We get our kittens in 10 days. What do I need?

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DH is terrified I'll buy loads of random tat & fancy dress costumes.

There seem to be hundreds of different litter trays, dishes, beds etc.

I'm very confused

it is all very confusing!

sites like \link{http://www.zooplus.co.uk/\zooplus} are great once you know where you are, but for getting a few things early on, I think Pets at Home is a good idea because you can see what you're buying. (TKMaxx is good too for dishes & beds & stuff)

I bought one of their small basic litter trays (but with a bit of a rim) at the start, & a couple of toys including a short kitten scratching post, & let them sleep in their carrier for a while

for food & litter they need to start with a continuation of what they had at their birth home before you start gradually changing to whatever you think is best

Thank you - we have a Pets at Home nearby so I'll take a look.]

Silly question, but do they still use a litter tray once they're old enough to go outside? (if they have a cat flap).

We're getting 2 and they're 10 weeks. I was thinking of them sharing one of those igloo beds initially but presumably they'll soon get too big and want a bed each.

or am I confusing them with babies?

\link{http://www.petsathome.com/shop/grey-medium-litter-tray-by-pets-at-home-81833\medium sized litter tray} - I started mine with one like this but left the rim off to start with

\link{http://www.petsathome.com/shop/blue-daze-scratch-post-and-swatter-by-pets-at-home-111601& this scratchy thing} though I bought mine instore - different design, prob discontinued, anyway it was only about £5

they don't need a litter tray after they start going outside, but I believe they need to be trained to stop using it (by putting it outside & gradually filling it with soil instead of litter? something like that)

mine are finally going out a bit now (12 months old ) but I'm not encouraging them to poo outside, as cats generally do it in somebody else's garden & I used to hate that when other peoples' cats did it in mine!

kittens can certainly share a bed (& appear to love it) but will probably want the choice of their own as they get older

I'm picking my new kitten up on Sat (yay!) and have found 'The Range' a really good place for cat accessories - scratching post was £7 and bowls a couple of quid each. I got my carrier from Argos - cheap and cheerful! We haven't got a bed but will see if she wants one first.

Hoping we're well prepared enough and just looking forward to seeing her again - last time we saw her she was just 6 weeks old awww.

Get a decent size bowl for water, those pathetic little plastic dishes are useless for that. A dog bowl is better.

Things to scratch/bite/hide in. A box is a good thing to have in the early stages. Mine love ripping a door mat and those carpet scratching things you can put on chair legs.

Things to chase - I think its from pets at home - a fish that is attached to green plastic wire and a rod is a winner in this house. Our fish has one eye left and no rod.

I think having more than one bed ultimately is a good idea in case they want to sleep apart, they get fleas and need to wash the other bed, or like most cats they change their sleeping locations every 2 weeks for some unknown reason! One of my beds is just a square of padded cotton on a chair and they love it. The dog bed is also a firm favourite.

We have an IKEA expedit unit in the room they will mostly be. Am thinking of emptying on of the bottom baskets & turning it round so they can climb in.

Off to Pets At Home on Sunday!