This post was updated in July of 2026 to reflect the latest options!
‘So you’re in the market for cat carrier and you want to make sure you get one that is just right for your cat. Given there are about a million options on the market you’ll want to choose one of the best cat carriers around.
Below there’s a list of some of the best carriers around and then a bunch of additional info on carrier selection and why you might need one. So get to reading, pop open the Table of Contents for easy navigation!
If you’re specifically looking for a Cat Bubble Backpack check out this article.
If your carrier’s only job is getting your cat to the vet and back a couple of times a year, you don’t need to overspend on it. The Amazon Basics Soft Sided Carrier is about as no-frills as carriers get, but it covers the basics well and won’t dent your wallet doing it.
It comes in two sizes, so measure your cat before you order instead of guessing — a carrier that’s too snug defeats the whole purpose. I wouldn’t reach for this one for a cross-country flight, but for routine trips, it’s genuinely hard to beat.
A couple items worth noting on this one:
A few things worth cautioning you about:
If you’re looking for a soft carrier that is a hefty chunk larger and has more comfort than something like the Amazon Basics carrier than the Petsfit Expandable is a great carrier to consider. Not only does it include all the major perks of the Basics carrier, but it also has some cool features like the expandable side area that gives your cat a big bump up in real estate space inside.
This is exceptionally useful when you have a long layover or a long trip in a car and you don’t want to let your cat out, but still want her to have some space for comfort or a bowl of water or food. There’s a full video review available below, but the bullets below detail it out pretty well:
A few things worth cautioning you about:
Petmate is an incredibly well known company and I see these carriers in use on a consistent basis at the shelter I volunteer at all the time. Not only are they well designed, but they are incredibly durable and they come in a varying set of sizes.
I’d highly recommend you go with the 24 inch version for any adult cat and if you have an extra large cat you might want to consider something even bigger than this. That being said, these carriers are constructed solidly and perform extremely well. You can also check out the video review below.
Key features worth noting:
A few things worth cautioning you about:
If you’ve ever tried to walk any real distance with a cat carrier digging into one shoulder, you already understand the appeal of a backpack. The Petsfit Comfort Cat Backpack puts the weight on both shoulders instead of one, which makes a real difference over any kind of distance.
It’s built for cats 15 pounds and under — I’d stick close to that ceiling, since anything bigger starts to feel genuinely cramped inside. It’s a great option if you’re the type walking your cat somewhere on a regular basis rather than just driving them to the vet twice a year.
A few items worth cautioning you about:
The original stroller pick in this spot for years was the Paws & Pals City Walk, which was genuinely the most popular pet stroller I’d come across — a favorite for older cats getting safe outdoor air, and for bonded pairs of cats who’d rather ride together than get split into separate carriers.
That exact listing has gone out of stock, so we’re pointing you toward the ZENY Foldable Pet Stroller instead, which keeps the same core idea: four wheels, an enclosed and ventilated riding area, and none of the weight resting on your arms or shoulders.
It’s a genuinely different category from a traditional carrier, worth considering if you’re regularly taking a senior cat, a nervous cat, or two cats out together rather than just to the vet.
Cautions:
The old Pet Magasin Collapsible carrier that used to hold this spot combined a firm hard-sided frame with the fold-flat convenience of a soft carrier — a nice combination, but that exact listing is gone now.
The Bejibear Large Cat Carrier for 2 Cats fills the gap with a different angle worth considering if you’ve got more than one cat: it’s sized generously enough for two, still collapsible for storage, and built to TSA’s airline-approved dimensions.
If you’ve been stuffing two kittens into a carrier meant for one, or splitting them into two separate bags they hate being apart in, this is the kind of upgrade worth a look.
The “You’ve got This” Cat Carrier has a focus on just being a genuinely good carrier for an anxious cat. It leans hard into reducing travel stress specifically, with privacy flaps and a top-load design that doesn’t require wrestling a scared cat in through a front door they can see coming. If your cat turns into a puddle of anxiety the second the carrier comes out of the closet, this is built with exactly that cat in mind.
Cautions:
Some cats handle travel fine. Others turn every car ride into a full meltdown, and if yours is the second kind, the PetLuv Premium Travel Carrier is built with exactly that cat in mind.
The roomy design and all-around windows mean your cat isn’t stuck staring at a wall of fabric the whole ride, and there are enough anxiety-focused touches here that it’s clearly designed by people who’ve dealt with a stressed-out cat before. It runs a little larger and pricier than the basics, but if travel stress is the actual problem you’re solving for, it’s worth the upgrade.
A few items worth noting on this model:
If you’re tired of a shoulder strap digging in, or your cat’s simply too heavy to comfortably carry very far, the Petsfit Rolling Cat Carrier solves that by letting you pull instead of carry. It functions basically like a small rolling suitcase, and the wheels pop off entirely if you need to store it flat or just want the option to carry it by hand for a stretch.
It’s rated to hold pets up to 28 pounds, which covers most cats with plenty of margin, but measure your own cat rather than assuming. One important note up front: this is not an airline-approved carrier, so if you’re flying, look elsewhere on this list rather than at this one.
A few things worth noting for you potential buyers:
The Jet Sitter that used to hold this spot built its whole reputation on fitting under a United Airlines seat, and I get why that mattered — I’ve flown cross-country with my own cats on United more than once, and the carrier you bring genuinely makes or breaks how smooth that day goes.
That exact listing has since gone dead, so we didn’t want to just drop the category along with it. This Airline Approved Pet Carrier steps into the same role: TSA-compliant, sized to work under most major airline seats, and expandable on four sides once you’re off the plane. If air travel with your cat is genuinely why you’re shopping right now, this is one of the stronger picks on this whole list for that specific job
There is one major item worth cautioning you about with this model:
The old Pet Magasin Luxury TSA carrier was a small, lightweight option built to squeeze under nearly any airline seat, and its replacement keeps that same job description. This soft-sided carrier is TSA and airline-approved, rated up to 16 pounds, and collapses flat when you’re not using it, all at one of the lowest price points on this entire list.
It’s not built for long-haul comfort or a giant cat, but if you need a straightforward, budget-friendly carrier that’ll actually get you and your cat through security without a hassle, this covers it.
A couple of things to consider before your make your purchase:
If you like the security of a hard-sided carrier but you’re worried about your cat being stressed out climbing into a tight opening, the SportPet Triangle Traveler solves that with a genuinely huge entrance.
It’s the kind of carrier your cat can practically walk right into on their own, rather than something you have to wrestle them through. It’s built for trips to the vet, around town, or even a longer car or train trip, and solid plastic construction means cleanup is about as easy as it gets.
It’s not built for air travel, but for everything else, it’s a strong, no-nonsense hard carrier.
A couple of items worth considering before purchase:
If your cat’s the type who wants to actually move around once you’re settled in rather than stay balled up for the whole trip, this is the carrier built for that. It’s airline-sized to clear TSA and most under-seat requirements while collapsed, but pop both the front and back panels out once you’re through security or off the plane and your cat suddenly has a lot more room to stretch, turn around, and stake out a spot.
Four separate entry points also mean you’re not stuck coaxing a stubborn cat in from one single opening — top, either side, or the front all work. It earns this label specifically because it’s one of the few picks on this list giving your cat real extra square footage without giving up airline compliance to do it.
Worth cautioning you about before purchasing:
For big cats, I’m recommending the Sivlefoss Large Cat Carrier, which covers the same “big cat” need but takes a completely different approach: instead of a rigid hard-sided kennel, it’s a soft-sided, collapsible fabric crate in the same 24-inch size class, built with a plush mat included for comfort.
If you’ve got a larger cat and you liked the old pick’s size range but not necessarily its hard-sided bulk, this is worth a look as a lighter, more packable alternative.
A few things worth cautioning you about:
This portable 2-in-1 double kennel/shelter gives your cats two separate compartments they can share or keep apart, with a seat-belt fixture built in for securing it during car travel. It’s not something you’ll be carrying long distances by hand, but as a home-away-from-home setup for outdoor time or road trips, it fills a real niche the rest of this list doesn’t cover.
Cautions:
So let’s close things up with a quick recap:
If you have any other thoughts on the cat carriers and which type you use please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article. Also feel free to point any questions my way through comments or email as well!
References: Pet Magasin, Petsfit, One4Pets & all airline sites listed above.
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Product: Litter Genie Cat Litter System
Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The Litter Genie is a great product dedicated to making the lives of cat owners easier. It does this in a couple of different ways. First and foremost it was designed to contain the smell that comes from scooped litter. It does this by using a great bagging system that essentially seals the used litter away. It is just like a Diaper Genie for those of you out there with kids!
The second major purpose was to minimize the number of trips you needed to make either with a garbage can to your litter box or from your litter box to your garbage can. The Litter Genie can easily hold about two weeks of used litter from a single cat and it is designed so that it can fit in a bunch of tight places to keep it within easy reach while not being in the way.
There is one additional bit that is in all of the materials, the plastic has added antimicrobial materials to inhibit odors caused by bacteria on the pail. While I of course can’t comment on whether it is killing microbes, I can confirm that the pale doesn’t smell!
The setup was extremely simple. Given the parts that come with it there really isn’t a ton to setup. You most just take the following actions:
Check out my video below for a full rundown on setup, use, and my general thoughts on the Litter Genie:
I give it a solid 4.5 stars, all in all it has made my life a heck of a lot easier as a cat owner. When I first got cats I was constantly dragging around a garbage can or using a boatload of shopping bags to get rid of litter and its associated smell ASAP. With the Litter Genie you get to leave all that behind.
You can leave the Litter Genie Cat Litter System right next to your litter box and easily scoop litter into it in seconds. Not only does it take care of the smell, but it saves you numerous trips to the outside garbage by successfully capturing and covering the scent up.
Click here for the latest price on Amazon.
If you have any other thoughts on the Litter Genie Plus Cat Litter Disposal System please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article.
StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Product: Petlinks Mystery Motion Automatic Toy
Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon
My Rating: 4 out of 5

Ever have the need to play with your cats but don’t have the time or the patience to do it yourself? While I highly recommend you normally play with your cats personally, I know sometimes you just have other stuff to do and you need to offload some of the responsibility to a machine! We humans do this with almost everything these days, so why not cat play time? If you aren’t quite sure why it is important to play with your cat then check this page out at VetStreet.
In the realm of automatic cat toys this has been one of my favorites so far. It has proven to engage my cats time and time again and so long as I don’t try to use it every single day I have great luck getting them to play with it for a pretty good chunk of time. They’ll pounce on it, flip it over, drag it around, and even roll all over it from time to time. Who knows what those little furballs are thinking?! Here’s a quick high level rundown of the major categories of interest though:
The setup was a breeze. The instructions are incredibly straight forward and also completely unnecessary to be honest. They only have a few simple steps. You can watch my YouTube video of the setup below, but it only took about 30 seconds once I had all of the parts out of the box.
As you can see both Lexi and Beast get a kick out of the toy. I do find that from day to day their moods vary. Sometimes they love it and they’ll play with it for 15-20 minutes and other times they’ll walk past it like it doesn’t exist. The latter tends to happen if you try to use it too often and aren’t actually engaging with your cats and playing with them yourself. Toys can only do so much to take the place of actually interacting with your furry friend!
I give it a solid 4 stars, so far it has been a great product and has helped get my cats some exercise when I am in the middle of something and don’t have time to play with them. There are of course some things that would make it better, but given that it comes in at a pretty darn affordable price point and it has held up for a good long time I am very happy with my investment so far!
One additional item to call out is that since it isn’t just a piece of string on the end it is much less likely that your cat can quickly chew it off which can result in a useless toy or a medical problem. I’ve had this trouble with the toys that automatically throw strings on a random cadence and this is an additional perk compared to those.
Click here for the latest price on Amazon.
Frequently Asked QuestionsIf you have any other thoughts on the Petlinks Mystery Motion automatic toy please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article.
StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

For anyone asking “Why would a cat need a water fountain?” please check out my article on ensuring your cat stays hydrated and why it is important. If you’ve already read it then you’re probably wondering what is the best cat water fountain, and I’ll be honest, you’ve found it right here!
The Catit Flower Fountain is a kind of like a unicorn minus the coloring of all the unicorn bread and lattes I’ve been seeing around lately. It is the best in class, but it is the best in class across a variety of different areas of interest:
All in all it is a great product in a very nice affordable price range. While there are of course more expensive water fountains out there with different features, this is definitely a great way to go, especially if you’re just choosing your first fountain.
The setup was a breeze. The instructions are incredibly straight forward and they only have a few simple steps. You can watch my YouTube video of the setup below, but it only took about 3-4 minutes once I had all of the parts out of the box.
Here’s a quick summary of the setup:
Maintenance is also quite easy. I have two cats in my house and weekly cleaning seems to work quite well for me. Here’s a quick rundown of the maintenance steps as well:
I give it a solid 4.5 stars, mostly because there are a few tiny things that could make it even better! That being said, I think this is honestly one of the best cat fountains on the market. There are only a few small things I would change with it and most of those I could see making the production of the product significantly more expensive. Accounting for everything I think this is an excellent product and you can’t go wrong with the purchase.
The Pros:
Room for Improvement
Click here for the latest price on Amazon.
If you have any other thoughts on the Catit Water Fountain please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article.
StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Feeding your cat the right food can make a huge difference in the length of their life, but it improves their quality of life as well. High quality food drives overall health and helps ensure your cat not only has a long life, but a fulfilling life as well. This usually consists of climbing into the empty boxes of the toys you bought and playing with stuff that falls out of your pocket instead of the toys you bought them. They love how much we care about them don’t they?
If you’ve already read my article on wet vs dry cat food then you know my thoughts on how to go about selecting a high quality cat food in general. If you haven’t read it yet then feel free to take a look, but I’ll also provide a brief recap here:
| Cat Food Name & Link | Rating | Price | First 5 Ingredients | All 11 Amino Acids | Grain Free? |
| Fromm Game Bird Formula | A+ | $$$ | Duck, Duck Meal, Pea Protein, Turkey, Whole Dried Eggs | No | Yes |
| Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free | A+ | $$ | Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Peas, Potatoes | No | Yes |
| Acana Wild Atlantic | A | $$$ | Whole Mackerel, Whole Herring, Whole Redfish, Silver Hake, Mackerel Meal | No | Yes |
| PETCUREAN Go! Fit+ Free Grain Free Chicken | A | $$ | Chicken Meal, De-Boned Chicken, De-Boned Turkey, Duck Meal, Turkey Meal | No | No |
| Blackwood Chicken Meal & Field Pea* | A | $$ | Chicken Meal, Whitefish Meal, Field Pea, Lentils, Chicken Fat | Yes | Yes |
*This food doesn’t appear to be available on Amazon at the moment, but you can buy it from Chewy.com at this link as well.
Now if you’re only interested in the big takeaways you can go ahead and choose from the table above, it covers all of the essentials. If on the other hand you like getting your hands dirty and you really want to get into details of each food and why I included it in the list then go ahead and keep reading.
For each of the foods listed above I’ve provided additional detail to help you make a decision. The details include the following key items:
Each of these will help round out your understanding of the 5 foods I selected and give you a bit more background to ensure you can make a fully informed decision on which foods will treat your cat the best!
We’ve tried a wide variety of Fromm formulas in the smaller 5lb bags. The cats absolutely love every single formula we’ve put down in the past few years, but this one and the Salmon Tunachovy seem to be the biggest hits within our household. Fromm particularly prides itself on the production quality of the food it makes. All bags are 100% trackable back to the source and come from one of their family owned facilities in Wisconsin. No surprise, they include cheese in a good chunk of their formulas as well. If quality is your key interest then Fromm is for you.
Average Price Per Pound: $8.99
Pros
Cons
| Guaranteed Analysis For Top 4 Items of Importance | ||||
| Category | Protein (Min) | Fat (Min) | Fiber (Max) | Moisture (Max) |
| Value | 35.00% | 18.00% | 6.00% | 10.00% |
| Value in DMB | 38.89% | 20.00% | 6.66% | N/A |
Full Ingredient List:
Duck, Duck Meal, Pea Protein,Turkey, Dried Whole Egg,Peas, Chicken Meal, Pea Flour, Dried Tomato Pomace,Potatoes, Chicken Broth,Turkey Liver, Quail, Sweet Potatoes, Salmon Oil, Chicken Fat, Chicken, Pea Fiber,Pheasant, Cheese, Flaxseed,Carrots, Broccoli, Cauliflower,Apples, Green Beans, Chicken Cartilage, Taurine, DL-Methionine, Potassium Chloride, Cranberries,Blueberries, Salt, Chicory Root Extract, Alfalfa Sprouts, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Sodium Selenite, Folic Acid, Parsley,Sorbic Acid (Preservative),Vitamins, Minerals, Probiotics.
Wellness CORE Natural Grain Free
This is a go to healthy food I’ve seen in use in multiple places from the shelter (donated) to my friends’ homes to my own home. It is at the right price point for every day use and it has an all around great set of ingredients that are all natural. On top of this it doesn’t contain any wheat, corn, soy, meat by-products, or artificial colors, flavors and preservatives.
Average Price Per Pound: $3.17
Pros
Cons
Link to the Wellness CORE Website
| Guaranteed Analysis For Top 4 Items of Importance | ||||
| Category | Protein (Min) | Fat (Min) | Fiber (Max) | Moisture (Max) |
| Value | 45.00% | 18.00% | 3.00% | 10.00% |
| Value in DMB | 50.00% | 20.00% | 3.33% | N/A |
Full Ingredient List:
Deboned Turkey, Deboned Chicken, Turkey Meal, Chicken Meal, Peas, Herring Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Ground Potatoes, Tomato Pomace, Ground Flaxseed, Natural Chicken Flavor, Salmon Oil, Cranberries, Chicory Root Extract, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Dried Kelp, Zinc Proteinate, Mixed Tocopherols (added to preserve freshness), Zinc Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Niacin, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Dried Lactobacillus plantarum Fermentation Product, Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus casei Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Rosemary Extract, Green Tea Extract, Spearmint Extract.
The first six ingredients of the cat formulation is all animal protein and it all comes from the ocean. If you’ve got a cat that has a craving for seafood then this is definitely the way to go. This is by far one of Lexi’s favorites. Despite the fact that she vacuums most things up pretty quickly, when we put this down she makes extra attempts to sneak over and get into Beast’s food. This is one of the reasons we have to have the SureFeed Cat Feeder. It stops Lexi from stealing food from Beast.
Average Price Per Pound: $5.48
Pros
Cons
| Guaranteed Analysis For Top 4 Items of Importance | ||||
| Category | Protein (Min) | Fat (Min) | Fiber (Max) | Moisture (Max) |
| Value | 35.00% | 20.00% | 4.00% | 10.00% |
| Value in DMB | 38.89% | 22.22% | 4.44% | N/A |
Full Ingredient List:
Whole Mackerel, Whole Herring, Whole Redfish, Silver Hake, Mackerel Meal, Herring Meal, Whole Green Peas, Red Lentils, Pinto Beans, Cod Meal, Catfish Oil, Pollock Meal, Chickpeas, Green Lentils, Whole Yellow Peas, Herring Oil, Flounder, Natural Fish Flavor, Sunflower Oil, Sun-Cured Alfalfa, Dried Kelp, Freeze-Dried Cod Liver, Whole Pumpkin, Whole Butternut Squash, Kale, Spinach, Mustard Greens, Collard Greens, Turnip Greens, Carrots, Apples, Pears, Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Choline Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Vitamin K, Mixed Tocopherols (Preservative), Chicory Root, Turmeric, Sarsaparilla Root, Althea Root, Rosehips, Juniper Berries, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Animalis Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Casei
PETCUREAN Go! Fit+ Free Grain Free Chicken
This is the most protein heavy of all of the dry cat foods I managed to track down. The mix is made up of chicken, turkey and duck and is intended to minimize the amount of dry food your cat eats while filling them all the way up. Sound familiar to any of us that have ever dieted? While it is still important for your cat to drink a constant supply of fresh water, this food is geared toward minimizing dehydration while maximizing protein intake.
Average Price Per Pound: $3.51
Pros
Cons
| Guaranteed Analysis For Top 4 Items of Importance | ||||
| Category | Protein (Min) | Fat (Min) | Fiber (Max) | Moisture (Max) |
| Value | 46.00% | 18.00% | 1.50% | 10.00% |
| Value in DMB | 51.11% | 20.00% | 1.67% | N/A |
Full Ingredient List:
Chicken meal, de-boned chicken, de-boned turkey, duck meal, turkey meal, salmon meal, de-boned trout, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), natural fish flavour, peas, potatoes, whole dried egg, potato flour, tapioca, de-boned salmon, de-boned duck, salmon oil, pumpkin, apples, carrots, bananas, blueberries, cranberries, lentil beans, broccoli, spinach, cottage cheese, alfalfa, sweet potatoes, blackberries, papayas, pineapple, phosphoric acid, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, DL-methionine, taurine, choline chloride, dried chicory root, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Aspergillus niger fermentation product, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation product, vitamins (vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin, inositol, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (a source of vitamin C), thiamine mononitrate, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, beta-carotene, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, zinc oxide, manganese proteinate, copper sulphate, calcium iodate, ferrous sulphate, manganous oxide, sodium selenite), yucca schidigera extract, yeast extract, dried rosemary.
Blackwood Chicken Meal & Field Pea* & Link to Chewy.com
If you’re looking for a company that makes excellent food that cats simply love to eat, look no further than Blackwood. Lexi and Beast both absolutely love the food from Blackwood, especially this particular formula. Beast will chomp this all day if I don’t put some of her other food down first or at least mix it together. It has the added benefit of being the cheapest high quality food on this list and that is actually another reason it one of my favorites.
*This food doesn’t appear to be available on Amazon at the moment so I’ve included a link at Chewy above as well.
Average Price Per Pound: $2.87
Pros
Cons
| Guaranteed Analysis For Top 4 Items of Importance | ||||
| Category | Protein (Min) | Fat (Min) | Fiber (Max) | Moisture (Max) |
| Value | 40.00% | 18.00% | 4.00% | 10.00% |
| Value in DMB | 44.44% | 20.00% | 4.44% | N/A |
Full Ingredient List:
Chicken Meal, Whitefish Meal, Field Pea, Lentils, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Chick Peas, Egg Product, Tapioca Starch, Brewers Dried Yeast, Natural Flavor, Menhaden Fish Oil, Carrots, Celery, Beets, Parsley, Lettuce, Watercress, Spinach, Canola Oil, Lecithin, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Taurine, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Calcium Carbonate, L-Lysine, Potassium Chloride, Blueberry, Cranberry, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Organic Dried Kelp, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Biotin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Citric Acid, Folic Acid, Iron Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate.
One thing worth keeping in mind is that all 5 of these foods worked well for my cats and my foster cats in some way shape or form. Some of them love all five and some of them are really focused on one in particular. The fact is that with any of the five above you really can’t go wrong, it’s just a matter of preference for you and for your cat. My little grey cat Beast definitely loves the Blackwood, I think in particular cause she gets to crunch on the bigger triangle shaped kibble, but who knows.
I’ve also had plenty of luck mixing them all together into a big bin and then serving them up together so if a cat doesn’t like one they have another to choose from. I have the luxury of my two resident cats eating pretty much anything I put in front of them even if they do have specific likes. If you don’t have that luck you might need to pick and choose and try different recipes one at a time until you find something they like.
If you can’t make a decision with the information I’ve provided feel free to dig into things in more depth in the following articles:
If you have any other thoughts on selecting the right dry food then please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article or respond to you personally.
StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Product: Sunny Seat Large Cat Window Perch / Sunny Seat Window Mount Cat Bed
Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon
My Rating: 4 out of 5

The Sunny Seat Cat Window Bed is a product that is designed to serve as a large cat window perch. It will make your cat love you far more than they currently do, especially if you live in a place where your windows provide a good view in the sun. I live in what is called a garden unit in Chicago, this essentially means that more than half of my home is underground. It is great for keeping the place cool in the summer and reducing the heating bill, but it certainly leaves a lot to want for if you’re a cat on a window sill.
This window bed enabled me to very easily get my cats a vantage point a lot higher than the window sill so they can actually see things passing by at street level, something they relish in. It also gave them a place to lay right in the sun and fall asleep while still being up high and off the ground, something cats are driven to prefer based on their instincts. One additional thing they love is the fact that I stuck a see through bird feeder right on the other side of the window so when they are in the bed they can see all of the birds come back and forth to eat. It keeps them engaged and awake for long periods of time.
I never take the bed down through any of the four seasons, so it has gone through numerous temperature fluctuations on the window as well. It only fell down once or twice in the two year period I had it up. After two years though the suction cups finally gave out permanently and I had to purchase a new one. All in all I’m very happy with the life of the product given the cost.
This is also one of the Best 10 Cat Window Beds that I found in 2017.
Setting up the bed was a breeze. It comes with a single page set of instructions that are straight forward. It essentially asks you to:
I’ve created the following video if you want to watch the construction and hanging in action:
I’ve also just included some simple directions with step by step pictures. Either way you should have no trouble:
You can then manually test the bed using your hand by pressing down on it firmly to make sure it doesn’t immediately pop off of the window. This will ensure your cat doesn’t get freaked out by the bed because it falls down the first time they hop themselves up into it.
One additional word to the wise. Do not set the bed up where your cat has to jump into it unless you have no other choice. What I mean is don’t make them hop up 2-3 feet into the bed. While the bed should hold and mine did for a while when setup this way, it will make the suction cups give way a lot easier and could result in an injured & scared cat.
It was quite easy to get both of my cats to use the window bed. Since cats are innately curious and love to get themselves into high places they were already exploring right around it as soon as it was installed on the window. The clincher for Beast was simply putting a few of her cat treats in the area and then up on the bed itself. Just like the trail of bread Hansel and Gretel left, Beast found her way up there by looking for each treat and then chomping it down.
Lexi on the other hand was more interested in going wherever Beast went. She started climbing up there once Beast started sleeping up there. It didn’t take long for her to get curious enough and jump up there herself and laze about in the sun for a while, sometimes right on top of Beast.
I give it a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars. I’m very happy with the purchase, especially at the very affordable price point you can pick this bed up at. There are numerous other versions out there, but this one worked incredibly well for me right out of the box.
The Pros:
Room for Improvement
If you have any other thoughts on the Sunny Seat Large Cat Window Perch please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article.
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If you have a cat, that cat is going to watch to scratch. And unfortunately they often want to scratch something you don’t want them scratching. The only real exception to cats wanting to scratch is if a cat has been declawed.
While I highly recommend you do not declaw your cat, even cats that have been declawed still tend to exhibit many of the behaviors of cats that do still have their claws, so a scratching post could still come in handy to some extent.
But if you’re wondering why you might need a scratching post, there are a couple of great reasons that cats scratch:
The most simple reason to purchase a scratching post is to avoid the frustration and the cost of damage caused by your cat scratching other things in your house. Cats without an appropriate scratching post or surface will scratch anything from your molding to your door to your couch to your carpet.
Not only will they do this constantly, but the damage will mount quickly and the costs can be astronomical, especially if you own nice furniture or live in a place that has a large security deposit you might end up losing.
Bottom line, buying a high quality scratching post can help save you a lot of money and hassle in the long run by providing an approved place for your cat to scratch.
I highly recommend this post for you and your cats, it gets a solid 5 out of 5 stars. I tried various other smaller posts as well as several horizontal scratchers that lay on the floor.
To say the least I had nowhere near the same interest or success with getting my cats or any of my foster cats to use them on a consistent basis.

Unfortunately a lot of other posts also run the same if not more from a cost perspective and just don’t seem to be as effective. You can see Beast, my smaller cat, really getting a fully stretch while scratching the post up.
She loves it and uses it just in passing all the time. There’s plenty of room at the top for a larger cat to get a good full stretch in as well.

One of the easiest cat products to build that I have ever encountered. It has two screws and you basically screw the base into the actual post. It doesn’t get much easier than this unless it comes fully assembled.
If you have used the SmartCat scratcher and had good luck or bad luck with it then please leave a comment below. If you have any additional items you’d like to see added to this post then please comment below or directly email me at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update the information here.
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Product: SureFeed Microchip Feeder
Cheapest Place to Buy: Amazon
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The SureFeed Microchip Feeder is a product that is designed to serve two basic purposes:
The feeder works on a simple premise. Any cat that has a microchip can be ‘keyed’ to the feeder and then when that cat gets nearby the feeder it will pop open to allow them access. When that cat steps away the feeder will close up again blocking access to other pets. Note that the feeder can hold up to 32 microchip IDs at the same time, so even if you have a boatload of cats you should still be able to grant all of them access to a single feeder if that is your desire.
The first time I saw this online I had just gotten my first cat Beast. I thought to myself ‘What would you ever need something like that for?’ and that ‘Only people who spoil their pets beyond belief would get something like this.’ Apparently I was wrong on the latter and I quickly realized why I might need it.
There are a couple of reasons you might want this, but the primary reason is to control which pets can get to which food so you can easily manage the amount they eat on a daily basis. In my house we have two cats, Lexi and Beast. Lexi is super food motivated and acts like a Hoover when food gets set down. Not only did this cause her to quickly gain weight, over two pounds in about six months, it also caused our other cat Beast to get far less food because Lexi kept eating it all!
Beast on the other hand exacerbated the issue because Beast is a grazer, she eats a bunch of micro meals through out the day. She stops in for a few crunches, walks away, stops back in an hour later, walks away. We couldn’t just put them in separate rooms for 30 minutes to eat and then let them go free the rest of the day. Beast would barely eat anything this way because we’d have to pick up her food when we let her out so Lexi wouldn’t eat it.
So How Does the Feeder Solve the Problem?There’s a small button on the back of the feeder that let’s you quickly ‘Add’ a cat to the feeder (see the cat with the + sign). Essentially you push this button and then put food in the feeder. When your cat comes to the feeder and eats from it the feeder will ‘learn’ the microchip ID and log it to memory for all time, even if the batteries get pulled out. Pretty cool right?
Now every time that cat comes back to the feeder it will pop open and if they step away it will close back up. Only that cat can open the feeder until/unless you add another. If you want to add additional cats you can just go through the same process again with another cat, up to 32 cats. Super easy, it only takes a few seconds!
Once the microchip ID has been learned you can very easily start the training process for your cat. Training process?!? What training process? Some cats don’t require the training process at all, but some are a little bit skittish because the feeder makes a little bit of noise when it opens and closes.
My cat Beast is a giant wimp and runs from most things that make noise, but it only ended up taking her about 2 days of the training process to learn how to use the feeder. The training process basically modifies how much the lid the moves when your cat gets near the feeder. The first step moves it only a tiny bit so it makes only a little noise. As your cat progresses through training the lid will move more and more close to closing and opening completely.
This was incredibly easy for me with a very skittish little furball, so I imagine even if your cat is quite easily startled you shouldn’t have much problem at all. Once training is done, you’re done. You just fill the feeder like you would your cats regular bowl and set it down!
I give it a solid 4.5 out of 5 stars. I’m very happy with the purchase despite initially thinking it was quite expensive. The simple fact of the matter is, if my food motivated cat Lexi gets overweight and then sick because of it…the cost of treating her will far outweigh the investment in a decent feeder that stops her from stealing food from Beast.
The Pros:
Room for Improvement
What’s In the Box?If you have any other thoughts on the SureFeed Microchip Pet Feeder please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article.
StuffCatsWant.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

While not all cats use litter, the bulk of them certainly do. It is usually the easiest way for us humans to provide a good place for the cats to relieve themselves. But litter can be a pain in the neck. Anyone who has picked up a couple 40+ pound bags of litter can relate.
The biggest hassle though, is litter tracking. You’re walking around on your nice clean floor and ugh…You now have litter stuck all over the bottom of your feet. Gross, and it can be really painful too. Or probably the worst, when you find a streak of something on your table or counter.
Let’s dig into how to stop cat litter tracking for good.
While litter ends up all over your house for multiple reasons, the biggest one is often the litter box itself. The biggest reason is just that the litter box doesn’t contain it when your cat decides to kick litter everywhere.
Most traditional litter boxes only have walls that stand 5 or 6 inches. This means when your kitty tries to bury their business they end up scattering litter all over. Once it is on the floor it will track it all over the place. You’ll want to consider a couple of options to help alleviate this problem:
While a high sided box or a fully enclosed box is the first step, it typically won’t stop litter tracking completely. There are mats that are custom designed to trap litter as your cat exits the litter box. Here are comprehensive reviews of the most well known:
A good mat is imperative. It’ll do way more than any regular rug you can find because of the special design, they are also a heck of a lot easier to empty than your traditional rugs.
That rhymes and you know it rhymes. But in all seriousness, litter itself comes in a bunch of different forms. Your standard clumping litter is the most likely type to stick to your cat and get tracked out of the box.
You might consider switching to another litter. If you do decide to make a switch be sure to read up on switching out your litter gradually. While some cats are fine with a quick switch, most aren’t too happy if you switch litters on them all of a sudden.
While this is probably a last resort, and should be handled by a professional unless you have a super relaxed cat, you can get the fur between your cats paw pads shortened up. With long haired cats especially, this can be one of the biggest reasons that litter gets stuck to their feet. Shortening the hair up a bit can help keep the litter sticking to a minimum.

All of these methods will inch you toward a tracking free household, but very likely you’ll still get a few little bits here and there outside the litter box.
If you’ve got wood or tile floors keep a broom and a dustpan nearby and sweep the area on a consistent basis.
If a broom won’t work consider a dust buster. My wife and I have The Shark and it does a great job not only for litter, but also for cat hair as well. The more you confine the mess the less it’ll get out and about!
Changing the Game CompletelyNow there is one other option available for those of you that wish transcend us mere mortals that still use litter on a daily basis. Cats, especially younger cats, can be trained to actually use the toilet. I have never even attempted this method, but you can find details on such methods in a couple of different places:
You really shouldn’t attempt this if your cat is older or if they might have any injuries because it can make it way too difficult for the cat to get up onto the toilet. This is also noted as a long and arduous process, so it isn’t for the faint of heart. One last thing to keep in mind, in general cats don’t flush, so you might constantly be finding stuff in your toilet….
If you have any other thoughts on how to stop cat litter tracking then please leave a comment below or send me an email at Craig@StuffCatsWant.com so I can update this article.
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If you’re in the process of adopting a cat you’re going to want to know all of the things you might need for your cat before you bring him or her home. But you might have never had a cat before and you might be asking yourself “What do I need to adopt a cat?” This post is directed toward helping you identify a breakdown of specific products that fall into each category outlined in my Cat Adoption Kit post. If you don’t know what types of stuff you need yet or why you might need it you might want to read that post first. If you’ve already read it and you’re ready for a breakdown of great products then please continue on below!
Here’s a quick list of all of the things you need, feel free to click the link to get to that exact product on the page:
Do note as you move through all of these different products and links that these are based on my own opinion on these products. They may not be as effective with some cats as they are with others, but in general I’ve recommended what I think will be best with your average cat! If you have any questions or any comments then please do let me know below!
The litter box is a clear essential for any cat. Let’s look at a couple of different options you have available from a litter box perspective:
| Clumping | Non Clumping | Crystals |
Precious Cats Clumping Litter |
Fresh Scent Clay Scented |
|
| Clumping litter is probably the most standard litter out there. It absorbs moisture to form clumps and makes it easier to scoop, but it can also stick to your cats feet and hair in the process resulting in tracking (dragging litter out of the box into the house). | Non Clumping litter is intended to help solve the problem of tracking, but it does tend to make scooping a bit more of a hassle because not everything will ‘stick together’ as you scoop. | Crystals are a good alternative to litter, but they function based on absorbing cat urine and you have to just scoop poop off the top. While they are great to avoid tracking my personal experience is they start to smell bad after a week or so and require replacement. It can get expensive to constantly replace crystals. |
| The One and Only Litter Genie |
The Litter Genie |
| By far the best investment you can make in litter cleanup if you are still scooping manually! This is a life saver in saving you trips back and forth to the garbage can and dropping litter everywhere. |
| Budget (Plastic) | Mid Range (Metal) | My Favorite (Metal) |
Petmate Ultimate Litter Scoop |
Endurance Stainless Steel Scoop |
|
| Plastic scoops work well and get the job done, but over time they will start to crack and break and you’ll have to go get another. The is especially true in a large/deep litter box where the scoop will flex more toward the back. | Metal scoops are far sturdier and will take a much better beating over the long haul. This scoop in particular is completely made of stainless steel so it lasts well, but the handle isn’t as comfy as a rubber covered one. | This is an excellent scoop. It has a super comfortable handle and more importantly, it has lasted an extremely long time being used on a daily basis. I highly recommend this scoop! |
| Option 1 Wet Food | Option 2 Wet Food | Dry Food |
Purina Fancy Feast Variety Pack |
||
| This is a go to option to get some variety in a large package. This makes sure you get a lot for your money, but you don’t get all the same thing which might bore your cat. | This option is grain free and there are a wide variety of flavors available. I’ve found the Ocean Whitefish is one the favorites in my house. | This is one of my go to foods when I bring home a new foster cat that is in adult. They typically love it and it is at an affordable price point. |
One additional note on food. In general cats tend to like variety in their food. If you feed them the same thing over and over then they will often get bored of it and sometimes stop eating it. New cats might also have a specific taste for some kind of food or another. You should definitely ask the rescue/shelter what type of food the cat has been eating in the past and buy some of that. If not, I highly recommend trying a wide selection of different foods as opposed to buying a ton of one specific kind.
| Soft Carrier Option 1 | Soft Carrier Option 2 |
Amazon Basics Soft Carrier |
PawFect Soft Pet Carrier |
| The basic carrier was the first carrier I ever had. It works great, especially if you only transport your cat to the vet and back for the most part. | Once we got a second cat we needed a bit larger of a carrier and a second one in case both cats had to travel at the same time. This was a slight upgrade in cost, but it is far more comfy inside and the carrying strap is far more comfortable in my opinion. |
Note that I don’t specifically recommend hard carriers. Plenty of people use them, but I’ve personally not found any need for a hard carrier and they are a much more difficult item to break down and store in a small space. I would personally avoid them unless you need something that might go in the back of a car where something could potentially fall on top of it. This is just a personal preference.
| Vertical Scratching Post | Horizontal Post |
| Cat Scratching Board |
|
| Hands down the best scratching post I’ve had. It is tall enough for most any cat, has lasted for years, and it is easy to rub cat nip into it to keep the cats using it instead of the carpet. | This kind of board works really well in the case that your cat doesn’t like something standing up. Every cat is different, but I’ve found most prefer vertical scratching posts. |
If you have any questions on how to ensure your cat uses the scratching post please check out my post on ensuring your cat doesn’t scratch up your furniture.
| Cheap & Effective Clippers |
Safari Professional Nail Clippers |
| These are some of the cheapest clippers on the market and they are remarkably durable and effective. I highly recommend them. |
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