Things I learned since becoming a fur-parent
It has been a few weeks since I adopted 2 kittens. Back then, I was hesitant about my ability to take care of such tiny creatures especially since I had just been diagnosed with major depressive disorder. I thought to myself that I can not even take care of myself, how would I be able to take care of 2 additional pets?
Thankfully, my youngest sister helped me out quite a bit. She reminds me to get out of bed and feed the pets since I was struggling with that at the time. I had just begun taking my medication then, and I was still not used to the side effects. So her reminders were a great help to me, and I appreciate it a lot.
Along the way, I have learned things that I would never have considered before. These things that I discover give me much joy in taking care of Oreo, Presto, and Moshi.
It is tiring but rewarding
The first one is a bit expected. The surprising part is that I still find joy in taking care of them no matter how difficult it gets. I learned not to get too upset with the mess since I can always clean it up.
Since becoming a fur-parent, I have been getting up at ungodly hours just to feed the kittens. I have to do this since when I got them they were still too young so they needed to eat frequently. This disruption in my sleepy made me more irritable than I would like. Yet I can not deny the fact that watching them grow up is amazing.
It is expensive
I honestly suspected this already even before I adopted the kittens but I could say that I am still caught off-guard by how expensive it can get. Just from buying the essentials, I have already spent my average monthly earnings from writing. Even then, I still have some things that I need to buy.
Moreover, there are the vet visits that I have to allocate money for. Good thing that my sister will cover the first visit. But I would need to pay for more services for the kittens.
I think the thing that makes having pets expensive is looking for the food that they would like and that is good for them. I can not just feed them something that might cause problems later on.
I honestly did not realize that before. However, as I become more curious about how to take care of pets properly, I learned that there are some kitten food (for Oreo and Presto) / dog food (for Moshi) that are not good for them in the long run. So I have been on the hunt for more food that would provide better nutrients for them. I can not throw the ones I bought but I plan to supplement them with better food.
It is messy
This is the one that I am least prepared for. By nature, I am already a disorganized person. My things are in random places that are not aesthetic but I keep them out of the way and out of sight so my room mostly looks okay.
However, having pets changes that. Pets can cause so much mess when they are playing, and the worst thing is that they can not pick up after themselves. So I really have to put more effort into keeping my space clean.
Also, the fur is absolutely everywhere with Moshi. I really need to step up my brushing game since Moshi absolutely needs it.
It is time consuming
The free time that I could have used to pursue my hobbies are taken up by taking care of the pets. My time to eat is extended to 1 hour since I also feed them. I do this since I do not want to forget feeding them so I make sure that when I eat, I would also feed our pets.
Other free time will be occupied by playing with them. Sure it is fun but it is difficult because I have to take care in showing favoritism. I do not want any of them to act out because they are jealous of others.
Closing words
These are just some things I learned since becoming a fur-parent. I still have more realizations that I did not share here. Maybe I will write it down someday, but for now these are the pet lessons I learned.
Thank you for reading this article!
If you want to read some more articles of mine, I have monthly summaries here:
December 2021 Articles Summary
November 2021 Articles Summary
Owning cats or kittens is not my dream at all cos I find them a bit creepy...anyways I love that you love yours.