CatMatch My selection FR

Everything you need before the arrival.

19 purchases examined, 16 essentials and 3 comfort extras: what each is for, what it costs, and in what order to buy. The same list we recommend at the end of every quiz. Updated June 11, 2026.

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100 to 250 € Bare minimum, day one

276 to 760 € Full kit, extras excluded

D minus 3 Order ahead

The right reflex: order everything two or three days before the arrival. Gear set up in advance picks up the smell of the home, and your cat discovers a territory that is already prepared instead of a building site of cardboard boxes. The scratching post and the cat tree go up first, on the routes the cat will use: that is where it will mark.

01 / 05

Day one, the essentials

Without these six basics, the arrival will not go smoothly. This is the bare minimum for your cat to eat, sleep and use a litter box from the first hour.

Carrier

€25 to 60

Required for the ride home, then for every vet visit. Rigid and stable, it reassures the animal.

Covered litter box

€25 to 60

A hooded box limits scatter and odor. Count one box per cat, plus a spare when they share the home.

Clumping litter

€10 to 20

Clumping litter makes daily scooping simple and makes any change in urine visible, a health signal worth watching.

Ceramic bowls

€10 to 25

Ceramic cleans easily and holds no odor; the weight keeps the bowls from travelling around the kitchen.

Quality dry food

€20 to 45

Start with the brand used by the breeder or the shelter, then adjust. Every CatMatch breed page recommends a suitable range.

Scratching post

€10 to 40

In place from day one, it saves your sofa: a cat scratches to mark territory, so give it the right target straight away.

02 / 05

Comfort and calm

Arriving is a major stress, for a kitten as much as for an adult. These four purchases speed up the first few weeks of settling in.

Cat tree

€60 to 250

Lookout, scratching post and bed in one, the best value purchase on the list. Go XXL for large breeds (Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest).

Soft bed

€15 to 40

A retreat of its own, up high or in a quiet corner, where nobody comes to bother it.

Water fountain

€25 to 50

Cats drink little on their own, and running water draws them in. A modest purchase that helps keep hydration up day to day.

Calming diffuser

€20 to 35

Synthetic pheromones (Feliway and similar) can help settle the first few days. Plug it in a few days before the arrival.

03 / 05

Grooming and hygiene

Three tools, and upkeep becomes a five-minute routine rather than a chore.

Brush matched to the coat

€10 to 40

Long coat: daily brushing against mats. Short coat: once a week is enough, more often during the molt.

Nail clippers

€8 to 15

For an indoor cat, a trim every 3-4 weeks prevents ingrown claws and snagged fabric.

Litter mat

€10 to 20

Placed in front of the box, it catches the granules stuck between the toes, no more litter across the apartment.

04 / 05

Play and stimulation

Fifteen minutes of play a day helps limit boredom, weight gain and 3 a.m. mischief. Vary the kinds of toys.

Wand toy

€8 to 15

The bonding toy par excellence: it gets the cat running while building the relationship with you.

Set of solo toys

€10 to 20

Balls, mice, kickers: something to do alone while you work. Rotate them to keep the novelty going.

Slow-feeder bowl

€10 to 25

Slows down fast eaters and puts the hunting instinct to work at mealtime. Recommended for indoor cats.

05 / 05

Nice to have (optional)

Nothing essential here, but if the budget allows, these three change daily life, yours as much as theirs.

Self-cleaning litter box

€200 to 600

The real luxury: no daily scooping, and a log of every visit to the box. The adoption gift par excellence.

Automatic feeder

€50 to 120

Split meals at fixed times, even when you are out, the cat's natural feeding rhythm.

Microchip cat flap

€80 to 160

If your cat is to have outdoor access: it only opens for them, thanks to their identification chip.

What about health?

The one item you cannot buy on a marketplace: pet insurance. Waiting periods start the day you sign up, so comparing before you adopt shortens the window during which your cat is not yet covered.

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