For anyone who is considering indoor cats, my suggestion is to visit the pet store and pick up some general cat items before going to the shelter or other facility, even if you plan on "just looking" at the cats. Why? Because chances are that all those cute little faces peering up at you will be too hard to pass up and presto! You will have a cat, but zero gear. It is far better to be ready for that moment!

I figured this out the good old hard way when I adopted my cat, Cody. Prior to going to the animal shelter in my home town, I had only just purchased a kennel, which was scarcely big enough, and a semi-automatic cat litter box that I chose to get rid of as soon as I'd had the opportunity to do some research on it. So there I was, scurrying around to purchase food and a satisfactory cat litter box while a relative took care of my new pet.

The reason I'm writing this is to hopefully save you from that stress and headache! Here are some of the essentials that are going to make bringing your new cat home a more pleasurable experience!

Food

It's a good idea to purchase a number of foods, including both canned and dry formulas.  Since almost everyone knows how choosy cats can be when it comes to eating, it's best to optimize your chances of giving your new cat food he will like to eat. This may also help to minimize your cat's stress as he adapts to his new home.

I recommend you choose good quality cat food with a high degree of protein. Dry food should have at least 30-40 percent protein and canned should be at about 10 percent.

Keep away from foods that have corn (occasionally listed  as "maize"), wheat, soy, and rice - most definitely if they are shown as the initial ingredients.

It's best to pick poultry-based foods, as opposed to fish, which preferably should only be given once or twice per week.

Ultimately, grain-free canned food is considered ideal for feline health as it contains the highest level of protein as well as another essential nutrient: water.

Best Wet Food:

• Evo
• Freshpet Select
• Innova
• Nature's Variety Instinct
• Simply Nourish by PetSmart*
• Wellness (grain free), especially the chicken formula
• Weruva*

Best Dry Food:

• Nature's Balance Ultra Premium Dry
• Nature's Variety Instinct
• Wellness CORE

*Cody's favorites

Please realize that although the above formulas are more expensive than store brands, your cat probably won't eat as much of it, on account of the good quality and balance of nutrients.  My cat ate about half as much of a grain-free food as opposed to one that contained rice.

Dishes

You can actually wait on these and use your own, but if you opt to purchase them at this point, consider dishes which are heavier or rubber-edged to prevent moving. Stainless-steel is suggested. Plastic and porcelain dishes can scratch, leaving crevices in which bacteria can accumulate.

Dishes that have a slight contour or slope on the inside are best for wet food, which sticks in the edges of the bowl as your cat eats.

Litter Box

A simple, unhooded litter box is recommended, compared with covered cat litter boxes which capture smells. These kinds of boxes are very affordable, are offered in big sizes, and are a sensible starting point.

If you're getting an adult or older cat, make certain the litter box is big enough so that the cat could move around without having to step in his waste. If you plan on getting a kitten, you should make sure that at least one of the ends is sufficiently low for a kitten to get into.

Rubbermaid offers a great litter box with high edges combined with a "scooped out" access point that bigger kittens would be able to use.

If you plan on buying more than one indoor cat, buy no less than one litter box per cat to start out. Note that the general guideline is one box for every cat plus one.

Also make sure to get a litter scoop to clean the cat litter box! The narrower the slats, the better. Keeping the box clean is the most important thing you can do to make sure your cat uses his litter box! Clean the litter box at least once, if not twice, daily!

Litter

Most cats would rather use scent-free cat litter, and clumping litter is the best. The finest cat litter I've tried is Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat. It clumps well, which will help keep the litter box fresh and clean. ScoopAway's unscented clumping litter is also quite good.

Toys

Playing with your cat is a great way to bond with him!

Almost all cats love to bat at a feathery toy on a string, so that would be a great place to begin.

You could also buy a laser pointer toy for approximately five bucks. My cat goes crazy running after that little light around the house.

And catnip is a terrific ice breaker!

Scratching Post

Cats and kittens need and love to scratch! It's important that indoor cats have access to a scratching post or pad as an acceptable outlet for this physical activity.

There are many choices to consider. To start off, just make sure that what you get is sturdy and won't fall over when a cat puts his or her weight on it. If all else fails, a bit of firewood or carpet sample will work just fine.

Cody absolutely adores his SmartyKat "ScratchScroll" that I bought at Target for about $20, (unfortunately, it's not listed on their web site). PetSmart carries a nearly identical one, the Dream Curl Curved Scratcher, for $29.

Crate

Size is the most important consideration. Make sure you choose a crate that will enable a cat to turn around.

If you have to travel greater than an hour to bring your cat home, it's suggested that you purchase a bottle of Feliway to make the ride home more comfortable. This product mimics the cat's pheromones and has a quieting effect. Simply spray it into the crate before you load up your cat. Using this product at home may also help calm down your cat as he adjusts to his new home.

Now you're ready to begin the really fun part: finding your new cat or kitten!