How to prepare your home for new pets before Christmas

Christmas is almost here, and for many home owners and renters, so is a parade of new pets.

But while puppies and kittens are never just for Christmas and shouldn’t be given as surprise gifts, responsible prospective pet-owners will now be getting their homes ready for the arrival of a new family member.

“It’s all about preparing properly and choosing which pet, and animal breed, will work for your lifestyle and your property type,” says TV vet Dr Katrina Warren. “That’s about how much time you have to spend with a pet, how much exercise they might need, whether you have a backyard or live in an apartment.

“It’s about making your home safe for a dog or cat or any other animal, and thinking about training and toileting – and who’s going to get up at 5am to let a puppy out!”

Home-owners who’ve never owned a pet before might simply not realise how much effort they can take. Puppies love chewing slippers, but also furniture and furnishings, kittens can get into the smallest of spaces and sometimes can’t get out again, and there may be little accidents everywhere.

Often new owners underestimate the amount of time a new addition might take up and it’s often after Christmas when everyone goes back to work that the animals might suddenly be perceived as a burden.

“It’s not usually at Christmas that people abandon animals – although one year we did get a goldfish,” says Sharon Andronicos, RSPCA senior manager of animal care services Sydney region.

“It’s often later when people haven’t thought through what to do when they go on holiday, or in six months when an un-desexed animal has a litter of young, or when barking annoys the neighbours as they haven’t been properly trained.”

Andronicus says it’s often far better, if someone wants to give an animal as a gift, to talk it through thoroughly with the potential recipient first, and perhaps give an adoption voucher instead. That way, they can both first discuss their lifestyle with an animal refuge worker, who can help with matching an animal to a person.

Pet insurance can make a good gift too, as can setting the new pet up with a month’s food, bedding and a desexing voucher.

“Having a pet is always a big commitment, and it should be for life,” Andronicus says.

Then it’s all about getting the home ready. It’s a good idea, if you have a priceless Persian rug, for instance, to put it away until your animal is totally toilet-trained. Early puppy behavioural training is always wise, especially if it’s a breed with a big, or sharp, bark.

Nadia Crighton, spokesperson for Pet Insurance Australia, knows the potential for difficulties well.

“Pups will naturally chew, whine, cry and make a mess,” she says. “However, with the right training and socialisation your pup will quickly learn the manners and rules of the home and become a wonderful, welcome addition to any space.

“With kittens, it’s paramount you consider a good scratching post and easily accessible litter trays, that are cleaned often.”

There are easy modifications people can make to their homes to make them more pet-ready, too. Crighton suggests considering a penned area that puppies can use when they need to have a sleep, and a general ‘quiet’ zone. That can really help with toilet-training too and is also a good, safe spot when you can’t supervise them.

“If there are any areas you do not want your pup or kitten getting into, make sure you make it pet-proof,” she says. “Raised garden beds are good for dogs, and training. Have patience to teach your pup the places they are allowed to go, and it can also be a good idea to use baby gates for stairs to protect growing joints.”

Kittens should have their own room to begin with that contains their food, water, bed and a scratching post and litter tray, Crighton advises. Then gradually open up the remaining of the house to them while keeping their ‘safe zone’ that they can retreat to when spooked.

All animals should be invited into the home and not left outside, unless you perhaps live in the country. In that case, Dr Warren says they should always be allocated a safe, draught-free kennel or spot in a barn where they’ll feel safe and be protected from the elements and any other animals.

“But generally cats should be kept indoors for the safety of wildlife,” she counsels. “And more and more people today consider their pets to be part of the family and want to give them the luxury of being indoors.

“You have to make allowance, though, for the level of energy of a pet, especially a young one. People need to devote time to them, especially if they arrive at Christmas, when they are surrounded by attention.

“After Christmas they could get bored when everyone’s gone back to school and work,” Dr Warren says, “and by Easter they’ll be around four months old and they’ll not be sleeping as much and be very active.”

New pet checklist: What you need to buy

• Bedding – Choose a good-sized bed, with sides, but make sure it is not too big.
• Snuggle buddy – Get a soft, cuddly toy for night-time snuggles.
• Toys – A puppy will need some chew toys to keep them entertained and also to redirect any chewing, and kittens love things to play with.
• Crate/quiet zone – If you are considering crate-training your pup you will need to invest in a good-sized crate or pen area, for toilet-training and pet ‘quiet time’.
• Lead/collar – Make sure it’s age- and size-appropriate. Save the flashy collar for when your dog is fully grown.
• Pet insurance – Having accidental injury and illness cover or major medical cover for your new family member at eight weeks of age can reduce the burden of vet bills.
• Food and litter – Always use the same as the breeder or refuge has been using at first, only changing brands when the pets are settled to avoid stress.
• Food and water bowls and litter trays – Make sure they are size appropriate and in a quiet spot.
• Puppy-preschool and training –  Get in early to book your place.
• Travel crate – For trips away, or even to the vet.
• Scratching post – This will avoid claw marks on furniture.
• Grooming equipment – Everyone likes to look their best!