat’s title is a private alternative, however the ID ought to embody your telephone quantity.
I ordered this collar for my cat after her brother went on an prolonged trip with out my permission. The clasp breaks away so the collar received’t trigger damage if it will get snagged. It has held up effectively over time, and it would not hassle my simply ruffled fur child. If it bothers yours, there are many others, a few of them high-tech (which I’ve but to strive). Irrespective of which choice you select, guarantee that it is from a trusted model. The collar ought to be sturdy, extremely seen, and light-weight, with a breakaway clasp.
Extra Equipment We Like
