Pet home environment. The home is the place par excellence where one can feel safe and secure and spend quality time with one’s companions. This should also be the case for pets, especially if you live with a dog or cat. Of course, pets have different characteristics and needs for us humans, but with a few simple measures, we can make our home a genuinely cosy place for our furry friends.
If our friend is a puppy, we might welcome it when it arrives at home. The little one may likely be bewildered and intimidated by the new and unfamiliar place. After an initial acclimatisation phase (the duration of which can be subjective), we can set up a space for him to become familiar with his new environment.
We can perhaps introduce him to the quietest rooms in the house, where we can place the accessories necessary for his rest, a corner dedicated to food and maybe some objects or toys belonging to his original ‘home‘.
Risks, no thanks!
We will then eliminate or minimise the risks that the home might present to a young animal exploring a new environment for him. For example, we will have to ‘disappear‘, at least initially, all those items that could be dangerous if crunched, such as fragile and splintering objects, electrical equipment, containers of chemicals or potentially hazardous substances.
Don’t worry; it’s just a matter of paying a little attention and implementing simple strategies. A little initial effort will pay off by giving our little friend a pleasant and safe environment.
Private spaces!
Even at home, dogs and cats need space to eat and rest peacefully. The feeding corner should be somewhat secluded and without the comings and goings of people who might disturb mealtimes. The animal should be provided with a food bowl and one containing fresh, clean water at all times.
The bowls should be easily washable and suitable for the size of our four-legged companion (i.e., neither too small nor too large). To make the meal even more pleasant and comfortable, we can place the bowls on a slightly raised surface so that they are at “snout height”, especially for taller friends.
Running water
Many cats like to drink from running water. With this in mind, we can enrich their ‘feeding station’ with a small running water fountain. The tremendous gush will certainly please Kitty, especially when summer returns.
Another useful accessory is a food dispenser. Food dispensers for dogs and cats are on the market, and they can be very helpful if you have to be away from home for some time.
Food containers
A wide variety of food is on the market, suitable for our friends’ tastes, needs, and life stages. The best way to store it is in a cool, dry place.
We can use tins or even special containers. There are many colours and sizes; we must indulge ourselves with the solution that best suits our needs. This way, we can say goodbye to disposable dry packs and add a creative touch to our larder.
To complete the set, we can also equip ourselves with a practical measuring cup in our container. This small but beneficial object will help us not weigh the amount of food for our dog or cat each time.
A corner just for them
Rest time is a significant time in our pets’ lives. The kennel allows our dog or cat to feel protected and safe and regenerate with a good night’s sleep. We therefore choose a quiet place to put our friends’ kennels, perhaps trying to follow their preferences (it will not be difficult to notice if our friend has particularly favourite places for their naps).
“When designing a space for your dog, you must consider his needs. Some dogs like to face the door and be close to the action, while others need a more enclosed space as a personal refuge. Whatever you do, make sure it is puppy-proof, eliminating sharp objects, choking hazards, cords, etc.”
The ideal kennel should be made of a robust and comfortable material. In the cold months, we can opt for a warm, snug and ‘cuddly’ fabric, while during the long, hot summer days, a good, soft, but relaxed mat will surely be appreciated by both dogs and cats.
Born predators
Playtime can also be an excellent cue for rethinking our home furnishings. Born predators, cats are very fond of exploring the spaces around them, simulating moments of hunting, and giving free rein to their energy.
In the case of house cats, we can meet their needs by enriching the environment with gyms designed for them. These are more or less extensive natural stations with staggered shelves, surfaces to explore, games and corners where they can relax or rest.
For cats, gyms are excellent opportunities for play and fun. Many of them are also beautiful and can be lovely and unusual furnishing accessories for our homes.
Indoor accessories
We can indulge in many accessories and fun toys with a spacious house. For cats that live indoors all the time, it is essential to enrich their environment with accessories such as scratching posts, which allow them to balance the growth of their nails (and which save us having to change sofas and upholstery periodically!), but also comfortable baskets to be placed, in addition to the kennel, in strategic resting places (provided, of course, that the cat has not made the bed or the sofa its kennel). Otherwise, we can equip the garden and make it pleasant with even more complex and essential toys than we could keep in the house.
Warm fabrics
If our friends live outdoors, we can set up their kennel in the garden. In this case, it should keep them dry and protect them from draughts and temperature changes. Their kennel should be sheltered and well-insulated because humidity is as harmful to pets as it is to people.
If necessary and our friends have no mobility difficulties, we can raise it a little above the ground to insulate it further. During the cold months, we will provide the kennel with warm fabric blankets, which can cover the floor and, if necessary, the walls.
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