Cats are easier to live with than dogs and harder than goldfish. They sleep most of the day. They use a litter box without training. They ask for less attention than people expect. They also live 15 to 20 years, get expensive when sick, and don't reset their habits when you move house. Get the early decisions right and the rest is mostly easy.
Before you adopt
Think honestly about your situation.
Time. A cat is not low-maintenance. They need daily play, daily feeding on a schedule, daily litter scooping, and someone home most nights. Travel often? Budget for a sitter or a cattery.
Money. First year runs higher than later years. Supplies, vet visits, spay or neuter, microchip. Budget for unexpected vet bills too. A friend of mine spent $3,400 on a urinary blockage in year two. Insurance is worth the maths.
Space. A small flat is fine for one cat with good vertical space. Two cats need room to avoid each other when they want to.
Other pets and people. Allergic? Test before you commit. Cat allergies don't usually fade. A resident dog or cat adds weeks to the introduction timeline.
Lifespan. Plan for 15 to 20 years. Where will you be in 2040? If the answer is unclear, foster first.
Picking the right cat
Adopt rather than buy if you can. Shelters are full of healthy cats, often already vaccinated, neutered, and assessed for temperament. Rescues know their animals and will tell you who fits a quiet flat versus a busy family.
A few rules of thumb:
- Kittens are work. Cute, destructive, and need socialising. Get two if you adopt one. They teach each other manners and burn each other out.
- Adult cats are underrated. Personality is visible, energy level is settled, and many are already litter-trained and people-friendly. My current cat came to me at four and was the calmest housemate I've ever had.
- Senior cats are bargains. Lower energy, often the calmest companions, and shelters waive fees. Health costs go up. Everything else goes down.
- Breed matters less than individual temperament. Meet the cat. Watch how they respond to handling, noise, and other animals.
Set up the home
Before pickup day, do two things: cat-proof every room and buy the essential supplies.
Cat-proofing means walking the house at cat height. Lilies go out entirely. Cords get taped down. Windows and balconies get secure mesh. Cats fall from heights more often than people expect, and few survive a high-rise fall. Lock away cleaning chemicals, human medicine, and small swallowables like hair ties and string.
The supply list is short. Litter box and litter, stainless or ceramic bowls, a tall scratching post, a hard carrier with a top hatch, a soft bed or blanket, a wand toy, a brush, and nail clippers. Skip the expensive cat tree until you've watched your cat for a fortnight and know what they actually use. (I bought a $200 cat tree for my first cat. He slept exclusively in a cardboard Amazon box for six months. The cat tree became a coat rack.)
The first day and week
Set up one quiet room with food, water, litter, a hiding spot, and the bed. A bedroom or study works. Put the carrier on the floor, open the door, and walk away. Let the cat come out on their own clock.
Sit on the floor in the room a few times a day. Don't lift them. Don't chase them. Slow blinks beat forced cuddles. Once they're confident in that room (eating, using the litter, exploring), open the door to one more room. Add rooms gradually over a week or two.
Resident pets meet through a closed door first. Swap blankets between the rooms so each animal gets used to the other's smell before they see each other. A full introduction can take three or four weeks. Rushing it sets the relationship back months. The fuller routine is in bringing home a cat.
The first vet visit
Book a check-up in the first week or two, even if your cat looks healthy. Cats hide illness. The first vet visit covers a nose-to-tail exam, parasite screening, microchipping if needed, and the start of vaccinations.
Core vaccines are FVRCP (panleukopenia, calicivirus, herpesvirus) on a kitten schedule, plus rabies and FeLV depending on where you live and whether the cat goes outside. Spay or neuter around six months. Deworm twice a year. Use monthly flea and tick prevention. Set calendar reminders so boosters don't slip.
Indoor, outdoor, or somewhere between
The indoor vs outdoor decision shapes the cat's life. Indoor cats live longer. Often 12 to 18 years versus 2 to 5 for free-roamers. But they need enrichment to stay content. Outdoor access adds variety and exercise. It also adds cars, fights, predators, and a hit on local wildlife.
A catio, a cat-fenced garden, or supervised harness time gives a cat the smells and sun of outdoors without the dangers. For most cats in most modern environments, indoor with serious enrichment is the better trade.
What "serious enrichment" looks like
A bored indoor cat will overgroom, scratch furniture, or wake you at 4am. A stimulated one sleeps through the night.
- Two ten-minute wand-toy sessions a day. Move the toy like prey.
- Vertical space: a tall scratching post, a window perch, shelves to climb.
- Puzzle feeders or scattered kibble for at least one meal a day.
- A window with bird activity outside. A feeder on the other side of the glass is hours of entertainment. My cat watches the bird feeder more than I watch TV.
- Rotate toys weekly instead of leaving them all out.
The long view
The early weeks feel intense. The next decade is mostly easy. Feed on a schedule. Scoop daily. Brush weekly. Play daily. Vet yearly. Watch their weight. Most indoor cats are heavier than they should be, and a lean cat lives years longer. Trust their pace. They will tell you what they need, in slow blinks and head bumps, once they know you're listening.