Hey DV - welcome to Purrs. How exciting for you, bringing home two new kittens.
Can understand how the excitement is tinged with nervousness. Good advice from other members already.
Having two will be a lot easier than having one, believe it or not, as they'll be great company for each at times when you're occupied doing other stuff (although I imagine that time will be at a premium - who can resist kittens?
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When you're transporting them home, make sure whatever you're bringing them home in is secure - can't emphasise that enough for your peace of mind. Take a big roll of kitchen towel with you in case of mop ups en route. Puppy pads to line the carrier are a great idea. If one gets badly soiled, you can take it out and bag it then bin it, but remember if you open the cat carrier, make sure all of the doors and windows are shut first, and to secure the carrier properly again when you're done.
It's good if you can travel with a companion, so if you do have to make any stops, you have one person who can make sure the kittens are secure (kittens can get into tight gaps and spaces in cars - not recommended!) while the other sorts out any cleaning operation necessary.
As to the ops, I would suggest talking to your vet when you take the babies for their kitten check up. They'll advise you about the vaccinations, worming, microchipping and neutering. It's possible to get cats neutered younger than 6 months old, but much depends on their growth rate, weight and activity, so when you're not used to cat ownership, let your vet guide you. I love vet kitten checks, 'cos it's a great opportunity to get to know your local vet, and let them admire your furbabes and "oooh" and "aaaah" over them.
If you can stretch to it, insurance is a good idea. If you're going to insure, then I'd say stick with a proper pet insurer, rather than a generic insurance company offering pet insurance. Sometimes the latter withdraw pet insurance, and if you've had to make a claim for your pet (God forbid) in the interim, getting cover elsewhere for ongoing treatment will be nigh on impossible (thinking things like diabetes).
Play, play, play - excellent advice.
It helps you to bond with your cats, they'll love it, it'll wear them out (especially before bedtime) and then hopefully you'll get a relatively uninterrupted night's sleep (although in my book, few thing are more lovely than being woken by a catt because they want your company - then again, I'm a bit of an insomniac, so always view it as company rather than nuisance, although I do have to get up for work each day at 5 a.m., so it's not like I have a chance to catch up on lost sleep!)
From the point of view of keeping them safe, you need to think like a very small cat (which is what they are - capacity for mischief is huge). Keep loo seats down, washing machine doors closed, electric cable tidy and out of harm's way. Keep any cooker hoods closed, watch out for anything which is wobbley and if climbed may collapse, fall over or otherwise injure small furry bodies, and get used to tying yourself in knots trying not to trip over a small ball of lightning as it streaks between your legs on the stairs. Stairs - watch out for kittens who like to mountaineer round the banisters. One of ours once fell through - luckily his fall was broken by a sofa beneath, but alot depends on how your stairs are configured, so think like a cat. They can get into - and out of - incredibly small spaces. Bearing in mind the lovely weather we've been having, making sure all doors and windows are firmly shut is a good idea. Sweltering, but a good idea. Block off access to open chimneys if you have one.
Make sure any child visitors you may have are never left unsupervised with kittens. It will avoid any accidents or upsets. If you like candles, keep a very close eye on your cats.
I love candles, but have had to keep a very very close eye on the cats.
Will you be keeping them as house cats or indoor/outdoor? Indoor is generally safer, especially if you live near a busy main road, but you can think about things like cat-proofing a garden space to make it safe, or ensuring they have access to a shed or cat house, if you aren't going to be home during the day and dont have the ability to put in a cat flap (ie if you're in rented property for example) Don't leave a window open for them to come and go - a friend of ours who did that got up in the midle of the night to find a burglar had availed himself of the facilities!
Anyway - above all, enjoy Atremis and Appollo (love the names). Hope you introduce them formally (lots of pics - hint, hint) when you get them home. Anything you need to know - feel free to ask. We love cats, we love cat people, and we're always happy to help.
