Every parent can tell you that all kids come with their own unique challenges: they keep you up all night, they leave a mess everywhere they go, they're picky eaters, they don't clean up their toys after themselves, they put everything they find in their mouths, potty-training is a time-consuming nightmare, they don't get along with their sibling(s), etc. I've been a parent for over a decade, and I've been through many of the same struggles that others have. The only difference is - my kids have paws. 🐾
I have had my cat, Mr. Bean, for over 11 years now. Even though I've always identified as more of a "dog person," I can't imagine how I would have gotten through the past decade of my life without him. He's a spunky little guy, who runs to the sound of his name, loves to chase me as I shuffle my feet across the floor, will legitimately wear a harness to go on a walk with me, and will burrow himself under any blanket I'm using. He will always be my "first born son," but for the past few years, I've had the constant desire to give a rescue dog a home. After John and I moved in together, we discussed the pros and cons (and lifestyle changes) that would come with owning a dog. About one year later - as a birthday gift to me - we went to a local shelter and adopted a 6 month old border collie mix rescue and named him Elvis.
Now that we have two little furry beasts living with us, we have have more love and affection to fill our home, but we also have more chores and responsibilities. I have, however, discovered a few things that I could not own pets without having! These five things have made my life better (and easier) when it comes to owning pets in an apartment:
For Pet Friendly Apartment:
Dyson Vacuum - Pets shed. Elvis and Mr. Bean particularly shed A LOT. It's almost impossible to keep up with all the hair! I find myself vacuuming almost everyday, which can be a huge pain with a clunky, old vacuum. Luckily, this past Christmas, John and I got the Dyson V8 Motorhead and it has made my life so much easier! It's light and cordless, making the chore go faster and less of a "workout." It stays charged long enough for me to finish our entire apartment, and it comes with different attachments, making it versatile and useful for every inch of our apartment!
Nature's Miracle Carpet Cleaner - I can't even count the number of messes I've had to clean up after our two little monsters. Between the accidents and occasional hairball that Mr. Bean gets, we've been relying on Nature's Miracle to get our carpets, rugs, and furniture looking and smelling clean. I have yet to find any kind of stain and odor remover that's even close to being as good as the Nature's Miracle formula. They make specific cleaners for specific needs too, which is helpful if you have a mix of pets like we do! I have their dog, cat, and Oxy-clean formula on hand for all the different types of messes we have.
Food/Treat Containers - I like my food to be fresh, so it's only fair that I try to keep my pets' food as fresh as possible too! Plus, reusable food containers look a lot better then the food bags/packaging! I found my food and treat canisters at TJ Maxx, but there are all kinds of cute and functional containers out there! I love how they look, and my boys love how fresh their food always tastes!
Breeze Litter Box System - I think one of the worst things about having a cat in an apartment is trying to find a good spot for the litter box. I had always stuck Mr. Bean's litter box in a closet so it was out of sight. The problem was, he would always track litter outside of the closet - making it not as discrete as I wanted and the litter was not fun to step on either! John's parents told me about the Breeze Litter Box System that they used for their cats, and I had to give it a try! No more tracking litter everywhere, it's dust-free, and Mr. Bean doesn't seem to mind the change!
Cute Decor - I am a full blown "crazy cat/dog mom," and I am proud of it. And to show just how proud of it I am, I like to display my love for my babies around my apartment. I think it's always fun to have pet-themed decor and/or conversation pieces! My "My Kids Have Paws" sign and I Could Pee on This book are two of my favorites!
I'm always looking to make the chores and responsibilities that come with owning a pet easier, so I can enjoy the love, affection, and snuggles from them even more! What pet necessities do you have?
As always, thanks for reading!
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