Invaluable products and ones to avoid

[pandarific]

I'm after your hard-won cat wisdom! Two rescue kittens are coming to live with us Saturday week, and we need to get our bits together:

I'm looking for flea/worm treatment recommendations, pet insurance, toys, litterbox recommendations, human toilet training system (we're going to give it a go at least!), collars, brushes (one is likely going to be long-haired), kitten food, and kitty basket. A scratching post is coming from freecycle so that's done.

We'd rather avoid any expensive mistakes to be honest, so any tips would be gratefully received!

Advantage for fleas works for my boys. Drontal for worms, unless you have a pill refuser like one of my boys. Both of these can be bought from [[http://www.vetuk.co.uk/ VetUK. I use Profender for worms on MCat, the pill refuser.

Covered litter tray, but remove the flap until they get used to using a covered tray.

And toys - a Flying Frenzy is favourite here. There are literally hundreds of end attachments, so you can swap them around. Mine is playing with the little mousey one at the moment.

I use a Zoom Groom for brushing.

Could save the kittens discomfort in the future (and your wallet) to get them used to having their teeth cleaned with Logic toothpaste (the brush is a rubbery thing that fits onto your finger) Most like the taste of it, and will lick it off your finger, and the enzymes do the work.

Collars - they don't need them really if they're microchipped, and not until they begin to venture outside, and only use the safety snap-off ones, the elastic ones can cause horrific injuries and death. I only use collars on mine to fit a homing device onto.

Lastly, shop around for insurance. I have heard good things on this board about Animal Friends, (I'm thinking about switching to them) and you want lifetime cover.

Have they been neutered? Most vets will do that from 4 months old.

I've recently adopted 2 kittens and so far I can recommend..

Cats Best Oko Plus (cat litter) - if you buy in bulk from zooplus then it works out cheap and lasts ages. Really good odour control and wee clumps up into neat little balls which are easy to scoop out.

Stronghold (flea/worm treatment) - easy to use spot-on that my vet recommended. It's worked so far!

Applaws Kitten Dry Food - grain free so less waste and again lasts a while if bought in bulk. You can get taster packs from zooplus so you can try before committing to a huge bag and realising your cats aren't a fan.

Toys - Mine love the little foil scrunchy balls and play for hours chasing them around the room and playing fetch with them. Anything with feathers will go down well too, especially those ones you can dangle.

They're my recommendations for now. I'm still learning myself

Link fail...

Vet UK for Advantage, Drontal and Logic toothpaste.

Flying Frenzy for fishing rod toy.

Top entry litter box from zoo plus. Over priced but brilliant. Intersand classic clumping cat litter. Cat nip spray is rubbish!

Thanks for all the suggestions, these are great!