Pet Beds & Fences

Bringing home your newest family member, Fido or Miss Kitty, can be an exciting time. In your excitement to bring Fido home, don't forget to prepare your home for Fido's arrival. There are many items that you can gather and set up before your newest family member arrives.

Two of those items should be a new pet bed for Fido and a small animal carrier for Miss Kitty. Many shelters won't send you home with your cat without a pet carrier to transport her. Even if you are adopting your cat from an organization that does not insist you have a pet carrier to transport her, it is safer for you and Miss Kitty if she travels in a proper pet carrier. Not only will she be more secure and safe, but she is going to be significantly less frightened if she is snug in her new animal carrier. Some shelters may provide you with a special blanket as a take home gift for your new cat. However, just in case, you should provide Miss Kitty with a comfortable small pet blanket that you can place inside the small animal carrier. It will help her snuggle right in and she can continue to use it once she arrives at her new home - your home.

Allow your new cat or dog plenty of time to exit the pet carrier in their own time. Some animals will remain cautious and wait awhile to see how things go before leaving the security of their carrier. Other animals will bolt out as soon as you open the door to the pet carrier. Regardless, it is a good idea to have things set up and ready to go before Fido or Miss Kitty arrive.

Once Miss Kitty leaves her small animal carrier, gently scoop her up and show her where the litter box is located. Before Miss Kitty arrives at her new home, make sure you have already set up a litter box close to where she is going to be venturing out, so she can easily remember where it is at. She may be timid to explore the full extent of your home immediately and therefore, may not find the litter box if it is in the far corners of your basement. This is especially true if Miss Kitty is a kitten. Initially, it is a good idea to introduce her to their litter box several times over the next couple of days or until you feel confidant she knows where her litter pan is located. It may even be a good idea to initially restrict Miss Kitty to the main level of your home, if you have a two story home with a basement, until she and you are more confidant in her explorations and adventures. At a later date, if you want to move the litter pan to the basement, do so by incrementally moving it closer to where you want it. Take each step in this process slowly, a week at a time with the litter pan in one spot before moving it. If you do this, you will also have to show her each time where you have moved it.

The other item you should make sure to have at home before Fido arrives is his new pet bed. Providing him with his own bed to sleep in, snooze in, or simply curl up in, keeps him happy and helps you set the boundaries for where you want Fido to sleep. Dogs like to be close to their human companions, so it is often best to provide Fido with a bed in more than one location throughout your home. This is especially true if you do not want Fido on your furniture. Give Fido a pet bed in the living room. If you want Fido in your bedroom at night, give Fido a bed in your bedroom as well or expect him to be snuggling up on your pillow shortly after you are resting on it. If you spend a great deal of time working in your office at your desk, give Fido a pet bed right by your desk, so he can feel like he is a part of what you are doing.

In addition to providing pet beds and animal carriers for your pet, don't forget to get the right feeding systems, food bowls and water bowls, for your newest family member. Buy the pet food ahead of time and keep it stored in an airtight pet food container or dispenser. Don't forget Miss Kitty's litter for her litter box as well.

Enjoy your newest family member. Be prepared for Fido or Miss Kitty's arrival and they will feel more welcomed. You will enjoy the time you spend getting to know them better as well.

Organizing Tips

Popular Items in Pet Beds & Fences