If you are thinking of getting a household pet for your family, then getting a cat may be just the perfect option! The decision to decide what kind of pet to get is a big one for most families. However, cats make for great pets for a variety of reasons. Here are just a few to consider.
Low Maintenance
Cats are extremely self-sufficient. Although they will interact with you, they don’t always need a ton of attention. Dogs, for example, need to be walked and let outside to do their business. Yet, a cat can be trained to use the litter box. Once they learn to do that, you will hardly ever have to worry about their bathroom habits. This means that they’re low maintenance and require less of your attention when it comes to caring for them. If you’re going to be out of the house, you won’t have to worry about racing home to make sure that they can go outside in the middle of the day as you might do with a dog.
Cats Provide Comfort and Playfulness
Cats make great companions for all ages—from young children to the elderly. Most cats enjoy playing with toys, which is great for children to join in on. This type of interaction with children makes cats unlike any other pet. They are also great companions for the elderly or widowed persons because of their ability to comfort and connect with humans. If someone in your family deals with anxiety or other health issues, cuddling up with a cat can be quite soothing.
A Form of Pest Control
It is well-known that some cats love to catch mice. Often, they will do it in an attempt to please their owners. If you live in a place where you see a mouse every now and then, getting a cat could help take care of that issue. Having mice around is definitely not a sanitary thing, and so taking this measure would improve the overall livability of your home environment. If your mice issue is beyond being able to be controlled by a cat, then you will most likely need to seek out pest control services. Getting a cat early on before the issue becomes severe, however, could really help prevent the issue from going to that extreme.
Longer Life Expectancy
Unfortunately, a lot of household pets don’t live to be very old. Cats, on the other hand, can sometimes live for up to 20 years. This means that they can grow up with your children. In fact, it’s possible for the same cat to be around from birth to the time your child leaves for college. Of course, that depends on the breed, quality of care, and whether or not the cat stays inside.
Choosing a pet is a major choice for any family. By looking at all the positives that a feline can provide, though, the choice should be easy and you’ll be welcoming a furry little creature in no time.