Cat-Proofing Your Home Kittens are inveterate snoops and their favorite toys might be harmful to them: things like the cords on blinds, electrical cords, or yummy (and toxic) plants to nibble. They can also do a certain amount of damage with their little needle claws by climbing curtains or your good furniture. Therefore a certain amount of catproofing will be necessary. The first thing you need to do is place yourself physically down at the level of a cat, by sitting or even lying on the floor. Look up and around at all the interesting things to play with. From this vantage point you can make a list of hazards and breakables that you will need to deal with.
Before you bring your new cat or kitten home, there are a number of things to collect or buy, so your cat will feel like a family member rather than a visitor. Do this a few days in advance to save stress on the "big day". In the excitement of bringing your cat home, you don't want to suddenly discover at 8 p.m. that you forgot to buy cat food. Here are the minimum essentials your cat will need:

• Food
  If you can talk to the care giver in the cat's last home, it's probably best to give your new pet whatever food she's accustomed to. If you acquire a cat from a breeder, more often than not, their contract will either strongly suggest or require you to feed a certain kind of food. For cats and kittens with unknown backgrounds, here are some guidelines:
  • Kittens -
    These babies need more fats and proteins than grown cats, so look for foods with "Complete and Balanced Nutrition" on the label as well as the AAFCO animal feeding tested statement "for all life stages". There are also foods specifically formulated for kittens. These can be identified by the words "highly digestible, nutrient-dense and uniquely designed to meet kittens' nutritional requirements. Kittens from eight weeks upward can handle dried food quite well.   I personally feed a mixture of fresh cooked meat and Royal Canin Kitten Dry Food.   Feeding meat is expensive and alot of people are not open to this idea.   If that is the case, Royal Canin Kitten is what I reccommend you buy for your kitten.  Your kitten needs to stay on Royal Canin Kitten for at least a month as changing diet is stressful to a kitten and should not be done at the same time you put them through the stress of moving to a new home.
    Adult Cats
    Canned foods are better for cats, but your cat may be used to dry food only. Grown cats thrive on dry food, and any of the premium brands are acceptable. You should also supplement with canned food, because eventually you should try to move your cat over to canned only.   In my case, instead of canned food, I feed  meat, which is in my opinion the best of all but can be expensive.

Food and Water Bowls
Although your new cat can be fed on any ceramic (non-lead-glazed) or stainless steel bowls you have in your kitchen, you may feel better with providing her with her very own dishes. I do not recommend plastic dishes for cats, as some cats develop a chin rash from plastic; also, softer plastic scratches, which provides a harbor from bacteria (possibly a case of cause-and-effect here.)There are a number of non-tip stainless steel bowls available for pets. If you prefer decorated ceramic dishes, make sure the glaze is lead-free.    Automatic food and water servers are especially nice if the humans will be gone for lengthy periods during the day. e.g., job or school. Most cats love the pure, fresh taste of running water, and automatic water dispensers ensure a constant supply of clean water.

Toys
All cats love to play, and your bonding time will begin by playing with Kitty and her toys. The "fishing pole, dangling lure" kind of toy is a big favorite for interactive play. Just make sure it is sturdy enough that small kittens won't tear off feathers, etc. from the dangling part. Catnip mice are a perennial favorite. Kitty houses and climbing posts can run the gamut from simple cardboard creations, to custom built "cat furniture" combinations running several hundred dollars.

Cat Carrier
This is a must . Don't ever try to transport a cat without one. A simple cardboard carrier (available from your vet) is fine for bringing a new cat or kitten home, but you'll need to replace this eventually with a solid-bottomed fiberglass or tough plastic carrier with secure latch and a screened opening the cat can look through. A heavy-duty cloth airline-approved carrier is a good alternative if travel is in your future

Litter Box & Litter
This is an all-important purchase, and is an absolute must for both indoor and indoor-outdoor cats. Look for a sizable box with high sides for grown cats, as they tend to throw the litter around quite a bit. These can also be as simple or as extravagant as your pocketbook allows, but let's start with a basic plastic litterbox for now. Kittens will need a box that's low enough for them to enter easily. I've read of one person who buys a clear plastic box such as the kind you store shirts and sweaters in, then cuts down an opening on one side for kitty to enter. (Smooth the cut edges a bit with sandpaper to eliminate any roughness.) There are various kinds of litter, and the plant-based kind seems to be the safest. Clumping clay litter contains an ingredient that can harm cats if ingested, and all clay litters tend to stir up dust, which is not healthy to breathe, either for you or your cat. Consider a mat under the box to catch stray litter. You can buy mats for that purpose at a pet store, or buy a few inexpensive carpet or linoleum samples that can just be tossed and replaced when they get too grungy.  
I personally use traditional cat litter until my kittens are about 7 weeks old, then I switch to Tidy Cat Scoopable Clumping Cat Litter.   If you bring home one of my little darlings, I would advise you to start your kitten with this, as that is the type they are already used to.   You can change that in a month or so if you wish, but in the beginning, I think it is best to stick with what your kitten is already used to.
A Bed (Optional, but Recommended)
Since this is your first cat, he or she may likely sleep on your own bed, however it's still a good idea to provide kitty with her own special, cozy place for napping. The bed should be comfortable, easily washable and spacious enough for an adult cat to curl up comfortably, but not so vast that she'll feel exposed and vulnerable.

Make Appointment for a Vet Visit
This is not exactly an item for a shopping list, but unless your cat comes with papers showing a recent veterinary visit, proof of vaccinations, and negative test results for various diseases and medical conditions, your first stop before even bringing her home, should be at your local veterinary clinic. So make the appointment now, while you're thinking about it.
If you are purchasing a kitten from me, your kitten have already been seen at least once by my  liscensed veteranarian and will have received at least one set of kitten shots.   I still advise you to take your kitten to the vet within 72 hours of bringing home your baby, just for a checkup and most likely, the next set of vaccinations.   My kittens are from Feline Leukemia and FIV negative parents, so having those test done are an unnecessary expense.   My kittens also have a stool check at my vet before leaving my home.

Creating a Safe Room
A "Safe Room" needn't even be a separate room, but could be an empty closet, a corner of your bedroom with a protective screen, or a seldom-used bathroom. The important thing is that your new cat has a place he can call "home," where he can retreat and rest. He may voluntarily choose to socialize with you and other family members, but for now, let him decide whether to hide or mingle. It may take several days to a week or more, depending on his history, but your patience at this point will yield exponential results in a happier relationship with your cat in later days. Furnishings for Kitty's Safe Room

• A Place to Sleep
  It doesn't have to be a fancy bed. A box lined with a soft blanket or towels would work well. You can also put towels in the bottom of his carrier with the door left open so he can readily come and go. This is an excellent "bed" if he doesn't have an exclusive room, and it will have the added bonus of encouraging kitty to accept his carrier as a "friendly place."
  A Litter Box
  A clean litter box is an essential. Use any non-clay litter and keep it scooped regularly.
  Food and Water Bowls Choose sturdy, tip-proof bowls (see Shopping List). Be sure to separate the feeding station from the litter box, as cats are pretty fastidious about their habits.
  A Scratching Post
  You'll need more than one eventually, but for now one post will suffice. The sloping cardboard Cosmic Alpine Scratcher would be a good choice. It is sturdy, relatively inexpensive and is a favorite of most cats.
  
  Toys
  Once your newest family member has adjusted a bit, he will want to exercise by playing. Rolled-up wads of paper will do, but I suspect you've loaded up on commercial toys during your shopping trip
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  Let Your Cat Set the Pace
  As he becomes more familiar with his surroundings and with his new human(s), your cat may want to try exploring. If his "safe room" is a corner of a larger room, this will progress naturally. If he is confined in a room, you will learn to read his body language. If he regularly rushes to meet you as soon as you enter, it may be time to open the door a crack to facilitate his exploring. However, if you have other cats or dogs in the hope, you'll need to make sure your new cat is fully integrated  with the rest of your four-legged family. As always, patience is the key word.