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Room for more?
Most pet owners are animal lovers and that often means we want multiple pets. We know, however, that we can’t be pet hoarders; we have to draw the line somewhere. How do we know where that line is?
I’m thinking about getting another cat. Cole gets lonely both overnight (cats tend to be nocturnal) and when we are away for long. My dog Chihiro doesn’t play with him as much as she used to. The perfect solution is another feline companion.
But how to know if that’s the right thing to do? When thinking about getting an additional pet, whether it would be the second animal in your home or the latest addition to a teeming household, there are a few things to consider.
Will you have the time this pet needs you to give it? If you’ve already multiple dogs and cats, then another one of those it might not get the human attention it needs. Also consider whether you have the room for more.
Can you feed another dog or cat? You should have at least one litter box per cat, so do you have the time or desire to clean several of them if you want several cats?
My husband and I would love to have another dog. But it’s enough work traveling taking our dog with us, and we travel a lot because most of our family and friends live elsewhere. We decided it would be too much work or expense at the moment to get another dog, either having to travel with two dogs or kenneling them both.
If you’ve already a lot of higher-maintenance pets but you’d like another animal, consider one that’s less work. Fish, smaller rodents, or lizards/amphibians mostly just need the time it takes to clean their cages on a regular basis. Some do need human interaction time, but less than a dog or cat might.
Also think about how this pet will interact with your other animals. Not all dogs and cats get along, but some do, so try searching for ones that will.
Be wary of predator-prey relationships. It’s quite possible to have some of each in your home but you’ll have to take precautions, especially with caged animals that need some free roaming time.
Pets like rabbits and ferrets need to stretch their legs outside the cage just about every day. If you want to have these animals in a home with dogs and cats, keep the latter out of the room that contains the former. Make sure the room is sealed shut when you let your smaller animals out to explore.
You’ll even need to be careful with permanent cage-dwellers. While growing up my sisters-in-law experienced a few unfortunate incidents with their hamsters and their cats.
It’s not a bad idea to make a smaller rodent like a hamster the responsibility of your children if they were the ones who wanted the animal. But you need to make sure that they are sealing the cage properly and keeping it somewhere out of the reach of dogs or especially cats, if you have either of these predator animals in your home.
Like always, you need to consider whether an additional pet will fit in your lifestyle. Don’t assume that just because you’re providing a happy and healthy home for some animals, you’ll be able to do so for more. First make sure that you and your home, all of its inhabitants included, will provide a safe and caring place for a new pet.
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