Whether you soon plan to welcome a new pet into your life or you already have one, creating the perfect pet-friendly home can create a more suitable environment for your fluffy friend. In this guide, we’ll discuss some of the best steps for making a pet-friendly home. Let’s begin!

Ensure You Have Suitable Flooring

One key aspect of making the ideal pet-friendly home is to include the right sort of flooring. The flooring you opt for should be low maintenance, durable, and easy to clean. There are various types of flooring that you might want to consider, including the following.

Wood Flooring

Solid wood flooring is a durable and practical option. With versatility, solid wood flooring can be installed in most locations. This type of flooring is also easy to take care of (even if you have pets) and offers ease of installation.

Among the most pet-friendly hardwood flooring types include oak, bamboo, hickory, walnut and maple. You shouldn’t opt for softwood flooring (e.g., chestnut or pine) as these options are dent- and scratch-prone.

Laminate Flooring

While similar in appearance to hardwood flooring, laminate floors can be easier to clean and take care of. Many types of laminate flooring are scratch- and water-resistant. Moreover, laminate flooring tends to be easier to install and more affordable.

Vinyl Flooring

Pet-friendly vinyl floors are durable, versatile, and resilient. Vinyl floors are available in a wide range of colours, finishes and patterns. Among the popular finishes available are stone, tiled and wood effects.

Ceramic Tiles

Among the various types of tiles on the market worth considering for the creation of a pet-friendly home is ceramic tiles.

Luxury Vinyl Tiles or LVT

Beyond that, you may want to consider luxury vinyl tiles (LVT). These tiles lack a cold underfoot unlike most types of tiles. LVT can work great in kitchens and bathrooms, offering a combination of durability and luxury. These tiles are good for dealing with regular foot traffic (and paw traffic) and are relatively easy to clean. Thankfully, LVTs are often not as expensive as you might expect.

Get The Right Bedding

It’s important that your pet has suitable bedding for when they arrive. Tightly woven bedding is the best option since pet fur and pet nails are less likely to get caught in this type of fabric. Whatever, the case, be sure to opt for bedding well-suited to your specific pet, whether they are a dog or cat.

New Pet Flap

Hiring a professional for fitting a new pet flap is a great way to allow your dog or cat to enter and exit your home with ease. Obviously, a pet flap won’t be suitable in all cases but whether you want to consider one now for your pet or for a later stage when they’re more mature, it’s worth looking into this as an option.

There are several types of pet flaps with pricing ranging from around £100 to £500. Some pet flaps are more sophisticated and secure than others so it’s important to carefully consider what one is right for your home.

Other Additions for Dogs and Cats

If you’re planning to welcome a puppy/dog or kitten/cat, consider the following:

  • Food and water bowls
  • Litter tray and litter tray material for a cat
  • Gate on your stairs
  • Suitable toys *
  • Grooming supplies
  • Identification tag(s)
  • Secure fencing or enclosure in your back garden

*Ensure that any toys are not a choking hazard. Puppies or kittens may need more time to mature before using toys appropriately.

Pro tip

If you have a kitten or puppy and want to take them in to your garden, be aware of the potential threat posed by large birds in the area (e.g., herons). You’ll want to, at the very least, stay close to your kitten/puppy when outdoors or hold them throughout. You’d need to get training underway before putting a kitten or puppy on a leash for their first explorations of the outdoors.

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