Keeping different kinds of animals in your home

Welcoming a new pet into your home can be a wonderfully exciting time. House pets can bring boundless energy, fun and new life to your living space but it is vitally important to ensure your home is properly prepared for the new arrival.

Whether your new addition is canine, feline or – as is increasingly popular with the advent of ‘micropigs’ – porcine, you will need to make sure your house is a safe, comfortable environment for the animal to live in.

Here are a few things to consider when thinking about adding three of Britain’s most popular pets to your family:

Dogs If you are bringing home a puppy, you can expect a lot of charging around and a lot of chewing to take place. As well as taking out pet insurance just in case accidents do happen, there are other precautions that can help minimise the risks to new dogs and to your possessions. First of all, remove anything from the floor that might be damaged if knocked over or chewed. Phone wires and electricity cables should be protected with plastic tubes and any surfaces that you wish to keep clean from paw prints will need covering. Small items such as ornaments and toys should be kept out of your dog’s reach and any sharp items or hazardous products should be locked away. In the kitchen, make sure all food is stored securely. Dogs have a keen sense of smell and many of them will find any way they can to access your food, so add locks to the cupboard doors if necessary. Dog insurance policies won’t be able to help you replace lost food!

Cats

Many of the precautions required for bringing home a cat or a kitten are the same as those required for dogs and puppies. While cats may be more elegant and agile than dogs, they will not understand the need to be careful around that expensive vase – so don’t leave it out to be knocked over! And cats are just as fond of chewing cables as dogs are, so protect them.

One thing cats will do more than dogs is scratch. To ensure that your sofa, curtains, houseplants and clothes are not the target of your cat’s natural scratching routine, buy a scratching post at the right height and encourage your cat or kitten to use it.

Cats love to explore and they will find every nook and cranny in your house, so make sure they are not likely to stumble across any dangerous items or unsafe areas.

If your cat is to be allowed out, a cat flap is a great option to ensure your cat can come and go as it pleases and save you having to tend to that mewing sound at the door at unwanted moments! If you are worried about allowing your cat the freedom to roam outside, cat insurance cover is available to give you peace of mind.

Rabbits

House rabbits make wonderful pets, as more and more people are realising in recent years. Rabbits live outdoors in the wild but they can be very happy in your home if you take a few precautions and create a safe, comfortable environment. Exposed cables are a serious risk with rabbits, as these animals live to chew! Make sure cables are protected and try to close off any spaces that your rabbit might venture down and get stuck, as rabbits are natural diggers and they enjoy squeezing themselves into little gaps. Give your rabbit a safe, open space in the house to exercise. Ideally, make a whole room entirely rabbit safe, so that your bunny can be happily left to its own devices without any worries. Should you still have concerns, compare pet insurance online to find a policy that will cover your rabbit.

Keeping rabbits in the house is a contentious issue with many differing views and there are of course many other animals that make excellent pets including fish and birds.

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