Cat supplies hub
What a cat actually needs
Most of what is sold for cats is sold to people. These guides start from what cats have been measured using: how tall a scratching post has to be before it gets used, how many litter trays a home really needs, where to put them so they get used at all.
We do not take payment to recommend a product, and we name what the evidence is thin on rather than filling the gap with an opinion.
Explore by topic
Litter and trays
How many, where to put them, what to fill them with, and how often to clean.
Scratching and climbing
Why cats scratch, what they will actually use, and how to get the sofa back.
Everyday essentials
Bowls, beds, carriers and the rest: what earns its place and what does not.
Our supplies guides
Litter and trays
Scratching and climbing
Frequently asked questions about cat supplies
How many litter trays does one cat need?
Two, on the usual rule of one per cat plus one spare. Worth knowing that the 2014 veterinary guidelines this comes from call it the historical rule of thumb rather than an absolute requirement, and that spreading the trays out matters more than hitting the number: two trays side by side count as one tray from the cat's point of view.
Do I need to buy an expensive cat tree?
No. What matters is height, stability and where you put it, not the price or the number of platforms. A post a cat cannot stretch to full length on, or one that wobbles when leaned on, tends to get ignored whatever it cost.
Where should the litter tray go?
Away from food and water, out of noisy corners and away from appliances that start up on their own, and never in a dead end where a cat can be cornered by another animal or a person. In a house with more than one floor, put one on each.
What does a new cat actually need on day one?
Less than most shopping lists suggest: a litter tray with litter, food and water bowls placed away from it, somewhere to hide, somewhere to scratch, a bed, and a carrier you did not borrow the morning of the trip. Everything else can wait until you know the cat.