Keep pets from destroying your apartment is a post that was sent in to help apartment dwellers specifically. Many times apartment dwellers may be first time independent pet owners as well. There are lots of opportunities for mistakes in raising your first pet in your very own apartment.

Here are some hints from InsuranceQuotes.org on how to peacefully co-exist with your apartment pet. Along the way I may add a few comments of my own.

Living with any roommate can be a struggle, but furry, four-legged roommates can take your frustration to a new level. Those claws, teeth, and annoying habits can wreak havoc on any space, particularly a small apartment. If you’re really hoping to keep your apartment and belongings intact while living with a pet, you’ll have to take some steps to prevent your animal from destroying everything around it. Try some of these tips to keep your sanity and your security deposit.

Cats

• Set up a scratching post:

Or several. If you’ve got a cat, don’t even bother trying to teach it not to scratch. It’s going to happen; it’s in their nature. Instead, try to provide places that it is allowed to scratch so you’ll both be happy. Place scratching posts near places that your cat already scratches or where it spends a lot of time. If it doesn’t take to it immediately, rub or spray the post with catnip or consider getting a taller post or one made with a different material.

• Take care of its claws:

If scratching posts don’t work, you might consider doing something with the claws themselves. Trimming them regularly may keep the damage at a minimum. Declawing is also an option, but many cat lovers believe it to be cruel — the equivalent of cutting off the finger to the first knuckle — so don’t take the decision lightly and do research on the procedure to see if you’re comfortable with it. If you decide against declawing, you can try an alternative like claw caps, small plastic caps that are glued over a cat’s claws to prevent scratching damage.

• Protect your blinds:

Curiosity is an unavoidable feline characteristic, and many indoor cats love looking out windows to see what’s going on in the world outside. If you’ve got horizontal blinds, this habit isn’t as charming as it sounds. Cats trying to get to the window often snap blinds in half or break off ends, leaving you with damage that your landlord won’t ignore. If you don’t live on a ground floor, you should consider raising the blinds a bit in a window or two and giving the cat an easy way to access the window. If raising the blinds isn’t an option, try to keep the cat off the window sill with specialty double-sided tape sold at pet stores, foil, or a Scat Mat.

• Spay or neuter them:

Spraying is a problem with unneutered male cats, and once you’ve smelled sprayed urine, you’ll never forget it. It’s far from pleasant, and can stink up your whole apartment. Neutering your cat, though, typically eliminates this territorial spraying and even makes the urine smell less strong. Spaying your female cats can help prevent problems (and messes) that sometimes happen when a cat goes into heat several times without mating, including diarrhea and vomiting.

Dogs

Has this ever happened to you?

• Crate train:

One popular method of keeping dogs from having accidents in the house and chewing up your property out of boredom is to crate train them. In this style of training, dogs are kept in a crate when they are unsupervised, and they learn not to make a mess where they sleep. As long as your dog is let out regularly throughout the day, this can be a good method and even gives the dog a spot where they can feel secure.

• Enroll in doggie daycare:

If your dog is alone for most of the day because you work long hours and can’t go home during lunch, you might consider a pet daycare. It would allow your dog to get exercise and attention that you’re not able to give it; best of all, it will get the pup out of the apartment during its most destructive, unsupervised hours. It could be best for both of you! Consider if your dog enjoys being around other pooches, determine its activity level (if classes are separated that way), and do research to make sure you trust the daycare providers.

• Use repellant spray:

Dogs often chew when they are bored, so make sure there’s nothing left lying around (like your favorite shoes) for the dog to chew on while you’re away. Of course, that doesn’t always stop dogs from chewing on furniture or other immobile things, so using a chewing deterrent spray can help discourage dogs from doing permanent damage on expensive items or parts of the apartment. Bitter apple, rosemary, or other sprays can teach dogs that chewing isn’t a tasty option.

These suggestions are the beginnings or the basics. It is seriously important to take measures to keep not only your personal property safe but the apartment safe as well. Deposits are already difficult to get back under normal care and circumstances.

If you have a small dog or a larger strong dog we have you covered on your crate training and crating items. These are high quality proven items ready and waiting for shipment to your door.