New Kitten? We've Tested Hundreds of Cat Products, Here Are The Essentials

Best Food

Purina ONE Healthy Kitten Wet Food

$36

$34 at Amazon View on Chewy $2 at Target

Most veterinarians now recommend feeding your kitten primarily wet food, both because kibble tends to be high in carbohydrates, and because cats sometimes aren't the best at drinking water and maintaining proper hydration and wet food is an ideal way to compensate. There are many other fantastic wet food options for kittens, but Purina ONE provides the most well-rounded combination of affordable, wide availability, and comprehensive nutrition formulated by veterinary nutritionists. It's moisture-rich, incorporates both real chicken and real salmon so that your kitten can establish a broadened protein palette early in life, and has added vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, including DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid that's a primary building block for healthy eyesight and brain development.

While we recommend starting kittens on wet food, there's no denying that dry food comes in big, convenient bags and is often more affordable than individual cans of wet food. A combination of dry and wet food can help provide the necessary moisture and protein your cat needs, while also sparing you from going through multiple cans of cat food a day. For the best of both worlds, check out Purina ONE's Healthy Kitten Formula Bundle Pack, which combines a 16-pound bag of kibble with 24 cans of Purina ONE Healthy Kitten wet food and is available from major retailers.

_{Primary Ingredients: Chicken, liver, chicken broth, pork lungs, salmon, natural flavors, minerals, taurine | Calories: 105 kcal/can | Protein: 11% min.}

Best Wand Toy

Cat Dancer Cat Charmer

$12

$7 at Amazon $14 at Chewy $15 at Target

Many wand toys combine a length of wire or string with feather lures that cats love to chase, stalk, and pounce on. But your new kitten isn’t ready for advanced hunting behaviors and athletic leaps, so instead of a line with lures, the Cat Dancer Rainbow Charmer has a 48-inch long ribbon made of rainbow fleece that's both very soft and very stretchy, attached to a flexible 16-inch wand that allows you to play with your kitten from a standing position. While some cat wands have longer (or even telescoping) rods so that you can dangle a lure from partway across the room, this shorter wand is better for kittens since it provides more control and closer supervision.

The Cat Dancer Rainbow Cat Charmer is a gentle, endlessly engaging toy that will deepen your relationship with your new kitten faster than any other toy we might recommend. The broad, lightweight ribbon catches the air, so you can’t whip it around too fast, making it possible for even uncoordinated kittens to catch it. Better than a ball of twine, the stretchiness of the ribbon allows your kitten to tug at it, or get wrapped up in it without risk of it getting too tight.

_{Wand Length: 16 inches | Line Length: 48 inches | Lure: Rainbow fleece}

Best Collar

LupinePet Safety Cat Collar

$15 at Amazon View on Lupinepet.com

This is the perfect cat collar. The LupinePet Safety Cat Collar is made from nylon webbing and has a steel D-ring for holding identification tags. its breakaway safety buckle releases when approximately 5 pounds of pressure is applied, which means that it will detach if your cat is ever stuck—a highly recommended collar feature that has spared many outdoor cats from injury.

The LupinePet is also available in a dizzying range of colors and patterns. Plus, it comes with a lifetime guarantee, even if chewed.

_{Materials: Woven nylon, steel D-ring, plastic buckle | Sizes: Adjustable 8-12 inches | Colors: 50+ solids and prints}

Best Bowl

Van Ness Pets EcoWare Cat Dish

$9

$7 at Amazon View on Chewy $22 at Target

The Van Ness Pets Eco-Ware Whisker-Friendly Cat Bowls are wide enough that they won't tweak your kitten's whiskers when they lean down, making it more comfortable to eat or drink from the bowls. They're made from ceramic and bamboo, so there are no plastics involved (which can sometimes give cats chin acne). A silicone bottom keeps the bowl from sliding around, limiting mess from your newborn friend.

_{Dimensions: 5.25 x 1.25 inches | Volume: 8 ounces | Material: Bamboo, ceramic}

Best Litter Box

Frisco High Sided Litter Box

$23 at Chewy

This basic litter box from Chewy house brand Frisco is perfect for most cats and has been a consistent hit with our testers, most recently spending several weeks in a home with three cats ranging in age from four to 16. It's got high enough sides that cats won't kick too much litter out of the box, and the front wall lowers to 5.6 inches off the ground—a leap your kitten should be able to quickly master. The Frisco High Sided Cat Litter Box is also BPA-free and easy to clean.

For very young kittens—too young to leap the front wall—or elderly cats with mobility issues, we recommend the KittyGoHere Senior Cat Litter Box instead.

_{Material: Plastic | Dimensions: 18 x 8.5 x 15.2 inches (medium), 24 x 10 x 18 (x-large) | Scoop Included: No}

Best Litter

Dr. Elsey's Kitten Attract Cat Litter

$17 at Amazon $17 at Chewy

$18

$17 at Petco

Establish good litter box habits early with the affordable Dr. Elsey's Kitten Attract Litter, which uses an herbal attractant to intrigue and draw young cats toward the litter box. It's well-suited for kittens in other ways too, with a uniform granule size that's safe for softer kitten paws and a quick-clumping clay base. Dr. Elsey's Kitten Attract is safe for kittens older than eight weeks, and Dr. Elsey's has a range of cat litters you can graduate your kitten to when they're a little older.

_{Litter Type: Clay | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Container: Resealable bag | Sizes: 20 pounds}

Best Alternative Litter

Arm & Hammer Feline Pine Original Cat Litter

$12 at Chewy $12 at Target $24 at Petco

Arm & Hammer's Feline Pine Original Cat Litter is made of condensed pine shaving pellets that absorb liquids and cling to sold waste. The wood fiber is excellent at soaking up scents in addition to liquids, and has a faint woodsy scent. It's sourced from sustainably reclaimed pine wood too.

Wood pellets aren't for everyone, and cats tend to more quickly adapt to clay litter, but they can be a good pick for kittens who avoid clay litter boxes. They're soft, safe, and large enough that cats won't swallow them, which can sometimes occur with clay litter and young inexperienced kittens.

_{Litter Type: Wood pellets | Fragrance-Free: Yes | Container: Bag | Sizes: 7, 20, 40 pounds}

Best Treats

Blue Buffalo Baby Blue Crunchies Savory Salmon Kitten Treats

View on Chewy

$4

$3 at Petco

$3

$2 at PetSmart

Blue Buffalo Baby Blue Kitten Crunchies are kitten-sized and include real salmon (there's also a chicken flavor version). Because they're under 2 calories per treat, you don't have to worry about treating your cat a little too much. Plus, they feature a short and transparent ingredient list that doesn't include any chicken by-product meals, dried meat by-product, or wheat.

_{Calories: 1.5 calories per treat | Flavor: Salmon, chicken | Lifestage: Kittens}

Best Carrier

Petmate Pet Kennel

$54 at Amazon View on Chewy View on Petco

The big advantage to the Petmate Two-Door Pet Kennel is right in the name—having a gate on top in addition to the standard front entry carrier door can make it much easier to get your cat in and out of their carrier. Vets love it too.

We also like this Petmate carrier because it's got a lightweight construction that's easy to clean. Plus, it's made from recycled materials. We tested 30 cat carriers, and the Two-Door Top-Load was our favorite hard-sided model.

_{Dimensions: 24 x 17 x 14.5 inches | Materials: Plastic}

Best Scratcher

Frisco Scratch & Roll Scratcher Cat Toy

$14 at Chewy View on Friscosale-us.com

We're big fans of SmartCat's The Ultimate Scratching Post for its untippable base, durable sisal surfaces, and perfect sizing—large enough for your cat to reach up and get a big stretch. But there's no denying that those durable sisal scratching surfaces can make it a little tough for kitten claws. While they grow big enough to take on the Ultimate Scratching Post, we recommend the Frisco Scratch & Roll Scratcher.

The Scratch & Roll has a corrugated cardboard scratching surface that's much easier for your kitten to tear into (though it can leave behind a mess of cardboard flakes)—plus it's on the floor, so they can get used to the appeal of scratching specific cat-friendly surfaces from a relaxed position. It also comes with a plastic ball inside, which helps focus your kitten's chase behavior around their scratching surface. For added convenience, Chewy sells refills of the 9.75-inch diameter cardboard scratch pads too.

Best Mat

SnugglyCat Ripple Rug Cat Activity Play Mat

$46 at Chewy View on Walmart

Remarkably easy to set up, the Ripple Rug consists of two sturdy fiber rugs that can be configured in various ways to create fun play areas and habitats for your cat that encourage pawing, scratching, and stretching. Our tester was impressed by the myriad of ways her cats made use of the mat, from stalking and searching for hidden treats to sharpening their claws to simply chilling out. She also liked having the freedom to experiment with the setups to keep it interesting for her cats.

The mat comes in a nice selection of muted colors, which our tester also appreciated. Bear in mind that at 47 inches by 35 inches, it will require a decent amount of floor space.

_{Dimensions: 47 inches x 35 inches | Materials: Fiber | Colors: Black, mocha, oatmeal, beige}

Best Bed

Meowfia Felt Cat Cave Bed

$50 at Amazon $50 at Chewy View on Meowfia.us

The Meowfia Felt Cave Cat Bed gives your cat a space of their own, and it works as a hiding spot as well as a bed. It's made from 100 percent merino wool for a durable and naturally odor-absorbing construction. It can even be flattened to act more as a bed.

_{Sizes: Medium (up to 12 pounds), large (13-20 pounds) | Dimensions: 19 x 19 x 12 inches (medium) | Colors: Rose quartz, sand dune, smoky pearl, vibrant turquoise | Materials: 100% New Zealand merino wool}

Another Great Bed

Nisrada Round Pet Bed

$17

$13 at Amazon

This donut-shaped ultra plush faux fur-covered cat bed will embrace your kitty in softness and comfort. It's designed with a slightly raised center and sides that are malleable yet supportive, tucked in along the interior bottom edge to allow a cat to nestle their paws and tail underneath. Our tester's cats took to it immediately, making biscuits, lounging, and napping all day.

Available in eight sizes and 18 colors to accommodate any cat and space, this bed has a non-slip bottom and a machine-washable cover. Our tester found the outer fabric to be thick and durable and experienced no issues with the shag shedding. However, since her cats are front-declawed and can't scratch the bed, it's reasonable to assume more aggressive play and clawing would result in some shedding.

_{Sizes: XS-4XL | Dimensions: 15.7 x 15.7 x 6 inches (smallest) | Colors: Beige brown, black, dark gray, and more | Materials: Not specified}

Best Brush

Mars Coat King Boar Bristle Cat Hair Brush

$14 at Amazon View on Marscoatking.com

There are better cat brushes for getting out tangles or matted fur, but we haven't yet found a better tool than the Mars Coat King Boar Bristle Cat Hair Brush for pleasurable maintenance brushing. Building a brushing routine with your kitten is easy with this soft brush, which will make them more comfortable with detangling slicker brushes or de-matting combs should you ever need to use them in the future.

_{Dimensions: 7.25 x 1.25 x 2 inches | Weight: 0.32 ounces | Material: Boar bristles, wood}

Best Nail Clippers

Shiny Pet Nail Clippers for Pets

$13 at Amazon View on Shinypetshop.com

To protect your skin and furniture from tiny claws, you’ll want a pair of clippers to make quick work of claw-trimming. Trimming your cat’s nails not only prevents injury to you and damage to furniture but can also head off medical complications like overgrown claws and footpad infections. While scratching surfaces can help maintain claws at a healthy length, your cat will be more comfortable and less prone to destructive behavior if you maintain a regular clipping habit.

We like the Shiny Pet Nail Clippers because they're easy to use and durable, thanks to thoughtfully angled stainless steel blades, which will retain an edge for years. The clippers have a rounded head, so you're not poking kitty, plus rubberized handles for an easy grip. Our testers found them the easiest to use of any that we've tried.

Best Carpet Cleaner

OxiClean Carpet Stain Remover

$12 at Amazon $7 at Home Depot View on Shop.com

When taking care of a kitten who is learning how to use a litter box, messes can sometimes happen where they shouldn’t. OxiClean offers a fantastic carpet cleaner that’s safe around kids and kittens and combines sodium percarbonate, sodium carbonate, surfactants, and polymer to remove oils and lift stains.

The instructions are simple: All you have to do is point and spray, and within 10 minutes your stains will disappear. The light fresh scent should be pleasant to both you and your young feline friend. 

^{Safe Around Kids & Pets: Yes | Enzymatic Cleaner: No | Sizes: 24 ounces | EPA Safer Choice Standard: Yes}

Best Laser Toy

Potaroma 4in1 Automatic Rechargeable Kitten Toy

View on Amazon View on Potaroma.com

The Potaroma Electric Running Cat Laser is packed with enough activities to keep even the most active kitten entertained. There’s a spinning butterfly on a wand, a feather on the rim, and a laser, all of which roam around thanks to wheels on the bottom. Though it struggles on anything but hardwood floors, your kitten will follow wherever the device goes, and when it runs out of energy, you can just recharge it with any USB cord. 

With a simple touch activation, the system will start whizzing around the room the second your cat wants to play. And when they are done and ready to move on to the next adventure the device will shut down after five minutes of inactivity. You can even buy butterfly or feather replacements in packs of three. 

^{Dimensions: 8 x 8 x 1.9 inches | Power Source: USB Rechargeable | Laser Color: Red}

Best Kicker Toy

Yeowww Catnip Banana

$9 at Amazon $7 at Chewy View on Walmart

The versatile size and lightweight construction of this banana catnip toy will give your furry bundle of energy hours of bunny-kicking, tossing, biting, and cuddling. It's simply made of a bright yellow canvas sleeve, colored with plant-based dye, and hand-stuffed with organic catnip—no fillers or plastic pieces.

Our tester liked that it was small enough to toss around but large enough to kick and attack, and the enticing catnip effectively held her cat's interest. However, the fabric did sustain bite marks and little holes after the first play session, which made her question how well it would do with even more frequent and aggressive play. Also, this toy is not refillable—though given the affordable price, it's a reasonable trade-off.

_{Dimensions: 7 x 1 x 3 inches | Materials: Cotton fabric, organic catnip}