Welcoming a new pet—or moving homes with an existing one—requires thoughtful planning. Your home should be safe, comfortable, and suitable for your furry, feathered, or finned companions. Pets, like children, rely on us to create an environment where they can explore without risk. Here are simple, affordable ways to make your home more pet-friendly without straining your budget.
1. Maintaining Hygiene
Keeping your home clean is essential for both your family and your pets:
- Use lidded dustbins to prevent curious pets from knocking them over or ingesting harmful waste.
- Store food, medicines, and cleaning supplies out of reach. Many everyday items—like chocolate, coffee, grapes, nuts, onion, and garlic—are toxic to pets. Installing a simple latch on cabinets can prevent accidental ingestion.
2. Ensuring Safety
A pet-friendly home prioritises safety above everything else:
- Secure loose wires and cords that could cause strangulation or entanglement.
- Cover open electrical sockets and keep gadgets away from pets to avoid electrocution hazards.
- Check indoor plants—some common plants like lilies, tulips, geraniums, aloe vera, and tomato plants can be toxic to pets.
- Secure windows and balconies: Standard window grills are often unsafe for cats, who can slip through narrow gaps. Ensure parapets and railings are high enough to prevent accidental falls.
- Ensure enough open space for pets to move freely. Easy access to a garden, lawn, or park is a bonus.
- Add cat shelves if you have a feline friend—these prevent wall climbing and damage to curtains, shelves, or wardrobes.
- For birds, rabbits, or fish, place cages/aquariums away from drafts, AC vents, and open windows to prevent stress or exposure to predators.
3. Protecting Home Décor
Pets don’t have to mean sacrificing your home’s aesthetics:
- Keep fragile items out of reach to avoid breakage.
- Choose durable flooring such as ceramic or stone tiles that withstand scratches and stains.
- Use slip-proof rugs in areas where pets run or play.
- For pets that shed heavily, opt for fur-resistant fabrics like leather, microfiber, silk, or silk blends.
- Create a designated pet corner with a cozy bed, toys, and food bowls so your pet feels secure and comfortable.
- Use heavy door stoppers to prevent injuries from swinging doors.
- Provide a scratch pad so cats don’t damage furniture.
Remember, pets are naturally curious, energetic, and playful—occasional messes are part of the experience. The key is to look at your home from your pet’s perspective and make small, mindful adjustments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You can start by securing wires, adding cabinet latches, choosing easy-to-clean fabrics, creating a small pet corner, and using DIY solutions like homemade scratchers or recycled shelves. Most pet-proofing steps require minimal spending.
Neutral shades like beige, tan, light grey, charcoal, and cream hide dog hair the best. Choose colours that match your pet’s fur for minimal visibility.
Fabrics like leather, microfiber, silk, and tightly woven materials repel pet hair and are easier to clean. Avoid materials like velvet, wool, and chenille, which trap fur easily.
