There are a number of cat perches you can buy; single cat perches, cat window perches, multiple story cat perches, etc. What you decide to buy for your cat pretty much depends on your budget and the amount of room in your house or apartment. In my many years of experience with cats, I’ve learned that no matter what you buy, your cat will either like it or ignore it. Some cats take to perches, others want nothing to do with them.

Here is the problem though – it isn’t always easy to know if your cat will take to a perch or not. Just because your cat likes to sit on the window or on top of that really big cabinet in your office, doesn’t mean he will use a cat perch. I’ve had several cats in my life and it is basically hit or miss here.

In my experience, a cat usually takes to it right away, or he doesn’t. Cats are nosy and curious by nature, and they always know when something new is brought into the house. However, if your cat isn’t using the perch, the best thing you can do is to try and encourage him to use it by scratching on it or to even place him atop the perch and play with him. I have even used treats to bribe some of my cats into using their cat perches.

In general though, bribing never works. I’ve bought a few different cat trees for the same disinterested cat and he never used any of them. That is why I suggest giving it a few weeks, then returning the item, unless you like having useless cat furniture laying around!

This is why you can give your cat the best of both worlds by taking them outside each day and using a cat harness. This allows him to run and play, but not get too far out of your sight. So what kind of harness should you be looking for? Here are a few that I really like:

Premier Pet Come with me Kitty Harness – this is a nylon harness that adjusts easily (it won’t get all tangled around your cat’s body and fur). It also is designed not to apply any pressure on the throat of your kitty, which is extremely important. The bungee cord stretches for about 4-6 feet so you can take your cat for a walk or tie it to a rope and let him roam around the back yard.

Size Right Cat Harness (Coastal products) – if you have ever tried adjusting a regular cats harness, then you will truly appreciate this product. It is shaped like a figure eight so that it allows for the perfect fit. Its unique design also keeps the lead from getting tangled in your cat’s legs.

Safety Cat Lead Harness (Four Paws) – this harness and lead always seems to get great reviews from all of the people who bought it. It is not only easy to adjust, but it also is extremely tough to fray. So if you have a cat that likes to bite and claw at the lead, it won’t get worn as easily as other leads.

There are a number of different sized crates available, but the bigger they are, the more money you will have to shell out. So I would only recommend buying one that is of medium size and gives your cat enough room to stretch and walk around. Here are a few highly rated cat cages I found:

Xtreme-Cage Cat Crates – these cat cages fold up and assemble easily. They come in several different sizes and have very secure locking mechanisms so your kitty can’t escape. Each one comes with a polyester cushion to keep your cat comfortable.

Mcages – they offer a full line of cages for all types of animals, including cats. Their cat cages are fully collapsible. They also feature a great hygienic design that keeps your cat comfortable and happy (as happy as he can be in a cage!)

Mpet Cat Crates – these cages are extremely well built with carbon steel wire and will last forever. They also feature double bolt locks.

If you have no idea what to look for, this post will help give you an idea of what is on the market, at a reasonable price. I know we all love our cats, but not many of us are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on unnecessary cat products. Here are a few cat strollers you can buy for under $100:

Zephyr Cat Stroller – this is a medium sized stroller that holds cats up to 25-30lbs. It has one big front wheel and two back ones for easy turning. It also features mesh windows that allow in enough air for your kitty, but will also keep him inside. There is even a food and water holder. It comes in pink and blue and it sells for $65.

Pet Gear Happy Trails Pet Stroller – this canopy styled pet stroller is ideal for all sized cats. It features a zippered compartment that will ensure your cat is safe and secure, an ample amount of room and even a removable weather shield for when it gets nasty out. It rolls on four wheels, which many people seem to prefer.

3-in-1 Deluxe Pet Stroller,(Mpetstroller)  -  this is a great product that serves three functions; pet stroller, carrier and car seat. It also has a number of pockets along the sides to store cat supplies and other items for your kitty. If you travel a lot with your kitty, this product can be a godsend.

I always suggest getting something simple at first if your cat has never had a bed of his own. Since cats are so nosy, it is almost a guarantee they will at least come over and inspect the cat bed, then decide if they like it or not. So it won’t take very long to know if they enjoy using cat bedding or not. Here are a few of my hand picked selections you might want to consider:

Armarkat Cat Bed – this is a domed bed that is shaped like a big old hat. It is made from a velvet material so it is very soft and inviting. It is also machine washable just in case there are any “accidents”. Most cats will love this because it offers not only a comfy sleeping spot, but a hiding place as well.

HomeTeam Pets Basketball Bed – You will get a real kick out of seeing your kitty in this.
If you are a big sports fan, then this would be the perfect cat bed for your kitty. Made of durable faux wool, this can also be thrown in your washer when it gets dirty. The only downside is it isn’t very big, so if you have a larger cat, I suggest another cat bed.

Petco Lounger Cat Bed – this is your traditional cat bedding. It doesn’t have any overhead covering and it is designed with a low profile. However, it is made of very soft polyester that is very inviting to most cats. It is also machine washable as any good bed will be.

However, as I found out the hard way, not all cats like litter crystals. My cat refused to use his litter box and even urinated on my bed when we switched his litter to the crystals. On the other hand my older cat didn’t mind it and there was never any problems with him. However, I highly suggest you don’t make the same mistake I did, and slowly transition any cat to the new litter.

Since the crystals are hard and not soft like the clay/sand cat litter, your kitty will probably not like the way it feels on their paws at first. It doesn’t have a really strong scent either. So you will want to mix in some of the old litter with the crystal litter for awhile, then slowly add more crystals as the weeks go along.

Part of the problem I had with my cat was he couldn’t find his litter box anymore. Be sure to show your cat the litter box, as he is used to finding it through his sense of smell. Using crystal litter can be a dramatic change and his sense of smell needs to become accustomed to it.

Also, be sure to keep the litter box clean. Just because the crystals do a better job of absorbing odors, doesn’t mean you should wait a week or more before cleaning it. Your cat has a better sense of smell than you and may refuse to use the box if it isn’t clean enough for him.

This is why you really need to be careful when you are searching for flushable kitty litter. I have been doing research on this subject for the last week and have only been able to locate a couple of manufacturers that make this type of litter:

Premium Choice Flushable Cat Litter – this is an environmentally friendly litter that can be found in Petco and other popular pet stores. This litter usually lasts up to several weeks before it has to be scooped, but some users have complained about the consistency in the product. Some batches seem to be good and others don’t clump very well.

World’s Best Cat Litter – this litter is made from corn, so it is also completely natural as well and biodegradable so you know what you are flushing is safe. Keep in mind that not all cats will like the smell of this litter and may refuse to use it if they are used to clay based products.

Whenever you flush either of these products, be sure that there aren’t any big clumps that will clog up your toilet.

Just because the litter is cleaned automatically, doesn’t mean it is done right, or at all really. Many of the cheaper models simply get surface clumps and leave the rest for you to clean. Which is why if the price seems too good to be true, that’s because it is. Almost every high quality automatic litter box is going to be expensive. To make sure you get your money’s worth, here a two of the best on the market:

Scoop Free Automatic Litter Box – this does exactly what it says because you will never have to scoop litter again. You can literally go a month without having to dispose of the waste. The waste can then be pulled out when you are ready and disposed of. Since the box cleans up every time your cat uses the litter, it never smells.

Litter Robot – this is easily the number one automatic litter box on the market, and you will pay for it – between $250-350, depending on the model you decide on. Using motion detection devices, the Litter Robot waits for several minutes after your cat has left, then it sifts out the waste into a garbage bag for you. Then as it finishes spinning, clean litter is put into the box for the next use.

After doing tons of research for my own cats, these are the most highly reviewed automatic litter boxes I could find. The Litter Robot is more than double the price of the Scoop Free Box, but both products work exceptionally well. It really comes down to your budget and which product you believe your cat will take to.

If you have ever gotten one of those cat toys on a string, you already know that cats seem to go bonkers for these kinds of toys. My mother had bought my two cats some of these toys at one of those dollar stores and I thought they were going to collect dust in my closet.

Boy was I wrong! My cats were crazy for these toys. I would drag them on the floor or dangle the toys around and they would literally play until my arms got tired. Which is why when I got the da bird cat toy, I knew it would be an instant hit – and of course it was.

So what is the big deal about this toy? Well all cat owners know how much cats love birds – or chasing them that is. The da bird toy has colorful feathers at the end of the dangler and that alone is enough to get your cat all wound up. However, you can actually spin the feathers and it will mimic an actual bird. This drives my cats nuts and I doubt there is a cat around that can resist this toy.

If you are looking for the perfect toy to get your cat, one that isn’t very expensive and is guaranteed to get him rowdy, this is 100% the toy to buy.

I think many cat owners would gladly pay any price for an effective litter box, but you don’t have to spend big money to get a really good one, thankfully. Here are some of the best I have found while on my litter box searching adventures:

Omega Paw Self Cleaning Litter Box – this is a highly reviewed product that seems to be universally loved by everyone who owns it. Not only does it have a unique design that controls odors, but it is easy to clean. You simply roll the litter box back and it will sift out the clumps and waste into a tray. Then you pull out the tray and dispose of the waste.

Booda Dome Cleanstep Cat Box – this is one of my favorites and most cats really love using it. Basically, it is designed to have your cat walk up a few steps into the dome, where he can do his business. The design of the dome locks odors in and as your cat walks down the steps, they are designed to clean off any loose liter from his paws. This is a wonderful liter box and you can’t go wrong here.

Bionaire Odor Grabber Litter Box – this is probably the most effective strategy for keeping embarrassing odors at bay. It has an automatic air filter that helps to remove odors and litter dust. It is pretty quiet and won’t scare most cats, but it could scare a jittery one. The key to this one is replacing the filters. It has an LED light that will tell you when it is time to replace the filter – so it doesn’t take much effort.