The struggles of being a pet parent

Written by Samantha | 13 December 2024

They make us laugh, they give us comfort, and they are so cute! There are many advantages of having a little buddy roaming around in your house. However, pets can be hard work! Okay, some pets might require a bit more time and effort than others, but whether you have a fish or a horse, you are still a pet parent! Here are 5 things you will definitely relate to as a pet owner:

Hairs. Hairs everywhere.

Having a fluffy pet means you can really find out whether your vacuum works properly or not. Because the second you finally made your house hair-free, all those hairs will mysteriously appear again in the span of 2 minutes. And don’t get us started about all the hairs on our clothes after getting a big hug from your four-legged friend. Doggo and cat parents know it’s a never-ending story. However, we wouldn’t want it any other way, because those softs coats are perfect for cuddling!

Destruction

We all know it; those guilty eyes staring at you after your pet has taken a big interest in your plants and more particularly: the dirt. Or maybe the toilet roll has fallen victim to those sharp teeth. Especially puppies and kittens can see a fun toy in everything, whether it’s your new expensive shoes, couch, sock or another random item. So no matter how cute and well-raised our pets are, we always have to keep an eye out for any mess lying around. The good thing: it does force us to keep our house clean and tidy. Maybe it isn’t so bad after all.

The 2 P’s

Just like childern, pets can really make a mess of things as well, and poo and pee are just a couple of examples. As a pet owner, you have to be prepared to clean up the nastiest of poos, which let’s be honest, is not our favourite thing to do. Especially if it’s on your new rug in the living room after your pet has been feeling ill. And if you own horses or livestock, getting rid of manure will become part of your daily workout.

The constant state of worry

We love our pets like they are part of the family, which also means that we worry about them as if they are part of the family. As pets can’t talk, we need to figure out what they want or how they feel through animal communication. ‘Why is my dog’s faecal matter looking so strange?’, ‘Why does my cat meow so much?’ and ‘Why does my hamster keep climbing his cage?’ are just some examples of the things that you might be googling. While Google might become your best friend to answer these questions, it’s best to contact the vet if you are really worried about something. This brings us to our next and final point.

Money, money

Having to pay the vet after he determines that your pet suffers from being-dramatic-syndrome is not something that makes our wallet very happy. Neither do all the toys that are being destroyed in 1 minute, the food, the snacks, and other supplies and accessories that your pet needs. You also have to keep in mind that they are other unexpected bills that can appear when you least expect them, so creating a buffer is also important. Long story short: being a pet parent is expensive (but so worth it!).