A Pet Parent’s Guide To Setting Up Home

By inspirations@urbanladder.com . February 10, 2017 .

There are two kinds of pet parents. The uber-liberal ones who allow their four-legged kids on sofas and beds and the super-strict ones who insist vainly that Kitty and Fido must stay off the furniture. Whichever kind you are, we’re sure you’ll agree that your pets must enjoy their home as much as you do!

Living with pets is a delightful, enriching experience. But it can also be maddening at times. Who can forget shedding season when you have pet hair floating all around the house and covering everything from the curtains to your clothes!

Here are a few things to keep in mind if you live with pets.

1. Take the edge off

Dogs and cats love to jump or run around and you don’t want them to hurt themselves on your furniture. So, get furniture with rounded edges or corners.

2. There's a reason it's called FURniture

Pet hair has an annoying tendency to stick to fabric. So if vacuuming twice a day isn’t your idea of fun, you may do well to choose leather or leatherette upholstery. Both of these are odour-resistant and non-adhering to fur. We’ve also been told that cats who have an alternative scratching post tend to leave leather well alone - so you can test that out!

3. Camouflage 101

If you love your fabric sofas, get highly patterned ones so that even if there’s hair sticking on, it’s not visible. (But do brush down the sofa or wipe it down with wet rubber gloves on, at least once a week.) Another option would be to buy a sofa with removable covers so that maintenance becomes that much easier.

4. Pause to clean them paws

If your pet is allowed on the bed, make sure you clean his paws every day, especially after he comes home from a walk outside. This reduces the chance of your bed linen getting soiled. It is also better if you stick to easily washable bed linen for your bed.

5. Hair today, still here tomorrow

Pet hair tends to accumulate on deep pile rugs, although it may not be easily visible. A light dhurrie might be a wiser choice, though you’ll have to velcro it to the ground to avoid slippage when your furkid zooms around the house.

6. Ready, steady

If you have decor items like vases or floor lamps around the house, make sure they are not in places where they can get knocked over easily. Heavier lamps and vases are generally more stable than lighter ones. You can also look for ones with more stable leg and base designs.

7. Go undercover

When training your pet to stay off the sofa, cover it with a plastic cover, blanket, or bed sheet. Your pet is going to make mistakes during the training, and you want your furniture to be protected from potential damage. For beds, invest in mattress protectors.

Above all, make sure your dogs or cats are groomed properly. This will help your house stay cleaner, longer. Trimmed paw nails won't scratch floors or upholstery. Regular brushing and bathing removes loose hair before it ends up on your floor, your bed, your pillows or your curtains.