All Eden-Lea kittens come with a comprehensive Kitten Information package. This is emailed out to new owners once a deposit has been received on a kitten and covers all of the following, going into a lot more detail. This will give you time to prepare in advance for you new furry family member.
Here are some items that you will need:
Cat Carrier:
You will need to bring some type of carrier to take your kitten home in. There are many on the market. If you intend to travel with your kitty in the future your best option is to purchase an Airline approved carrier. The "PP20" is the standard cat size and fits ine adult cat or two kittens quite comfortably. I keep a small amount of these here for new kitten owners to purchase if required.
Litter and Litter Tray:
I use Oz-Pet litter which I personally believe is the best litter available. There is info on Oz-Pet and how to use it and the special sieve trays on my Kitty Litter page.
I always recommend having a few extra, temporary litter trays for a new baby kitten. These can be anything that will hold the litter and with a reasonably low side. You can make a couple of temporary trays out of cardboard boxes, cut the sides down low and line with newspaper.
Oz-Pet is not yet available widely, so I keep a few trays in stock for those that would like to purchase one. I also have litter, but need to be advised well in advance if you would like to buy some when you pick up your kitten.
Eden-Lea Ragdoll kittens will have a small Oz-Pet sample in their Kitten Pack, and I recommend that if you will be using a different litter, to sprinkle a couple of handfuls of Oz-Pet on top to start with.
Scratching Post:
A definite must is a Scratching Post, this is not a luxury item but a requirement and just as important to have as the litter tray. Cats need to scratch to remove claw sheaths, and also to stretch and exercise muscles.
It is easy to teach your cat to use a scratching pole - and not your furniture. Make sure to get a good solid one that is not easy to knock over, and preferably the post part for scratching on should be tall enough to enable the cat to stretch out full length.
Cats also love extra "gymnasium" type parts; baskets, barrels and hammocks, for jumping and climbing and sleeping on/in.
The scratching pole should preferably be covered in either carpet or sisal rope, so kitty can really hook in. Fur fabric is not particularly good for a scratching post... however if you do have one of those, you can buy a little carpet mat to cover over the fur-fabric.
I like the fur fabric because the cat's don't particularly like to scratch on it so it always looks nice in the house. But on my Cat Gymnasium Posts that do have fur fabric, I always cover one bottom leg with carpet. Attach the carpet with a wood-screws and washers (I use a portable drill) - and this way it is really easy to change when the carpet becomes frayed from use.
Local Eden-Lea Ragdoll kitten buyers are emailed contact details for wonderful, sturdy and cheap scratching posts, with my kitten info after a deposit has been placed.
Food:
All new kitten owners are emailed my diet information file after a deposit has been received, so you can prepare things well in advance.
Food and Water Bowls:
Kitty's food is best served on a flat plate. Glass or stainless steel are the best materials to use, or a good quality ceramic (no lead in the paint). Avoid plastics where possible. Water bowls should be wide enough to accommodate kitty's whiskers :-)
Grooming Items:
As long as your kitten is kept on a mostly raw food diet, grooming will be minimal - as the skin and coat keeps naturally clean and shiny, and will not matt. And as an extra plus, raw fed cats almost never throw up hairballs. However, most Ragdolls will grow to love the intimate experience of a loving brush from their people.
Any type of plastic or natural bristle brush that will go thru their coat will do. I use a human hair brush. Wire slicker brushes tend to be rough on the coat and can split the hairs - however they are terrific for running over carpet, furniture and scratching posts to remove any shed pet hair. I have attached a slicker brush onto the end of a broom handle and this gives the carpet a very quick going over without having to get the vacuum cleaner out. Also gets into tricky corners, and underneath furniture things where hair tends to gather.
Beds:
People often ask what sort of bed their new Ragdoll kitten will like... the short answer is YOURS!
The crate you take your kitten home in can double as a secure place for her until she feel comfortable in her new home. And after that, she will tend to sleep where she drops. The top of a scratching post is a favourite place, couch, soft chairs, the floor.... Spending money on a fancy bed will probably be a waste of money.
Kitty Toys:
You don't need to spend a lot of money on fancy cat toys. What your indoor cat needs most is variety! Our cats have their "toys" changed regularly, some hidden for a while and then brought out again for the "new toy" effect.
Again - Eden-Lea kitten buyers received in their emailed information pack, a list of ordinary items that your kitten will love to play with, tried and tested as favourites on all our babies.