Best feather toy
Go Cat
Go Cat Da Bird Single Pole Feather Teaser Wand
4.8
🪶 Best Feather Toy
Tradeoff: String and feathers are a swallow risk — put it away between sessions.
Cat Supplies & Gear
Cat gear rewards thinking about where a thing goes as much as which thing it is. A tree in a corner nobody sits in gets ignored; the same tree at a window overlooking the street becomes the most-used object in the house. Vertical space, hiding places and a window view are the cheapest enrichment available.
Start here
- Stability beats plush. A tree that rocks when a cat lands on the top perch gets abandoned, and no covering fixes that.
- Woven sisal fabric outlasts wrapped sisal rope, which unravels. Carpet-covered posts teach a cat that carpet is for scratching.
- Buy the carrier for the vet visits you will have, not the one you are having: a top-loading or fully openable hard carrier makes getting a reluctant cat in and out far easier.
- Fountains help cats that ignore still water, but only if the filter and pump get cleaned on schedule.
- Placement beats product in almost every category here. Put the thing where the cat already goes.
Buying guides & comparisons
- Ceramic vs. Stainless Steel vs. Plastic Cat BowlsStainless steel is the easiest to keep clean and hardest to damage. Here's how ceramic and plastic compare, and when each one actually makes sense.
- Hard-Sided vs. Soft-Sided vs. Backpack Cat CarriersHard-sided carriers hold shape and clean up best, soft-sided packs lighter for travel, and backpacks suit specific situations. Here's how to pick.
- How to choose a cat carrier: the specs that matter at the vetTop-loading beats front-loading, a removable lid beats both, and size is measured by your cat lying down. Here is how to pick a carrier you will not replace.
- How to choose a cat tree: the five specs that actually matterHeight, base stability, perch shape, covering material and placement decide whether a cat tree gets used. Here is how to weigh all five before you buy.
- Sisal vs cardboard vs carpet: which cat scratcher material winsSisal lasts longest, cardboard is cheapest and messiest, and carpet quietly teaches your cat that your floor is fair game. Here is how to choose.
Learn
15 guides on supplies & gear, grouped by what you're trying to work out.
Trees, perches & vertical space
Stability, height, perch size, window perches, wall shelves, and where to put them.
- Cat trees for small apartments: how to get height without losing the roomIn a small flat the constraint is floor area, not budget. Here is how to buy vertical, place a tree so it disappears, and get the same use from less furniture.4 min read
- Why does my cat tree wobble, and how do I fix it?A wobbling cat tree gets abandoned. Here is what causes the sway — base footprint, weight, loose bolts, carpet — and the four fixes that actually hold.4 min read
- Window perches and wall shelves: do they beat a cat tree?Window perches and wall shelves buy vertical space without floor space. Here is what each mounting type holds, where they fail, and when a tree is still better.4 min read
Scratchers & posts
Sisal versus cardboard, vertical versus horizontal, height, and replacement posts.
- How tall does a cat scratching post need to be?Most posts sold are too short. Measure your cat at full stretch, add clearance, and you get the number that decides whether the post gets used at all.5 min read
- Wall-mounted and furniture-style cat scratchers: what to know before you mount oneWall scratchers free up floor space and cannot wobble. Furniture-style ones hide in a living room. Both have real limits — here is where each one works.5 min read
- When to replace a worn cat scratching post (and when not to)A shabby post is often the one your cat likes best. Replace on grip and structure, not on looks — here are the four signs that actually mean it is finished.4 min read
Carriers & travel gear
Hard versus soft, top-loading designs, carrier training, and airline-size carriers.
- Carrier Setup and How to Secure It in the CarAn unsecured carrier becomes a projectile in a sudden stop. Here's where to place it, how to belt it in, and what to put inside for the ride.5 min read
- How to Get a Cat Into a Carrier Without a FightLeave the carrier out as furniture, load from behind with the door up, and skip the chase entirely. A step-by-step method that works on most cats.5 min read
Bowls & water fountains
Materials, whisker fatigue, raised bowls, fountains, and keeping either one clean.
- Do Cat Water Fountains Actually Help?Fountains genuinely increase how much some cats drink, mainly by moving water. Here's what's actually observed versus what's marketing claim.5 min read
- How to Clean and Maintain Cat Bowls and FountainsFood bowls need daily washing, water needs a daily refresh, and fountains need a weekly teardown. Here's a schedule that actually keeps up with biofilm.5 min read
- Whisker Fatigue and Bowl Shape: What's Evidence, What's FolkloreWhisker fatigue is a plausible, widely repeated claim with almost no formal research behind it. Here's what's actually observed and what's marketing.4 min read
Toys & enrichment
Wand toys, solo toys, puzzle feeders, catnip and silvervine, and rotating what is out.
- Catnip, Silvervine and Honeysuckle: What Actually WorksRoughly a third of cats ignore catnip entirely. What each plant does, why some cats do not respond, and how to use them without wearing out the effect.4 min read
- Enrichment for an Indoor-Only Cat: A Practical SetupVertical space, window access, foraging and rotation: how to build a home an indoor cat can use, and what boredom looks like before it becomes a problem.4 min read
- Puzzle Feeders and Food-Based Enrichment for CatsPuzzle feeders slow eating and add mental work to a meal your cat gets anyway. Here's how to introduce one without a hungry, frustrated cat.5 min read
- Wand Toys: How to Actually Play With a CatMove the toy like prey, not a stick, and always let your cat catch it. A step-by-step method for wand play that keeps cats genuinely engaged.5 min read
Gear for supplies & gear
Researched picks from the categories this section covers.
Best premium heavy-duty post
MidWest
MidWest Feline Nuvo Grand Forte Scratching Post (41")
4.7
🏋️ Best Premium Heavy-Duty Post
Tradeoff: Premium price — for cats that really work the post.
Best overall cat toy
Catstages
Catstages Tower of Tracks 3-Level Cat Toy
4.7
🏆 Best Overall Cat Toy
Tradeoff: It clatters on hardwood — expect to hear it at 3 a.m.
Best premium cat tree
Mau Lifestyle
Mau Cento Modern Wood Cat Tree
4.6
The furniture-grade tree: real wood branches, washable cushions, and a silhouette you'd choose even without a cat.
Tradeoff: You're paying furniture prices for pet furniture.
$200–$320Check Price — Best premium cat tree
Best overall vertical scratching post
SmartCat
SmartCat Pioneer Pet Ultimate Scratching Post (Beige)
4.6
🏆 Best Overall Vertical Scratching Post
Tradeoff: No perches — it's a post, not a tree.
Best-looking cat tree
Vesper
Vesper High Base Cat Tree
4.5
The design pick — walnut-look laminate, memory-foam cushions, and a cube den that looks like furniture, not carpet-covered plywood.
Tradeoff: Pricier per level of height.
$115–$175Check Price — Best-looking cat tree
What to know about supplies & gear
Trees, scratchers, carriers, and fountains — compared on stability, not marketing. Cat gear rewards thinking about where a thing goes as much as which thing it is. A tree in a corner nobody sits in gets ignored; the same tree at a window overlooking the street becomes the most-used object in the house. A scratching post beside the sofa being shredded works, and one in the spare room does not. Carriers are worth buying for the vet visits you will have rather than the one you are having: a top-loading or fully openable hard carrier makes getting a reluctant cat in and out far easier than a front-hatch design, and leaving it out at home removes most of the drama. Fountains help cats that ignore still water, but only if the filter and pump get cleaned on schedule. Vertical space, hiding places, and a window view are the cheapest enrichment available, and they matter more than any single purchase.
Supplies & Gear questions owners ask
What should I look for in a cat tree?
Base weight and footprint first — a tree that wobbles under a landing cat will be ignored regardless of how it looks. Then height, because cats want to be above the room, and perch width, since a perch should be wide enough to lie flat on rather than balance on. Check whether the scratching posts are woven sisal fabric and whether replacements are sold, since posts wear out long before the frame does.
What kind of carrier is best for a cat?
A hard carrier that opens from the top, or one whose whole top half comes off. Loading a reluctant cat downward into a top opening is far easier than pushing it through a front hatch, and a removable top lets a vet examine a stressed cat in the bottom half. Leave it out at home permanently so it stops predicting a car journey.
Do cats need a water fountain?
Not universally, but many cats drink more from moving water, and higher water intake is genuinely useful for a species prone to urinary and kidney problems. The catch is maintenance: an unclean fountain is worse than a clean bowl, so only buy one if you will change the filter and wash the pump on schedule.
How many scratching posts does a cat need?
At least one per cat, plus one wherever a cat is already scratching something you would rather it did not. Several inexpensive surfaces in the right places outperform one expensive post in the wrong one, and it is worth having both a tall vertical post and a flat horizontal pad, since individual cats have strong preferences.