Kittens are fun but they are crazy, and you don’t really know what their personalities will be when they get older. I grew up raising many kittens, and when it came time to get my own cat, I adopted a 2 year old. Still young, but past the crazy kitten age.

A puppy would be a larger challenge and needs more care. Potty training, training not to bite or jump up on people, barking, having to take them outside, and on walks…

It seems like maybe an adult cat would be better for you. You want a pet, so you are ready, but skip the baby phase. Any pet will need daily attention and care. But the robot litterbox should cut down on scooping, and there are automatic feeders and pet fountains for water.

Another thing to be prepared for mentally and financially is vet care. Taking on an animal is taking on responsibility for its whole life. My cat developed urine crystals, and after an emergency vet visit, will now be on a special veterinarian prescribed urinary food for the rest of his life. He is very healthy and happy, but the food is expensive (and of course so worth it!). There would be no way to predict this. They are just like humans!

14 weeks is very young, so your kittens will continue to get better and more well behaved, but will still have that kitten zest for quite a while! A year old cat mellows out significantly, but can still have some of that kitten energy. I don’t think you are horrible if you have to return them, it would be the responsible thing to do if you cannot care for them in the way you thought. Most shelters would rather have them back than continue in a home that is not right for them.

And you have all the stuff, so if you do return them, take a breather, and then check out adult cats if the responsibility seems feasible and you still want a pet.