If you’ve got a single pet or have recently suffered a loss, you may be considering getting another pet. Or maybe you just want more pets and fancy trying a different species. Whatever the reason, there’s lots to think about before bringing a new pet home.

Am I Ready For a New Pet?

Before introducing another pet into your family, it’s important to consider what’s involved and the pros and cons of doing so:

Pros

• Companionship: rabbits and guinea pigs are social animals so prefer to live with at least one companion otherwise they may become depressed. While a companion for a dog or cat is great, it may not help to resolve separation anxiety. Speak to your vet first if this is the reason you’re considering a new pet.
• Lease of life: if you have an elderly dog or cat, a puppy or kitten may help to reignite their playfulness. But keep in mind that significant changes can cause stress, so make sure it’s the right match before welcoming a new pet into your home.
• Play: getting your current pet a playmate will give them someone else to play with but try to match energy levels to prevent pestering and squabbles.

Cons

• Bonding issues: not all animals get along, even if they’re the same species.
• Costs: You’ll be paying double for vaccines, preventative care, emergency care, food, grooming, pet sitting or boarding, training, bedding, enclosures, and toys.
• Stress: changes to your current pet’s usual routine can cause stress, but you can help them to adjust by making sure you regularly spend quality one-to-one time together.
• Time and attention: more pets mean there’s more to clean, feed, groom, play with, exercise and train.

When you welcome a pet into your home, you’re committing yourself to look after them for their whole life. How long do they live for? Is your situation likely to change and can you commit to caring for them long-term?

Some cat and dog breeds have been known to live for 20 years. Reptiles have an even longer lifespan – most pet tortoises can live for 50-100 years!

What Kind of Pet Should I Get?

When deciding what kind of pet to get, keep in mind your current pets and how they may react to new family members. If you have a dog that likes to chase rabbits on walks, then it’s going to be difficult to introduce a pet rabbit. But that’s not to say that different animals, who may be considered prey in the wild, can’t live together in harmony.

Dogs will often chase cats, but there are also cats and dogs that happily live together. And some species just aren’t very compatible, like guinea pigs and rabbits. Their welfare needs and behaviour are very different so it can be tricky to happily keep them together. But, with time, patience and training, most animals can be part of the same family.

Another thing to consider when choosing a new pet is what they’ll need, including space, and the costs involved. Are you aware that cats don’t like to share a litter box? Make sure you do your research, especially if you’re getting a species that you’ve not looked after before.

How to Introduce a New Pet to Your Other Pets

When introducing a new pet to your current pets, it’s important to give them plenty of time and space to get used to each other. Before first introductions, allow your new pet to explore their new home without any other animals around. They’ll be able to familiarise themselves with the smells before meeting the animal that the smells belong to. When your new pet appears comfortable, slowly bring in your current pet.

If you have more than one pet, it’s best to introduce them one at a time, so you don’t overwhelm your new companion. If either of your pets shows signs of distress or aggression, separate them immediately and give them some time before trying again. Having toys and treats at hand can be useful to encourage positive behaviour, like playing together, but also keep in mind that they may become protective which will lead to a squabble.

When introducing animals of different species, it’s important to consider natural hunting instincts. If you have a cat and you want to introduce a mouse, it’s best to keep the mouse in a cage with places to hide, so that your cat can’t cause harm to it.

Getting a New Pet After a Loss

If you have recently lost a beloved pet, you may be considering getting another pet to fill the void. Before doing this, it’s important to allow yourself time to grieve. It’s normal to want to regain what you had with your previous pet but remember that there’s no identical fit.

A new pet can’t replace the strong bond you’ve lost, but it will enable you to form a different one. Getting a puppy or kitten after losing an elderly pet can breathe life back into your house which can be particularly refreshing if you’ve recently had to look after an elderly or poorly pet.

What Should I Do if My Pets Don’t Get Along?

Bringing home a new pet will be a shock to any current pets. In most cases, with time and patience they’ll soon become friends. But if you’ve brought home a new pet and despite your best efforts, they still haven’t bonded, you may need to keep them separate.

If keeping your pets separate too difficult to do, like if you have two cats that both like to free roam, you may have to consider rehoming one of them. This isn’t an easy decision to make, so make sure you have considered this scenario before you bring a new pet into your life.

Adding another pet to your family can be an amazing experience, but you could also be faced with some challenges. Make sure you’ve considered all aspects like how your current pet may react, the additional costs and whether you have the space and time for more pets.

If you’ve recently lost a beloved pet, allow yourself time to go through the grieving process before making a final decision.

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