Getting Started
What you should know before you get a cat, and in the first days and weeks after you bring one home.
Guide to the Getting Started Collection
Each of the 4 series below is designed to guide you through the sequence of getting started with a new cat or kitten. From deciding if you should get a cat, to helping your new furry pal settle in, and everything in between.
What to Know Before You Commit
Should you get a cat? What are the pros and cons of having a cat? How much time and money does it take? This series covers how to be sure having a cat is right for you, and how to know this is the right time to get one, so you know you’re ready for the commitment.
Make Your Home Cat Friendly
You’ve decided to get a cat. Yay! Now you’ve got work to do before you go out and find one. These articles are about how to prepare your home for a new kitten or cat, including essential supplies and how to cat-proof your stuff.
Find the Right Cat for You
Where should you get your cat? Kitten or adult? One or a bonded pair? What questions should you ask about a cat? This series breaks down how to look for and choose the right cat for you.
Acclimate Your New Cat
Build trust, do litter box training right, and help your cat get settled. These articles will guide you in what to do in the critical first days and weeks after you’ve brought your new kitten or cat home, starting with Day 1.
Verve Cat
Verve Cat was inspired by my journey of fostering a litter of week-old kittens rescued from a warehouse in Central California. Many of the images featured on this site are of the three I adopted and still live with me – Gandalf, Phoebe, and Bean.