Reddit mentions of AmazonBasics Two-Door Top-Load Hard-Sided Pet Travel Carrier, 19-Inch

Your questions aren't silly! It's great that you're thinking about how you can make you both comfortable before you dive into a new situation. Always set yourself up for success! :)

> do I buy a litter box/food/scratch-post before I plan to bring a cat home?

That's generally a good idea, yes. Means less stress for both of you as you're scrambling to get everything ready for him. You might ask the shelter what food the cat has been eating, as cats can get an upset tummy when switching brands/types. Not a big deal, but he will have poops that are a bit stinkier/liquidier than normal poops. That should alleviate within the week. You can lessen the tummy troubles by doing a more gradual change, mixing the food he is currently on with the food he will be on more and more, until he is eating what you want him on. But you can honestly just do the change, too, and just deal with the sadpoops for a little while.

I suggest a couple of different scratching posts, if you have the space! Cats like having options, like a horizontal post and a vertical one. Cats also like being high up, so if you can swing a tall post with platforms, he will probably like that.

Get two litter boxes! A lot of people don't realize it, but the rule of thumb for number of litters you should have is NumberOfCats + 1. So, 1 cat + 1 = 2 boxes. Clean them often. Cats are very clean creatures (especially compared to dogs) and are MUCH more likely to have accidents when they feel they do not have a better option than peeing in your bed. That's not their fault. You wouldn't want to step on your own pee/poop either! If you have problems with litter getting kicked out of the box, a litter mat can be helpful.

> Do I need to buy a carrier for the cat?

Yep. You'll eventually need to take him to a vet in all likelihood, and a carrier will make that so much easier, as most cats despise the car. I recommend a hard carrier. The softer ones seem nicer in general, but the hard carriers are easier to clean out, and you never know how a cat will be in the car until... well. They're in it. One of our cats poops and pees every. single. time. So he always gets the hard carrier.

> Should I contact a vet before I get the cat?

The shelter might require you to have a vet already, so I'd probably at least pick one out from google search. They might require you to go get a checkup, but probably not. That's more of a rescue thing, I think. Most shelters have their own in-house vet, so it's not really necessary. Don't be afraid to contact the shelter if he seems to be coughing and wheezing. Upper respiratory infections are very common in shelter environments due to the crowded nature of them, but they are also very treatable, and the shelter will be able to give you medication for him.

> How do I train a cat?

Someone mentioned Jackson Galaxy, who I generally agree is pretty good for training if you have some problems. But most of the time, cats are pretty out-of-the-box ready pets. That is to say, if you have an environment that is good for cats (where you let them have some space, where you don't make a huge amount of loud noise, where they aren't prodded and poked at constantly), they generally don't need training. We've fostered tiny kittens that automatically knew how to use the litter box. We also have boy cats who were not fixed until well into adulthood and have never had problems spraying.
It's instinct to go in the box, especially once they're fixed and don't need to mark territory really.

> For those of you who own a cat/cats, any advice for this first-timer?

Give both of you time to get to know each other. Don't force it. He will come to you, given time and space, and you'll be able to cultivate a better relationship built on trust and mutual respect if he knows that you won't force him to do things that he doesn't want to do (especially at first--think about it like building a friendship with a person; you would trust your friends to do things that you would never trust a stranger to do, and it's the same for him).

Cooing and gentle words are generally pretty good for coaxing, as is letting him smell your hand/something that smells like you before you approach for pets. Think about it like introducing yourself. You wouldn't go up to someone you didn't know well and just touch them without at least saying hi.

Every cat I have ever known, male or female, fixed or not, will pee in a pile of anything if it is left long enough. They see it as 'trash,' and I think it just registers as litter. So, if you are the type to leave clothes on the floor... I would try to stop that.

Keep nails trimmed. Scratching posts are for sharpening nails, which is an instinct that they have to fulfill, and you're giving them an outlet for. Some people think it's for 'filing' the nails down, but it's not. It's for keeping them sharp enough to get prey. You'll have to trim them.

And this is just my own personal opinion, but... young--but not kitten--boy cats are best for first timers. I have one girl, and I absolutely adore her, but she is very high maintenance/prissy/touchy, whereas my three boys are all pretty chill. Each cat is different though, so obviously your mileage may vary! It's just something I've noticed in general in my time of owning and fostering cats, that boys are more laid back/forgiving than girls (and thus I think a little easier for a first timer). Young adults are also great for first timers because you have less accidents (though that's generally not a big concern anyway) and they're more able to be on their own for longer periods of time. Older adults/seniors are great too if you want a really, really chill, more stand-offish cat, or if you want a cat that you'll have for <10 years, but if you want a little more energy and time, a cat that's about 1-2 years old is a GREAT way to go.

Some toys that are great for cats include the classic laser pointer, the feather toy, catnip toys, and crinkle balls.

Cats prefer to drink away from where they eat, so place his food bowl and his water bowl apart from one another! Some cats also prefer running water to still water, so if you notice your cat likes drinking out of the faucet (or if you just want to spoil your cat like I spoil mine...) you can get a water fountain for him!

Finally, if it's not working out for some reason, like your personalities just don't mesh well... take him back. I know it sounds hard, but it's best for him if he is in an environment where he is understood and his needs are met. There's no sense in forcing both of you to be miserable. Some shelters let you do a foster-to-adopt sort of thing, where you sort of try each other out for a bit. I like this option, because you hope for the best, but it feels a little bit easier to tap out if you need to. Either way, there's no shame in tapping out. Sometimes things just don't work the way you thought they would.

Sorry for the novel, but I wanted to be as thorough as I could. My parents recently got their first cat, and it's been... an ordeal for them, getting used to it.
It's great that you have some experience with cats though, so I think you'll be fine! Seriously, cats are sort of the next level up from a goldfish as far as easiness. Should be fine.

I hope you and your new furbaby are super, super happy together! :)

To be honest it is probably to stressful for the bunny to be in such a tiny space - 4 hours is still a while and you can't even give him water or food properly or let him go to the bathroom in a backpack. And there is not enough circulation in the backpack (if you left it open he could fall out/jump and get hurt)

I would not suggest it... stress can cause health and GI issues. Not worth the risk - think about his needs ahead of your desires.

​

Instead just get a pet carrier - they make great soft ones or plastic carriers for cats.. that is what you want - like this one for example. You want to first place it on the floor for a few days and let the bunny get used to it so the bunny doesn't feel stressed or afraid of it.

You will put a soft blanket on the bottom and maybe a puppy pee pad in case he pees. You will also put hay and a few greens for him inside and bring his water bowl so you can offer water when safe on the ground.

You need all these things to make the bunny feel safe and less stressed.

​

Now also you need to be comfortable telling you class mates they can gently pet him but they cannot hold him! You should not let anyone pick up your bunny no matter how unpopular that might make you - he can get hurt!

​

Think about all these things. I think if you want people to meet your bunny instead invite them to you house. That would be best for the bunny really and people will also get to see him more as he will be less scared.

If he's flying with you, he must be pretty small. Depending on budget, you could have a plastic kennel shipped to your Dad's. They are cheaper than a wire crate and should keep him inside unlike a mesh one. Then you could maybe just donate it to a local humane society or other rescue group when you leave. Plastic kennels for a pup that size usually range between $20-$40. I'm thinking something like this (although you'll want to make sure you get the correct size).

Hard carriers are better than soft carriers; they provide more protection from being squished and banged around, and the buns can't chew through them the same way they can with a soft carrier.

The sidebar on Travel has a list of recomendations. I personally use this one, which I love! It breaks apart really easily, and a litterbox fits inside perfectly, so its nice and easy to clean for a long trip, or to use as a home away from home for travelling. I was worried about ventilation, but its nicely vented, and also gives the buns more privacy in noisy/busy areas, which they seem to like. It may be too tall (13") for underseat in airplanes, though (here is the 10"high version)

You can never be sure. But the submissive rat is going to be most likely to be compatible with the adult male.

Save up money for a used e-bike.
You will always feel like an idiot until you are SELF sufficiently mobile.
You don't have to have a driver's license these days to be self-sufficiently mobile.

It's a life-changing event. Trust me. You will never want to depend on someone else for a ride as long as you live. Buy cheap rain gear on Amazon. Frog Togs.
Weather should never have to be an excuse.
Cheap half shell MOTORCYCLE helmet and clear FACE SHIELD.
Boots. Never slaps. Never sneakers. Tactical lightweight cover your ankle.

Tight bungee cords, plus a sturdy Amazon pet carrier on the back. You're good to go.
Get the 19 inch model. 25 bux. Great deal.
AmazonBasics 19-Inch Two-Door Top-Load Pet Kennel https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OP6SMCI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_oERmDbZC0PSZZ