My neighbor cat sat for us, and fell in love with our cats (who wouldn’t?!) Inspired, she thought she might like to adopt a cat of her own.
She asked me several questions about cats and cat supplies, and I realized I have lots of strong opinions. I’ve tested multiple toys, harnesses, and cat care items. These are the products that have been game changers.
Yes, this is also an excuse to share as many photos of my cats as I reasonably can fit into one blog post.
Note: some of the links are affiliate links, which means I might get a kickback if you buy from them, at no extra cost to you. Every single item in this round up is something I’ve used personally and either obtained second-hand or purchased myself.
Introducing Izzy and Felix – QA Engineers
Long-time readers will know I first fostered and then adopted a cat five years ago named Muse (blog name MechaniCat). Adopting him converted me from an ardent dog-person into a cat lover. Unfortunately, he passed early due to a heart condition. Heartbroken, we fostered a new kitty.
Her shelter name was Spitfire, and she definitely has an attitude to match. She’s a 7-year-old tortie who is finicky but also a world-champion cuddler. We named her Isadora, Izzy for short.
Izzy was a great addition to the family, but I wanted another kitty. Izzy is quite fond of laps, beds, and blankets, and does not enjoy the outdoors, despite my multiple attempts to coax her out. For a second cat, I hoped to get one that I could train and take for adventures.
After doing research on smart and dog-like breeds, I decided I wanted an Abyssinian kitten. That’s how we ended up with Felix Fawkes, our forever curious, goofy kit. He is a long-haired Abyssinian, also known as a Somali.
Over time, I’ve tried a variety of cat products for cats with three very different preferences and personalities. Now I want to pass on some of that acquired wisdom to any cat parent who is looking for quality items for their furry ones.
Top Picks – Toys
DaCat Da Bird Toy
Almost every toy we’ve gotten from DaCat line has been a favorite, but nothing beats Da Bird and Da Bee.
Da Bird is Felix’s favorite. It spins in the air with feathers aflair. It has a really long reach, which makes wielding it very easy.
Da Bee is Izzy’s favorite. It’s on a wire so it bounces around like an insect. Both have a detaching mechanism so you can swap out different little creatures at the end. There is Da Rat, for example, and Da Octopus, which ended up in the cats’ stockings for Christmas. The variety keeps them engaged.
Runner up favorite toy
It’s just cardboard bits on the end of a wire, but the Cat Dancer toy has been a knock out for every cat I’ve played with. It really does get them dancing. Even Izzy who is a fan of rolling onto her back and letting toys come to her will jump for it.
Izzy’s Choice: Automatic Cat Toy
I’ve tried a variety of automatic cat toys, but unfortunately there seems to be no substitute for good ol’ human-engaged play. However, this Motion Teaser Wand Toy does delight, as long as I store it out of sight when not in use. It’s good for short periods when I need to keep the cats occupied, like when I’m cooking.
Top Picks – Cat Furniture
Cat Trees
All of our cat trees and scratchers are second-hand. I recommend checking out your local Facebook Marketplace listings, as they can be expensive!
We love our Lotus Cat Tower, we have a mini (it was free!) and a large and find them quite stylish. Then we have our Armakat tree, where the cats love to doze during the day.
Runner Up Cat Tree
One cat tree I didn’t expect to like is this short tree. It felt flimsy when we got it and often does get pushed over by enthusiastic cat jumps, but it is Izzy’s favorite perch. We put it in the middle of the living room and it gives her confidence to hang out with us instead of hiding.
When we unloaded our moving van, the movers said “your house is like a Disneyland for cats” and I’ve never felt prouder.
Comfiest Cat Bed
Izzy has laid claim to this bed. She sleeps in it all night and most of the day. I love that it has raised edges, which lets Felix join us on the bed as well (if she can’t see him, she tolerates him).
The Top Cat Scratcher
Both our kitties love lounging on this cat scratcher.
We also have multiple tall scratching posts throughout the home, bonus points if cats can use it as a perch.
Top Picks – Cat Enrichment
“Cat TV” Bird Feeder
We bought this bird feeder that attaches to the window, and the cats love it. Keeps them entertained for hours! I also recommend getting other kinds of bird feeders (we live in a place where there are lots of hummingbirds, so we hang food for them by our windows).
Premium Window Seating
We have three window seats that suction to windows, and the cats use them every day. Highly recommend!
Cat Puzzles For Brainicats
Keep your cat engaged and busy with cat puzzles. This one is Felix’s favorite. It takes him some time to get to the treats, so usually I give it to him while we are trying to eat and don’t want him bothering us.
Fun Tunnel for Play
I first got a tunnel from Costco, but I don’t recommend that one because it came apart and sharp metal bits became a hazard. I plan on ordering this replacement instead.
Top Pick – Water Fountains
Cats notoriously don’t get enough water into their diets, often causing kidney problems later in life. One way to entice them to drink is to mimic the fresh, burbling water of a stream. Stagnant water bowls need to be changed daily or every other day, but fountains can go much longer. My nightmare is that they won’t have enough water and can’t tell me, so I have a minimum of three water fountains in my single-story home.
After trying plastic, ceramic, and stainless steel fountains, I have a definite favorite. The Petlibro Automatic Water Fountain is the best by far.
I don’t use the app much (I don’t need to know every time my cat takes a sip of water) but it helpfully alerts you when water levels are low. I recommend getting the fountain in white, because then you can also visually see when you need to fill up.
Top Picks – Adventure Cat Edition
Best Harness
I tried over 5 different harness types but I swear by the Petsafe Come With Me Kitty harness. All three cats I’ve had preferred this harness. It allows for natural movement that other harnesses restricted. The bungee leash is great for when they are just learning and are prone to startle and bolt.
Runner-up Harness: Supakit
A more luxury pick is the Supakit Harness. It’s a bit easier to put on and seems overall a tad more secure than the Petsafe option. This is a pretty popular pick for Instagram-famous adventure cats. You can order leather or cork. Though it is extremely high quality, I still prefer the Petsafe harness.
Runner-Up Leash
The bungee leash is great for beginners and cats that spook, but eventually I wanted a longer leash to let Felix explore a bit further from the sidewalk. I got this leash from KittyCatGo, a small business that makes products and courses to help you train your kitty to be more adventurous. The green leash you see is from them, it’s lightweight and comes in many different colors, I love it!
Best Cat Collar
Though the Supakit harness is a runner-up, their collars are second to none. I love how thin and lightweight they are, with gold finishes. We ordered the midnight blue and a tag for his name and a phone number in case he gets lost.
Runner-Up Cat Collar
The downside of the Supakit collars is that they are costly. $39 plus shipping, at the time of writing. And while I’m extremely happy with the quality at that price point, I understand why other pet parents wouldn’t want to pay that much.
My runner-up pick is an Etsy shop called ChockyPetShop. I’ve ordered a total of 4 collars from them with various designs and found their customer service to be very helpful. Shipping takes time, but I love that instead of a dangly tag (can annoy sensitive cats) you can print your phone number directly on the collar.
Best Cat Backpack
The Adventure Cat Navigator Carrier Bag is a great all-arounder. We can use it as a carrier, as a safe space when going to the park, and as a perch when we go on longer walks.
I especially love that it has clips so even with a very determined kitty, the zippers can’t be pried apart.
Top Picks – Luxury Cat Edition
Got some moola to spend? Want to spoil yourself and your cats?
Let me tell you about two pricey but worth it items.
The Litter Robot
In typical Mechanic fashion, I got a Litter Robot 3 second-hand, when a friend wanted to upgrade theirs. I will sing its praises to the moon!!!
I loved it so much that I ended up buying a Litter Robot 4 when we moved into our new home. No smells. No scooping poop. Blissfully quiet. Unfortunately I am now spoiled and will never settle for less.
If you want to give it a spin, this is my referral code for $50 off.
When my neighbor came over to care for our cats, she said that sitting next to the Litter Robot and not smelling anything is what convinced her that she wanted to get a cat too. The smell of some Cat Peopleâ„¢’s homes was the main thing that stopped her from adopting a cat. Now she too is a proud owner of a Litter Robot and a rescue kitty from the streets of Sacramento.
Runner Up Automatic Litter Box
Before my upgrade to The Litter Robot, I used the Petsafe ScoopFree Self Cleaning Litter Box. It worked great at keeping down odors and cutting down the amount of scooping I had to do. If you’re sick of scooping but don’t want to splurge on a robot, consider trying this first.
Note: for a truly scent-free experience, we put baking soda underneath these easy-to-grab waste bags.
We are so confident about the smell that we can follow Jackson Galaxy’s (a famous cat behaviorist) advice and put the litter box in a socially significant area without worrying about scent. Peep it hiding behind the fake tree in our living room:
The Ultimate Cat Treadmill
If you have a super high energy cat, you might wonder how to burn their extra energy. When we were considering a second cat, we looked into high energy breeds like Bengals and Abyssinians. These breeds need extra attention, play time, and run time. So when we brought home Felix (extremely high-energy) we splurged on a ZiggyDoo Cat Exercise Wheel. It’s like a treadmill for cats.
He uses it multiple times a day, and sometimes at night, though the wheel is so quiet we can barely hear it going.
It’s not cheap (as of writing, it is $599 CAD or ~$415 USD). There is a cheaper option on the market called OneFastCat, but we read that many people often end up upgrading anyway because OneFastCat is louder, smaller, and not as good quality.
I would not recommend it for less active cats. Izzy has not stepped a single paw onto the wheel. But! If you have a very active breed, this might be just the thing to help them get their exercise in.
What About You?
What must-haves do you recommend for cats?
Did I miss any categories you want to see?
Do I qualify as a crazy cat lady yet?
Let me know in the comments below!
