Staying indoors is the safest place for your cat to be, but what essentials should you have on hand for your feline friend if you’re put on home quarantine.

Quarantine care essentials for your cat

Cats have a pretty good lifestyle spending most of their days curled up having a nap. Even though our world has been turned upside down, they’re still sticking to their daily routines and maybe wondering why you’ve been sitting in their favourite chair so often when they surely didn’t give you permission to! To make sure your cat has all the essentials they need to keep on being the ruler of the castle, we’ve prepared this quarantine care essentials checklist.

Petbarn is committed to ensuring that all pet parents have access to our most essential products and are working hard with our suppliers to deliver more products to our stores every day. You can learn more about how to check if your favourite items are in stock here, and about our Zero Contact delivery options that have been introduced to keep our customers and our team members safe during this time. Check each item off our list so you can ensure your furry friend continues being purr-fectly happy and healthy.

Maintain their everyday essentials

The best thing you can do for your cat is to cause the least disruption to their routine as you can, and ensuring that they always have access to their essentials. According to Greencross Vets Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Magdoline Awad, this involves “making sure that they’ve got good hiding spots, access to food and water bowls and litter trays scattered around the house, and obviously things like scratching posts”.

Cats are sensitive to changes in their environment so you should take care to notice any signs of anxiety in cats. Contact your local Greencross Vets for advice if you suspect that your cat may be stressed or anxious. There are many ways in which your veterinary professionals can assist.

Give them places to hide

Self-isolating is a new concept for all of us, but it’s second nature to your cat. Especially now that we’re all at home more, sometimes our feline friends simply need a space where they can have some alone time away from humans and other pets in the household.

You want to avoid your cat stowing away in dangerous locations like inside household appliances and plastic bags or in a garage full of chemicals by providing them with safe and cosy options. We love placing a soft cat bed, like an igloo, in a quiet and dark spot or putting a cat blanket inside a cardboard box to make a little hideout.

Provide them mental and physical stimulation

“Cats love stimulation,” says Dr Mags. “Things they like to do normally are activities like pouncing and stalking” so help them satisfy these instincts by playing interactive games with them and providing them with cat scratchers. Just as you’re providing them with the daily exercise they need, playing with your cat is a stress-reliever for you and helps to boost your mental health.

Wand toys and teaser toys are great options for bonding with your cat during playtime. Just remember to monitor your pets when they play “because a lot of toys like string can be very dangerous to them if not supervised”, says Dr Mags. Need to keep your cat entertained while you’re working? Try interactive cat toys like those from Frolicat that you can set on automatic mode, or switch to manual mode once your work day is done!

Stay hygienic and practice social distancing

For those who like to take their cats out for a walk, it’s still safe to do so as of the current situation, “as long as you’re social distancing and don’t congregate around people”, says Dr Mags. According to Greencross Vets National Operations Manager of Emergency and Specialty, Dr James Carroll, “there’s no evidence at this time that pets are playing a role in the transmission of COVID-19. Just as you normally would, make sure to thoroughly wash your hands after you’ve played and patted your furry friend as there are other potential zoonotic diseases that you want to avoid.

By being at home more often, pet parents have enjoyed a special insight into their cats’ everyday lives. Petbarn is here to help you ensure that your cat can keep on enjoying their cushy lifestyle by ensuring that all your pet essentials are in stock and introducing Zero Contact delivery options. In addition, as part of their priority to provide high standards of veterinary care for you and your pet, our Greencross Vets clinics have put Minimal Contact Pet Care in place as a social distancing safety measure.