We are thinking of getting a kitten. What equipment etc. would we need before we brought her home? I would also welcome advice on how to litter train her. In fact all and any advice on cat owning would be welcome. Thank you

had to add the battery part since you asked about "equipment" - that was cute!!

If you are going to be bringing home a kitty - the only real essentials are:

kitty litter box (so many different types available, the cat will really not care one way or the other what you get - so the choice is really up to you, deep, shallow, covered, etc.)

Kitty Litter - again - it's a matter of preference - I like the clumping clay litter - you can use a scoop to get out all the "stuff" without having to wash out the box everyday.

Litter training - you'd be surprised how easy it is to train a kitten - oftentimes, when you bring them home, they are already trained - the mother typically trains them as soon as they are able to get moving around - sounds gross, but the mother encourages them to go to the bathroom, by grooming with her tongue - as soon as they are able to go to the bathroom by themselves, the mother immediately brings them with her to the box and makes training unnecessary. I can get you some info should you find that the kitten is not already going in the litter box.

Bowls - I would recommend a separate water and food bowl (not the kind attached together) - just makes it easier for cleaning, etc...
Ceramic or Stainless Steel are the better of the options - as they are non pourous. Plastic food bowls can harbor bacteria because the food/water is absorbed into the plastic - this can cause breakouts around the mouth of cats. I would recommend bottled water if you can (vs tap) - because of chemicals used in the purification of tap water.

Scratching post or the little scratching boxces you can buy at pet stores - it's not necessary that you have one (or more) of these - but if you wish to train your kitten to scratch something (outside of your furniture) you will need this or suffer the consequences....

A digital thermometer (yup for taking the temperature you know where) - should your kitten get sick and you call the vet - one of the first things they may ask you is for the temp - so it's a good idea to have one specifically for kitty on hand.

A nice to have too would be a few toys - don't have to be anything fancy as kittens love to play with just about anything.

You might want to pick up a book or two to have on hand for various questions.

A good one specifically for kittens is called "How to raise the Perfect Kitten" - it talks alot about how they behave and stuff and training them (I gave mine away so I don't know the author). Another is one that I use for alot of questions is "Dr. Pitcairn's Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats".

You will want to have food for your kitten on hand - I'd start out with whatever the owners now are feeding it - and if you decide to change the food - introduce it slowly mixed with whatever it is used to eating. This way, you'll eliminate the possibility of upsetting kitty's tummy with changing the food right away.

Something good to have on hand for diarrhea is pumpkin (from a can - not pumpkin pie mix, but plain pumpkin) - about a teaspoon when they have "D" can help them out.

A book you may want to read too - concerning pet foods - to select one that you think would be good for the cat is a book called "Reigning Cats and Dogs" - it's an eye opener about some commercial foods. A pet store is a better place to select a good grade pet food than the grocery store - if you can.

These were just some initial thoughts - hope some was at least useful.

Good Luck and Enjoy your new little "BABY" What is it's name going to be???

a cat carrier (I use the inexpensive cardboard kind that open at the top -- I find it's easier to get the cat in and out from the top)

a breakaway collar with an I.D. tag engraved with your phone number (if your cat will ever be outdoors)

you'll want to decide what you're going to use for flea control and ear mite control

make an appointment at your veterinarian's office for a complete check-up, vaccinations, and at the appropriate age, spaying/neutering

grooming supplies (slicker brush with wire bristles)

bedding (your cat may end up sleeping anywhere, but you may want him/her to have their own cat bed as well)

I just received in the mail today Purina's Essential Kitten Care Kit. You can order a free kit by going to Purina's Kitten Chow site...click here. Also, at their site, you'll find articles and Q & A about cat care. Friskies also has a site with cat information... click here.

Here are a few ideas from Purina's booklet.
Socialization/Handling -- It's important to help your kitten bond with people by spending time with her, having her to get comfortable with the activities in your household and handling her a lot. Get her used to being touched all over, including opening her mouth, so it may not be so difficult when you have to give her medications by mouth. Accustom her to being groomed at any early age.

You didn't say if the cat will be outdoors, but please don't leave the kitten outside alone...she's in unfamiliar surroundings and needs supervision.

Kitten-proofing your home: Remove poisonous household plants or place them out of reach.
Keep all hazardous substances out of reach (antifreeze, bleach, mothballs, pesticides, etc.).
Blow your car horn and bang on the hood, if Kitty is allowed access to your car...cats may climb up under the hood to keep warm.
Check your house for possible problems...keep toilet lids down, make sure electrical cords are not dangling to be swatted and chewed, don't leave small objects around that the kitten might swallow, check to make sure Kitty hasn't crawled in drawers, clothes dryer, etc. before closing the door.

In addition to an ID tag, you may want to microchip your cat at the vet's.

Locate Kitty's feeding place in an area with little foot traffic in your home, so the cat can eat undisturbed. Don't place the litter box close to the food dishes.

Along with flea control and ear mite control, your kitty may also need heartworm medication if you live in an area prone to mosquitoes.

When I got Hope, I ordered that Purina thing from them, but by the time they got it to me, Hope wasn't even classified as a kitten anymore. I'm serious, it takes a really long time for them to get that thing to you. Order it, but don't count on it. It has some good stuff inside.

Everyone did great on their responses! The only other thing that I have to add is that you make sure you train, train, train that cat not to bite you or claw you. Get a book or something, I wish I had known how to train Hope not to bite when he was a kitten! Too late now, he's set in his ways!

Thank you everyone for the very helpful information.

We are still considering whether or not to get a kitten as we don't think that the owning of a pet is something to be taken lightly, or without a great deal of thought. We will now consider your excellent advice, and decide whether or not we and our home are suitable for a cat.

Thanks again.

Xanadu, I respect the care and time you are taking to make this decision. I wish more people would do so.