Two 'pet' peeves

As I write, Claude is batting a yellow mouse all around the newly vacuumed living room. When I finish this blog post, I’ll take out his ball on a string toy and interact with him instead of watching him play, unless he has tired and curled up next to me by then. In that case, we’ll watch “Project Runway,” or maybe a little DVR’d “Housecat Housecall.” Sometimes he gets excited by the noises. Not so much by Heidi Klum. Of course, having a pet isn’t just play and snuggles. It’s not always fun or easy either, but paying attention to two of my most frequently observed (pet) pet peeves – which I am sometimes guilty of too – will make life more enjoyable and healthy for both you and your pet.

Environment: Two things stand out most to me about keeping your dog or cat’s environment clean. First, wash food and water bowls regularly. Those dishes are your pet’s main source of daily nutrients and should frequently be handwashed or put in the dishwasher if you have spares. Never use plastic dishes for food or water bowls because plastic scratches easily, allowing bacteria to enter.

Second, any food, dirt, dust, or buildup that’s on your floor can get on your pet’s coat, and therefore in its mouth, so vacuuming or mopping more frequently than before you had a pet is worth the extra time it takes.

Identification: When I’m out walking dogs, I see never-ending postings for lost dogs and cats. Since Claude will always live indoors, I think he has less of a need to wear a collar or be microchipped, but I wonder how many pet guardians thought that about their missing indoor cats. Whether I chip him or not, I know I need to be cautious when opening the front door, and with people entering my house when I’m not here. Many dogs are trained to stay near their owners when walking outside off-leash, but I also wonder how many of the missing dog signs I notice are from situations where the dog wasn’t on a leash. Did it get scared or threatened and bolt, or separated from its guardian by mistake? (The queasiness that sentence causes me is why I’ve never been able to watch animal-themed movies, whether real-life or cartoon.)

Walking your dog off-leash is a personal choice, and I understand the want to show your trust and give your dog a little extra freedom, but the sad posted signs tell me it’s not worth the risk. At the minimum, if you have a dog, or a cat that goes outside, it should always wear a firmly attached collar.

Hot damn, Claude just went head first into a plant following his mouse, and there’s dirt on the newly cleaned floor. Eventually, maybe tonight, maybe tomorrow morning, I’ll sweep it up. I know the sooner I do, the less mess there’ll be, but I already put the vacuum away. It's definitely time to tire him out with some ball on a string play, which I realize now that I can do while also watching "Runway."

What are some of your pet-related peeves?

Jennifer Coleman is the Founder & Owner of Jellicle Pet Sitting and Jellicle Lagniappe.