Okay, so animals aren’t actually people, but they have feelings like we do. Which makes them like people, doesn’t it? If a group of us were sitting around the living room hanging out, my old dog would sit in his own place and just look around at everyones faces because he thought that’s all we were doing. He thought he was a person too.
People like to have fun, right? So do pets! In fact, I guarantee your pets need more fun. Imagine how boring it must be to sit around the house all day with no company, as you wait for your owner (your best friend mind you) to get home from school or work only to be too tired to show you the attention you’ve been craving all day.
Don’t forget to play with your pets. It is sometimes difficult for a pet who lives in an apartment to get the appropriate amount of exercise when they are cooped up in a smaller space with no back yard. If you have a dog, make sure to take it out for walks not only to go the bathroom, but also to stretch its legs, chase a ball, and run around. Some apartments even have dog parks or huge courtyards that welcome your animals expenditure of energy. Be sure to clean up after your pet though! You don’t want to get in trouble with a neighbor or management for Fido leaving any land mines.
If you have a cat I recommend fun stringy toys with catnip. The catnip itself will make your cat run around in circles and act like a sugar crazed school child. Throw a piece of string with some sort of feathery object at the end to a stick and bounce it around, the cat will go nuts. They also sell laser pointers that any animal loves to chase around the house. Sometimes I’ll turn out the lights and focus a flashlight on the wall for my friend’s cat, Peg Legs. She goes crazy for it!
There are a massive number of toys and treats out there that can be used to entertain you pets, but always remember that no matter how tired or busy you are, you should take a few minutes to show them some love, attention, and play with them.
Remember, they’ve been cooped up all day in YOUR apartment and can get restless, adventurous, and curious. For your sanity…make sure your animals are having fun. A smiling apartment pet has a smiling apartment owner.
Woof!