Caring for a pet is a huge responsibility, and part of that responsibility is ensuring that your home is a safe space for your pet to explore. Aside from that, you’ll also want to protect your possessions and furniture from any future bite marks, scratch marks, pee stains, or poop stains that your four-legged friend may leave behind. To make sure that your home is safe for your pet and vice versa, include the following items in your shopping list as you prepare for the arrival of your fur baby.
Pet Gates and Barriers
Pets are part of the family, and every family member deserves their own space at home.
In the first few months, installing pet gates and barriers is an excellent way to delineate your pet’s area and help your cat or dog to adjust to their new surroundings. It’s also a good idea to purchase items such as pet pillows, pet beds, or pet blankets that can make the said space warm and welcoming for your fur baby. High-quality personalized blankets and custom dog beds at PrideBites, for example, are sure to do the trick. Once your new pal has been housetrained, then you can consider removing the barriers.
If you’re concerned about how the pet gates may affect the aesthetic of your home, know that there are countless design options available on the market. You can look for gates that come in colors and finishes that match your house’s overall color palette so as not to ruin your home interior’s cohesive appearance.
Child-Proof Locks
You might think that closing your cabinets and drawers is enough to ward off curious pets, but pets have their way of getting in and out of enclosures. Indeed, many pets can learn from their owners and start going through their parents’ things while they’re not around, especially in the kitchen.
Installing child-proof locks across your kitchen cabinets and other potentially tempting storage and hiding spots can keep your pet’s paws in check. If you’re not a big fan of large, colorful child-proof locks, there are transparent options as well that won’t look out of place in your minimalist kitchen or living room.
Cord Covers and Wrapping
Messy cords are a big no-no if you have pets and kids in the house. In particular, some pets might feel tempted to chew on wires. This harmful habit can lead to property damage and the possibility of your fur baby suffering from electrocution and strangulation.
Fortunately, you can avoid these unwanted and downright dangerous situations by keeping your wires and cords tucked away. Cord covers and wrapping are excellent accessories for organizing tangled cords, so don’t forget to purchase some while you shop for pet supplies.
Door and Screen Protectors
There are many reasons why pets paw at and scratch doors, baseboards, and cabinets. Some pets feel anxious and could be asking you to open the door for them. They may also scratch cabinet doors in the kitchen if they know that there are delectable goodies hidden in the pantry. Other pets, however, simply scratch because they feel bored and wish to scratch something.
If you want to keep your doors and cabinets in good condition, you can work around your pet’s desire to put their paws on your doors and windows. An easy way to do this is to buy and install several door and screen protectors for your house. That way, even if your pet paws and scratches at your doors and cabinets, they won’t leave any unsightly marks behind.
Bitter Spray
Bitter sprays are excellent pet-friendly training tools. The smell they leave behind isn’t harmful to your pets, but is just unpleasant enough to dissuade dogs and cats from touching the sprayed area.
You can spray the product in areas you would like your furred companions to avoid, such as potential bathroom spots inside the house (e.g. behind the couch). You can also use bitter sprays on your furniture if you wish to dissuade your pet from lying on them or scratching them.
Pet-Proof Trash Can
Many dogs and cats sift through the trash can to look for leftovers, chew through tissues, or investigate interesting scents. It’s a must, then, to add covered trash cans to the pet product shopping list.
If you don’t wish to replace your garbage cans at home, perhaps you can buy a dedicated cover for each trash container instead. And, if possible, hide the trash can in the kitchen cabinet, and secure that cabinet with a child-proof lock. There, your trash can will be out of reach of and safe from curious paws.
Indeed, welcoming a new pet requires you to prepare a lot of things for their arrival. However, creating a good home is more than just buying toys, costumes, and collars. Rather, you also need to properly prepare your living space so that it’s safe for your pet and safe from your pet. By doing so, you can feel assured that your fur babies can explore their new home safely and without causing you any worries.
