• Probiotics – your new kitty will likely be nervous with so much change and this can kill important gut flora.  Probiotics are crucial for the first week to help avoid colds, diarrhea, and other minor medical issues from a stress-weakened immune system.
• Catnip – catnip is not only essential for play, it also has calming qualities.  Sprinkle a little in areas you want your cat to enjoy.
• Toys – Every cat needs 5 things: they need to hunt, chase, kill, eat, sleep.  If we fulfill these needs, we’ll have a happy cat.  It is important to use a variety of toys to find what will stimulate your cat.  Many cats will even play fetch with balls, especially if you give them a treat when they retrieve the ball.   Be careful of yarn, which your cat can’t spit out, strings left unattended, or anything small your cat may ingest. 

 Cats should not be solitary or hiding all the time.  This is a sign of a bored or unhappy cat.  Many cats don’t realize they want to play so you need to figure out how to stimulate their activity levels.  Cats need activity just like dogs.

• Toothbrushes and water additives will help clean your cat’s teeth and help you save money in future dental work.  
• Microchips – if they aren’t registered, they don’t work.  It is essential to register your microchip.  www.found.org is a free microchip registering service.  Even indoor cats get out and lost occasionally.
•  Your cat should have been vaccinated at least two times (2-3 FVCRPP vaccines) even if they are indoor only and not exposed to other animals.  There are deadly diseases in our environment that you can track in on your shoes and can last in your home up to two years.  It is essential that you repeat the vaccines annually to protect your cat.  Cats over 4 months also need to have regular rabies vaccines.  Rabies shots are very inexpensive at vaccine clinics and must be done by a veterinarian.