What does a cat actually need day to day?

The practical daily and weekly requirements of keeping a cat well, and the signs that warrant a vet.

Difficulty: beginner
Time: 30 min
Read: 2 min
Safety: caution

Short answer

Fresh water, appropriate food, a clean litter tray, and somewhere high and quiet to retreat to. Litter trays should be cleaned daily and there should be one more tray than there are cats. Changes in eating, drinking, toileting or hiding are the signs worth acting on.

Cats are undemanding in some ways and specific in others. Most avoidable problems come from litter tray management, water intake, and not noticing early behavioural changes — cats conceal illness well, so a change in routine is often the first sign.

Safety

Straining to urinate, particularly in male cats, is a medical emergency and needs a vet immediately. Sudden changes in appetite, drinking, weight or litter tray habits all warrant veterinary advice. Lilies are highly toxic to cats, as are antifreeze, paracetamol and several common houseplants — keep all of them away entirely.

What you'll need

Food and water bowls
Litter tray and litter
Scratching post
Carrier (optional)
Cat flap (optional)

Step by step

Provide fresh water daily, in a wide shallow bowl away from the food.Cats often dislike drinking next to food, and whiskers touching a narrow bowl puts many off. Some prefer running water.
Feed appropriate food in measured amounts rather than free-feeding.Obesity is one of the most common preventable health problems in cats. The packaging gives a guide by weight.
Clean the litter tray daily and change it completely weekly.Cats will avoid a dirty tray, and toileting elsewhere is usually a tray problem rather than behaviour.
Provide one more litter tray than you have cats.The standard guidance. Cats can be territorial about trays, and a shortage causes problems.
Give somewhere high and somewhere enclosed to retreat to.Cats manage stress by getting up high or hiding. Both matter, particularly in a busy household.
Provide a scratching post and place it where the cat already scratches.Scratching is normal and necessary. Providing an acceptable target works; discouraging it alone does not.
Keep up flea, worming and vaccination schedules.Your vet will advise the appropriate intervals for your cat's circumstances.
Notice changes in eating, drinking, toileting, grooming and hiding.Cats conceal illness. A change in routine is often the earliest sign and is worth acting on.

Tips

Increased drinking is a significant sign in cats and warrants a vet visit rather than watching and waiting.
Playing with a cat for ten minutes twice a day meets a genuine need and reduces a lot of problem behaviour.
Getting a cat used to a carrier when nothing stressful is happening makes vet visits considerably easier for everyone.

Common mistakes

Too few litter trays — Cats can be territorial about trays, and a shortage is a common cause of toileting elsewhere.
Free-feeding — Obesity is one of the most common preventable health problems in cats.
Keeping lilies in a house with a cat — All parts are highly toxic to cats, including the pollen, and exposure is frequently fatal.

Questions people ask

How many litter trays does a cat need?

One more than the number of cats. Two cats need three trays. Cats can be territorial about them, and a shortage is a common cause of toileting outside the tray.

When should I take a cat to the vet?

Any sudden change in eating, drinking, weight, toileting or behaviour. Straining to urinate is an emergency, particularly in male cats, and needs immediate attention.