Choosing the right pet for your family: our adoption journey

Kids and pets go hand in hand, they’re the cutest combination. But you have to choose wisely, because, if you don’t, things can be very difficult.

Welcoming a new furry member to your family is a big step, at least it was for us. We had to choose the exact timing and pet to make it a pleasurable experience, that doesn’t mean that there’s always some (or a lot) of work involved.

All pets demand attention and hard work, you have to take good care of them and spend time with them, you are they’re everything, they don’t have much going on with their little lives except from you, so, the responsibility is huge.

Taco came into our lives and filled them with purrs and cuddles and so much playing time. We have so much fun with him and my kid loves him.

I had pets growing up, dogs and cats, it was awesome! But we didn’t have any pet before our four legged furry friend, a kitty, came to our lives. We really gave it a thought for some months before deciding to go through our adoption journey, there are many things to consider. Here I leave you some of the things that we considered before adopting our kitty:

1. Adopt, don’t shop. First of all, we knew from the beginning we wanted to adopt since shopping for an animal, even from a licensed pet business, doesn’t feel right for us. Lives, yes, even animal lives, shouldn’t be traded with.
   

2. Cat, dog or something else? Cats and dogs are the most common pets but that doesn’t mean they are the only available choices. The easiest way to decide which animal to get is the one you, like the best, since, most probably, you’ll end up tending to your pet’s every needs, specially if you have smaller children that can’t yet help a lot taking care of them, and, to make this extra work load more manageable, liking your pet is key. I love cats so for me the obvious choice was to get a cat since I knew o would have to take care of it, and I am!
   

3. If you have kids, in our case a toddler, choose wisely. Puppies and kittens are very active and playful and, in most cases, will bite and destroy things. So, if you find yourself not being very patient maybe an older cat or dog will be better for you. For us this was the trick: an older calmer cat that liked or at least didn’t hate to interact with my toddler (because many pets don’t like children and I can’t blame them!). If posible try to meets the pet before committing to adopting it and see how they interact with your kids. Also, think about your potential pet’s temper in order to adjust better to your family life. It all these depends on your family’s needs: some families love to spend time outdoors playing and exercising, so maybe a more active outdoor pet like a dog is the right fit; other families are more indoorsy and love to cuddle to read or watch a movie, an older calm cat or a small quiet dog are great for these scenarios. Remember that some cats are very active and not the cuddly type and not all dogs like to go out. so, maybe adopting and older pet is better because your know for sure what their character is really like and if they’ll fit right with your family life.
   

4. Also, if you find that a calmer pet is for you, when possible, give the chance to an older pet, even a senior. They will adapt to your home life as easily as a cub or kitten. Form the begining we knew we wanted a calmer small pet, so, an adult cat was our match. We really didn’t care about the gender, just that it was calm and cuddly.
   

5. you also have to choose the size and this directly depends on the space you have and the economic resources you can spend on your pet. Maybe the best fit for your family would be a big dog which, incidentally, eats a lot and is more expensive to care for, but you happen to live in a small apartment, then maybe this is not the best match, try to get a smaller but very active dog instead (I don’t know if your get to spend more or less depending on the size of your pet but a smaller pet can get by with less food or smaller furniture and toys than a bigger animal. My cat gets by with a cholle of pounds of cat food every month, I don’t know if a Great Dane could make it with just that, also, my cat’s pet taxi is small and it was cheaper compared to a XXXL one).
   

6. Also, depending on the size, consider all of the extra chores you’ll have to do: groom, feed, walk , play with and entertain, clean after… bigger sometimes means messier and yes, all animals need cleaning after, all-of-them,-not-matter-how-tiny. Even your fish will need a clean fish ball and to be fed everyday (don’t mind me but given the work that having a pet comes with I prefer to have a pet with which I can interact more and cuddle with).
   

7. Think about all the things they could destroy and add them to your budget. Yes, even grown up pets will destroy things from time to time. Bye bye foamy carpet and my child’s tennis shoes which you clawed and chewed and my partner’s night sleepers. Mommy’s closet is forever locked for you because I don’t want you to eat my sandals.
   

8. Your home will get dirtier, do you need to add some cleaning appliances to your pet budget like a more potent vacuum cleaner or a sweeping robot? My cat sheds hair so, along with the grooming brushes and cleaning brushes for furniture, I have a sweeping robot that has helped me a lot (I had it before getting my cat but now I find myself using it more constantly and, therefore, having to replace some parts of it, like the filter and brushes, more often).
   

9. To find your furry buddy let people know and stay active: go to local shelters, join local adoption groups and let your friends and family know that your are looking to adopt your next pet, this will lead you faster and more directly to your new four legged companion. This was our case, I let my friends know that I was looking for a cat and a good friend of mine connected me to her kind cousin who just happened to have rescued a cat and was looking for a forever home for him (I aspire to be one of these lovely kind people who rescue little creatures and foster them until they get to their forever home). I will always be thankful to my friend and her cousin for getting our cuddly playful kitty into our lives. His name is Taco, by the way.
   

10. When you finally get your little furry fellow home be patient, give them time to adapt to your family life (for us it took around a month for little Taco to feel at home), shower them with love and cuddles and play time and enjoy them! Animals are one of the best parts of this amazing world we live in :)
    

11. Sit back and watch how your new pet to change your lives. Taco has been with us for 6 weeks now and I can see how he has already worked his magic with us. Before he came into our lives my child used to suffer a lot from separation anxiety, she was very clingy and demanding and wouldn’t like to be left alone for even one second (little audience to go to the toilet anyone?). Little Taco has helped me too to be less anxious and more relaxed and patient with my child. We play a lot with him and have amazing cute moments and big laughs and seriously feel calmer even if my house work load has increased with his coming. I don’t think it’s a coincidence, I see all these positive changes: my kid plays by herself quietly while I cook or sit to read by her side (this almost never happened) and I get to cuddle my furry fellow and that gets me calmed and feeling great!

Some people say pets can’t love or understand us but I think they really can, this amazing little creatures are as capable of loving and enjoying being with you as you are with them. Little friends who may not speak our language but they communicate with their soulful eyes, little bores and happy scratches. Definirle one of the best experiences in this life, having a pet, cuddling them, loving them and spoiling them. Go get yours, you won’t regret it.

As I write this my little furry fellow is purring beside me, it’s cloudy and rainy, we are sharing a blanket