Best Cat Supplies

 The Best Cat Toys and Supplies interesting, weird creatures, and if you're lucky enough to be loved by one, you know how important it is to give them a comfortable and fun home. In June, we wrote about the supplies you should get if you recently adopted a pet, but once you have that pet situated at home, you'll want to branch out and give them new things to really make their space. Cats require a specific type of environment to thrive—places to play, scratch, and relax.

Below, you'll find our favorite products based on months of testing with our own cats. Even if our pets didn't like a particular product, we still examined overall construction, design, and value to determine whether it may be of use to some other kitties. What you get—be it litter box, toy, or bed—will entirely depend on your particular cat's personality. Felines can be fickle, which unfortunately means you may have to go through a few options to find the right fit.

We also won't hold it against you if you're more of a dog person; we have a supplies and accessories guide for dogs, too.

Litter Box

A litter box is an essential cat item. What kind you get will depend on your cat—not every cat likes enclosed boxes, and others need high sides to shield your walls from urine (sometimes they aim high!). Experts say you should have one box per cat. If you live in a multilevel home, we suggest a box on each floor.

I (Medea) have this plant-disguised box, which nicely hides unsightly litter in a small apartment. I've also used Rubbermaid storage bins (without the lid) because they're cheap and sturdy. You'll find basic litter boxes everywhere they sell pet items.

You should also get a mat for underneath the box to minimize the litter tracked through your house. These mats with deep corrugations trap a ton of litter. Just vacuum and shake it out regularly.

Kitty Poo Club

Can't decide on a box? Kitty Poo Club delivers cutely themed disposable boxes to your door every month. Out of the package, it looks to be just a few inches tall, but when you remove the lid, the box unfolds as a full-size litter box. Place the lid underneath and add the stabilizing strips, which keep the unfolded sides sturdy. The cardboard has a thin plastic coating inside, so it shouldn't leak, as long as you're actually replacing them. The box is made from 100 percent recycled materials and can be recycled again each month.

If you add the removable dome to your order, you can see whether your cat will use a semi-enclosed box—the top is mostly open, but the dome raises three sides. (This video shows you how to assemble it.) You can also just get the box for $12 per month, or $22 if you include litter. You can currently choose from silica or soy litter.

Litter Genie

For years I didn't understand the allure of the Litter Genie. Then I moved into an apartment complex where taking out the garbage meant a trip across the parking lot, and I started making excuses to not clean out the box—it was raining or dark, or I had my hair up in a towel and didn’t want to go outside. Finally, I bought one.

As with a Diaper Genie, you scoop clumps into the top compartment and open a hatch that drops it to a bottom compartment, where it holds in the odors for up to two weeks. You can clean every day without daily trips to the trash and without wasting a ton of plastic bags. When you’re ready to empty it, there’s a handy attachment that safely cuts the bag to tie it off and start a new one. You'll have to commit to buying refills, though. There's also an XL version if you have multiple cats.

Litter box placement is hard. You need a low-foot-traffic area, away from your cat's food and water, and preferably a space where a stray odor won't ruin the mood. Understandably, nobody wants to relinquish closet space or a bedroom to a litter box. For small apartments like mine, where the open floor plan leaves few options, finding a good area can be tricky. I (Louryn) tested and loved this litter box enclosure. It conceals my cat's litter boxes from both eyes and noses, and it gives my kitties privacy. It was a pain to put together, but then again, most furniture is. The neutral colors work well in most rooms, and if you really wanted to, you could paint it. My cats took to it right away and seem to be as relieved as I am that we can't see one another while they do their business.

As with any box, we suggest pairing it with a litter mat and perhaps a small broom and dustpan for easy cleanup. The enclosure looks like a small credenza or freestanding cupboard, and if you didn't know it housed litter, I don't think you could ever guess. I sprinkle this deodorizer on the litter between cleanings, but the enclosure does a good job at trapping odors on its own. This piece of furniture is my single favorite piece of cat gear I've ever tried.

When it comes to materials, most vets and cat experts will tell you to use stainless steel or glass bowls over plastic for your pet's food and water. Plastic can get dingy and dirty fast, and holds onto bacteria. This can result in what's called cat acne.

Most stainless steels bowls are simple and inexpensive. Elevated feeders are a good option too, as they can help your cat's neck. The Cat Person Mesa Bowl gives a modern take to perfect-posture eating. It's made of polycarbonate, and every part is dishwasher safe (and Cat Person packaging turns into cardboard cat houses). There are nice elevated glass bowls for their wet food dinners, too.

Scratching Posts

Cats need to scratch, and if you want to avoid them ripping up furniture, you must provide them with ample scratching posts. Declawing is not the answer—it's like removing your fingers at the last knuckles and can lead to a ton of problems.

Anywhere you buy pet supplies should have some sort of scratcher. The PetFusion lounges are my favorites, despite being a little costly. They're sturdy (I've stood on them to test) and look relatively nice as far as cat furniture goes. Once the top has been thoroughly destroyed, turn it over for a brand new surface. The lounges are made of corrugated cardboard, which most cats tend to like. You don't have to spend that much though; there are many options, from a simple slat of it for just a few bucks or this Boots and Barkley tunnel. My cats really like the Wave Scratcher from the same brand, made of sisal and carpet.

Don't forget to trim their nails: You should also regularly trim your cat's nails. (It's easier than it sounds, but it might be a two-person job.) Asking your vet to show you where to trim to so you don't cut their quick (the part of the nail that holds the nerves and blood vessels) is best so you can see it done in person.

Cat Trees

Cats like to jump and climb whatever they can, so a nice cat tree should help keep them occupied and off your mantle or breakable glassware. Cat trees are made from materials that can be scratched up, and some include separate scratching posts.

The Catit Vesper Box doesn't take up too much space, but it's the perfect height to get my cats right at window level in my apartment. They can nap in the covered bottom level, scratch and play on the second level, and sit on the soft fluffy pillow on top for bird watching. It was really easy to put together and has a nice modern feel that's hard to find in moderately priced cat furniture. The cloth pillows and pads are machine washable.

Try a Water Fountain

Catit Water Fountain

Cats don't feel the need to drink water the way humans do. So if they're unhappy with their water situation, it could lead to dehydration and other serious issues like bladder stones and urethral blockages—some cats don't like their water right next to their food, which is why it's recommended to keep them separate. Male cats are especially prone to these issues. Feeding them wet food helps with their water intake, but we wanted more of an enticing way for our cats to drink water. Some cats prefer drinking from fountains (or, as cat owners have likely experienced, the bathroom faucet.)

If you get a fountain, you'll need to have an outlet nearby and to change the filter about every month, but it's worth it if your cat uses it. We tried Catit's plastic flower fountain, and its stainless-steel-topped fountain.

While stainless steel bowls are preferred, the plastic should be OK as long as you keep it clean. We'll look for fully stainless steel options to test in the future.