There are no good reasons why us humans and our beloved pets, cannot coexist quite happily under the same roof, all it requires is a little dedication, on our part, not theirs!
One of the biggest issues many pet owners face is how to prevent your carpets, rugs and furniture from getting covered in pet hair. While some breeds of dogs and cats will shed hair more readily, there are of course those who shed very little, but for those who leave behind enough to stuff a cushion with, here is some good advice:
Groom your pets regularly:
While there are plenty of products and gadgets out there for picking up unwanted pet hair from your home, why not try to reduce the need to use them instead?
Regularly brushing your pet will decrease the amount of hair in the air and on the floor (not to mention on your furniture), and the more often you do it, the better the results. Where cats are concerned, regular grooming will also help to reduce the risk of them choking on a fur ball or becoming constipated.
Brushing your pets outside makes a lot of sense, and preferably in a sheltered area so that the loose hair doesn’t get blown back towards your home. Alternatively, collect the loose hair and leave it somewhere for the birds to gather it and use it to line their nests.
Get your pets poop trained as soon as possible:
If you’ve had your pets from a very young age, then doubtless you’ve already trained them to do their business appropriately, but if you haven’t, then you’ll need to ensure that you start training them right away. There’s nothing worse than the smell of poop or pee in your home, and once a pet pees on a carpet, the smell can really linger! If your pet has a habit of pooping or peeing indoors, then there may be a medical issue at the root of it, in which case you’ll need to seek the advice of a veterinarian.
If you have a pet cat, then hopefully it will be happily using a litter tray to do its business in, but even this can get pongy if not cleaned regularly. Don’t skimp on cleaning it and while you should be changing the litter at least once a day, you should give the whole tray a thorough cleaning with bleach once a week.
Keep their feeding area tidy and ideally away from your living spaces:
Cats are notorious for walking all over surfaces, and there is often little you can do to stop them, but you can at least ensure that you wipe up after them with a disinfecting solution, particularly if they’ve been sniffing around where you prepare food. Keep cooking utensils and other food preparation tools in drawers away from furry critters, but wherever possible, try to discourage them from jumping up onto your kitchen surfaces.
If your dog or cat is an enthusiastic eater and tends to spill their food, ensure that you clean it up as quickly as possible to avoid a sticky, smelly mess.
Try to store pet food supplies in covered containers so that pests can’t get into them, and if you have an area away from your kitchen or living spaces that you can dedicate to feeding your pets, so much the better.
Pets and their humans can of course live harmoniously under the same roof, it just requires a little more effort to tidy up after them and time and patience to discourage bad habits; if you want to coexist, you’ll find a way to make it work.