52 Stage Two:

“Okay, I really want a cat…probably…maybe?”

Welcome to stage two: denial. This stage is probably the longest stage—and it is for a good reason!

When I entered this stage, I probably spent months scouring the internet, absorbing all the information I could about owning cats from the different types of breeds, general upkeep, what type of litter is best, what kind of food is healthiest, what basic supplies I should have, different types of toys, etcetera. Honestly, there was a point where I was so overwhelmed that I thought that it might be too much for me. The thought was a little disheartening, but looking back now, I’m glad that I took time to think for a second. And you should too.

The following is a list of things you need to consider before adopting a cat:

Are you financially ready for it?

Cats are expensive and I mean, expensive. Truthfully, this could be said about any pet yet still the first thing you need to consider before adopting.

The basic (necessary) cat supplies are:

• Litter box
• Food bowls – Preferably ceramic
• Food – Preferably wet food
• Litter
• Brush
• Cat enrichment furniture (Cat trees/towers, shelves, scratchers, etc.)
• Cat toys
• Cat bed
• Nail trimmers
• Medical – Flea preventative, worm preventative, etc.

These are just the basics for the average cat. This does not include the things that one would need for kittens or certain types of cat breeds with extra needs. Not to mention the cat that you adopt could potentially contract issues later in life. This is what happened to my first cat. With that said, there is still flexibility to what you can buy on the market. Luckily, the cat supply market has been slowly increasing over the years as research into cats continues.