Now, I'm a traditional pet person. By traditional, I mean cats, dogs, and most things small and fluffy. I don't trust birds, ferrets, and reptiles. If you're looking at this thinking "well screw you, my parrot is awesome" then go you. Don't hire me as a pet sitter for it unless you want it to learn to say bad words.
I'm going to give you what I'm going to call the three levels of responsibility, and what type of pet you're ready for if that's where you are. Ready? Cool.
Level 1: Ain't nobody got time for that
So you're a busy person. You leave the house early, come home late, sometimes leave for an entire week, and don't really have time to water your plants, but still want something around and alive for you to love.
In this case, I'd say you have two options. Get a boyfriend, or get a hamster. Hamsters are pretty easy pets to keep, and you can offer a neighbor kid $10 a day to come over to feed it, play with it, and check it's pulse. They're nocturnal, so they don't care where you go during the day, and no one judges you for keeping it in a cage 90% of the time.
Keep in mind, hamsters poop. You're going to have to clean their cage and change the bedding every week or so, and it's not a fun task. Now, you could totally give the neighbor kid $20 to do it, but it only takes about 20 minutes to do it, so suck it up and act like an adult.
They're cheap to buy, feed, and rarely need a vet visit. Overall, a good starter pet. It's why your friends got one when they turned 9.
Level 2: I've got some time
Yay! You're taking care of your hamster like a champ, finally got those 9-5 hours locked in, and you like to eat dinner at home, with the occasional late night or weekend away. Congrats! You're a Level 2 now! AND IT'S A CAT!
Some people don't like cats. They say a cat doesn't come when you call, greet you at the door, or go on walks with you. Well..... that's kind of the point. The whole reason I love my cat Puma so much is that she does her own thing whether I'm there or not, eating from her bowl and doing her business in a litter box. She likes to cuddle me while I sit on the couch, sleep with me in bed, and waits patiently by the toilet while I shower. However, I can leave for the day and come back without feeling guilty for abandoning her.
This is a more invasive love. Your cat will destroy a few things, throw up on your couch, shed on everything you love, and cost more money than a hamster. Annual vet visits for shots and whatnot, monthly flea meds, kitty litter, and food aren't cheap. Your cat can also get sick, and then they'll have to go to the vet and possibly need medicine or surgery, neither of which are cheap or fun. There are pet health insurance plans, and you can certainly buy one. Me? I don't have one for Puma. She's always been healthy, happy, and adorable. Cats can live from 12-15 years, but my grandpa's cat Molly is 19 and showing no signs of stopping. Scooping their litter boxes is also kinda gross.
If you're not sure you have the time to spend with an energetic (meaning destructive) kitten, get your butt to a local shelter and get a cat. An older cat is also one of the only ways to get exactly the personality you want. My dad is a perfect example. He wanted a cat that would come greet him at the door, be happy to see him, and be playful and outgoing. At the time, my sister in law had a cat named Dobby who needed far more attention than she could give him with her frequent deployments with the Navy and was feeling massive guilt over it. Well, I played matchmaker, introduced my dad and Dobby, and now those two are peas in a pod. Dobby is so happy that my dad comes home every night, and my dad is happy to have him to go home to. The people at the shelter will be able to match you with exactly the cat personality you want, and you'll be saving their life.
Level 3: I've got so much time, maybe I should have a baby!
So you've reached level 3! Go you! Dang, even I'm not at level 3 yet. You like your cat, but just cuddling and playing aren't satisfying your emotional needs anymore. Your days are now on a regular schedule, and you're thinking maybe baby. Wanna know what's way better as a practice? A puppy!
My sister, Andrea, got a puppy when she moved to Florida. That girl has been fighting baby fever for years, and since she wasn't yet engaged, her and Brian instead plopped down $2,500 and got his dream dog, an English Bulldog puppy they named Meaty. Now, I've spent some time with Meaty. He was so cute I almost died. His wrinkly little face covered in soft, velvety fur, floppy ears, big brown eyes and wiggly, pudgy body were enough to make me seriously contemplate stealing him when I left.
Then I spent some more time with him. He was still a puppy, so he had to go outside every hour to pee and whatnot, or else he'd pee in the house. Putting on a leash on his wiggly body was hard, and then he'd try to attack it when he wasn't yanking on my arm attempting to chase a frog. Even then, he'd still sometimes spend 20 minutes sniffing around, only to pee on the tile once he came inside. Training is a huge ordeal, and putting a chew toy in his mouth every time he tried to teeth on my hand was annoying. He has to get walked every day to keep him in shape and curb destructive tendencies, plus crating him before we left the house, and then not being able to leave for too long because he needed to go out and pee AGAIN. Even in the middle of the freaking night.
Andrea is a nurse and Brian works in sales, so they're not home all day. My mom is a student in an online university, and has become my sisters doggy day care. Lucky for my sister, my mom is fine with this, however my mom is also happy when the dog goes home.
I've known many people who love their dogs, and are more than happy to put in the time, money, and energy to raise one. I'm not exaggerating about the money part. Dogs are expensive. Obedience school, toys, vet bills, food, flea and heartworm meds, dog sitters, kennel fees,and replacing what they will inevitably destroy add up. And depending on the breed, the cost of ownership can range from moderate to outrageously expensive. There are also so many different breeds of dog to choose from it's hard to know where to start. Apartment buildings, neighborhoods, cities, counties, states, and even countries can also have breed restrictions, meaning your 80 lb pitbull might be allowed where you live now, but it might not be welcome if you move to the UK, or even Miami.
Choosing to own a dog takes a ton of research, money, time, and energy, and everyone in the household should be prepared to handle this responsibility. That's why it's level 3.
Hope you guys enjoyed this post and keep in mind that I'm not an expert. I've said before, don't be dicks.
Kitten! I'm good with a kitten.
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