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Living with A New Pet
Adapting to life with a pet is something that everyone reacts to differently. Some people get used to having a little creature around easily, others find it a challenge. Be prepared for there to be some kinks and difficulties at first.
Depending on the type of animal you have, the impact on your life will vary. A small caged animal will have much less impact than a dog or cat, but it will still need to have its cage cleaned at least on a weekly basis, and be fed and provided with fresh water each day. It will also need periods of supervised exercise on a daily basis, and may need to be groomed, depending on the breed of animal.
A cat will require more attention, even though they are by nature very independent animals. They will need a litter tray that has to be cleaned on a daily basis, and often they will need grooming. Remember that cats will show their unhappiness by using areas other than their litter trays as a toilet and scratching furniture.
A dog will have a far greater impact on your life in general than almost any other small animal pet. You will need to groom it, spend time training your pet and may not be able to leave it alone for long periods.
If you adopt a rescue animal then you may need to be prepared to put right any wrongs that a previous owner has inflicted. Some difficulties are inevitable. You will have to find time in the day to feed your animal and give it some attention. If you work, you may find yourself feeding the animal before you have a chance to cook dinner.
The key is not to have a knee jerk reaction when accidents happen; your animal has emotions too and it could be that moving into a new home has left them feeling stressed. Remember that humans are a lot bigger than small animals so it’s natural they may be scared of you to begin with. Take your time to earn their trust and don’t force them to cuddle or play with you.
When problems occur:
- Don’t hit your animal
- Don’t drop your animal
- Don’t shout or scream
- Don’t lose your temper
Animals aren’t always aware if they have done something to upset you. Cats and dogs can be trained by using a simple spritzer bottle filled with water. If an animal does something like chew on the sofa, spritz them as soon as you see them do it. They will learn to associate the unpleasantness of being sprayed with chewing the sofa.
Once you become a small animal pet owner, life will never be the same again. For the first few weeks you may feel that you life will never be your own again – and in a sense you’re right. You must be prepared to put the needs of your animal before your own, as they cannot care for themselves and rely on you totally for all their needs.
