Accessories that make your house more pet-friendly
- May 27th 2019
Bringing a new pet home? Moving house and wondering how to make the new flat more pet-friendly? Pet-proofing a house is important to make sure it is as comfortable for your pet as it is for you. Luckily, pet-proofing a house is not that hard – all it takes is some attention to your pet’s needs.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the accessories for dogs and cats that can help make a house more pet-friendly, and ensure your dog or cat is right at home.
Cushions – all the cushions!
While you might have the most active dog in the world or be a pet parent to an energetic cat, there’s no getting away from the fact that pets like to lie around. Lounging is an art and pets are great at it. And all great loungers need the ultimate aid – bedding accessories.
Bedding accessories for dogs
When choosing a bed for dogs, make sure it is big enough for your dog to sprawl out in it. If you have a puppy, try and estimate how large your pup will grow – or else you will need to switch out the bed later. Beds for dogs are excellent in that they give your dog a place that belongs only to them, somewhere where they can just curl up and dream.
It’s absolutely fine to have more than one bed for your dog. Dogs like to be where their owners are, so feel free to place a bed in each room. That way, your pet always has somewhere to lie down and relax. Beds are a lot better for your dog’s joints than the floor, so they are good investments.
Bedding accessories for cats
Cats like elevated places, so try and fit
cushions for them onto windowsills or on elevated platforms. Windowsills are a
particular favorite among felines, as cats like the sun. If you live in a
slightly colder area or a city with cold winters, consider a heated mat for your
cat to lie on.
Cleaning products
Having a dog or cat at home can get messy. For one, they shed fur all over the house. Secondly, they can be accident-prone. An upturned food bowl or split water is not uncommon. Plus, there’s the occasional mishap: that cushion that seemed to have chewed itself (as the guilty dog in the corner claims) or the sofa that’s raked through with claws (cat claws? Impossible – you have the wrong culprit).
In short, expect your house to be disrupted every once and a while. On such occasions, cleaning accessories for dogs and cats are your best friends. Make sure you have plenty of wipes and mops handy to clean up whatever your pet throws at you. Consider buying a vacuum cleaner if you have a pet that sheds a lot of hair. And a sticky clothes roller – usually used for cleaning lint – is great for getting those pet hairs out of the sofas and clothes.
Protect your electrical chords
Pets can sometimes have a tendency to chew anything in sight, especially when they’re restless. This includes your electrical cables. This can be very harmful for your pet – and, of course, bad for your electrical cables.
A great way to ensure there are no mishaps is to keep your cables hidden and out of sight. But for those electrical cables that need to run along the floor, such as laptop chargers, consider investing in a cable protector. These products are made of either plastic or fiber and protect your cables so that your cat or dog cannot chew on them.
Waste management products for dogs and cats
Any house with a dog or cat needs waste management products. It does not matter if your dog or cat has been house trained – accidents happen. And when they do, you need waste management products on hand to clean up.
Make sure you have waste bags in stock at all times. Invest in cloths and pads for cleaning up pee. It is also intelligent to buy a deodoriser. These floor cleaners help you get rid of the smell. Dogs and cats have a strong sense of smell – if you’ve cleaned up the waste and the odor still remains, then your dog or cat is more likely to pee or poop on the same spot again. It’s instinct. Floor cleaners that eradicate the odour and the stain solve that problem, while making sure your floor is back to spotlessly clean in no time.
Cat and dog food bowls
What pet-friendly house would be complete without food and water bowls These bowls are an essential for your pet; all pets like to have a dish that they can eat out of and that signifies a sense of ownership.
Make sure you choose a food and water bowl of the right size. If you have a large dog and their bowls are too small, eating can be a cumbersome (and messy) affair. If you have a small dog and their bowl is too big, they might just keep falling into their food!
Remember to place the bowls in an easily accessible area. Your pet should have plenty of space when they’re eating. If you live in a hot city, make sure you don’t place the food in direct sunlight, as this can spoil even dry kibble.
If you have several pets, make sure you have
a separate food bowl and water bowl for each one. Pets can be territorial about
their bowls and usually don’t like to share. This way, it is also easier for
you to keep a track of how much they’re eating. Be aware of pets sneaking food
out of each other’s bowls – if it continues, you may have to position the bowls
further apart.