Creating a Pet-Friendly Environment In Your Home
Your home is your palace. With our help at The Gentle Vet, you can make sure that it is a safe and enriching space for your four-legged friend. A pet-friendly environment can help them to be the king or queen of their castle.
A Safe Home for Pets
It is essential to have a home that is safe for pets if you want to bring a furry family member into your life. Put yourself in your pet’s paws and take a look around from their perspective. What do you see that could mean trouble?
Some things to take into consideration:
- Poisonous plants for dogs and cats: Our pets come into contact with the plants in our home on a regular basis, and some more curious critters may even taste them. Check to see if the plants in your home are safe. Avoid dangerous choices like lilies and Sago palm and choose safe plants for cats and dogs like spider plants and African Violets.
- Essential oils can be toxic to pets: It is best to avoid using essential oils around pets, in particular cats. Inhalation exposure can lead to respiratory irritation. Additionally, microdroplets of oils on the fur can result in ingestion during grooming.
- Harmful cleaning products for pets: Anything that says to keep out of reach of children should be kept out of reach of pets as well. Avoid toilet bowl cleaners that stay in the bowl and don’t leave out products. Choose pet-safe alternatives where possible.
- Pet-safe pesticides: Try to choose natural insecticides and pesticides. In particular, rodenticides can be devastating for pets.
- Other household chemicals: Consider all the chemicals in your home. Things like ice-melt is toxic to pets and can be problematic, and the solution is often as simple as choosing a pet-friendly alternative product.
Creating a Pet-Friendly Environment
An optimal pet-friendly environment starts with safety. Once you have achieved that, consider ways to enrich the environment.
Be sure to:
- Help your pet feel secure: Pets enjoy an area that they can call their own. Keep litter boxes, food bowls, and crates away from potentially scary appliances like furnaces and washing machines. Clean up pet waste regularly and always provide fresh water.
- Provide mental stimulation: Being stuck indoors can result in boredom. Finding ways to beat this is important. Your pet may enjoy being able to look out and see the outside world. You can add a bird or squirrel feeder to create an entertaining view. Cats benefit from having vertical space to climb and an appropriate area to scratch. Be sure to rotate toys regularly and consider interactive or puzzle-type items.
- Interact often: Most pets thrive with regular interaction with other pets or people. Cats may not enjoy each other’s company quite as much as dogs tend to, but it is still important to spend some quality time with your pet every day.
- Get your pet moving: Exercise is important, and both pets and people alike need to get moving every day. Even if your pet is a couch potato, encourage some gentle movement with a favorite toy or training session.
- Minimize stress: Events like moving, introducing a new pet (or human) to the home, having a party, or even getting new furniture can stress a pet. Do your best to minimize the impact on your pet and provide a “safe,” stable area where he or she can retreat. Synthetic pheromones can be helpful as can maintaining a consistent schedule for your pet
Environmental enrichment is an important part of creating your pet’s dream space. A safe and stimulating environment can help to reduce pet health problems, behavior issues, and ensure that both you and your pet are able to sit back and enjoy your kingdom.