Over the years I have worked with many people who have designated a room in their house or apartment to the sole use of their animal, be it cat, ferret, or other furry critter. It had never dawned on me to give an animal their own room. In my mind, if you have a pet it should be interactive and part of the family and not sequestered away. Well, I have learned a great deal since that thought process.
What I have learned is that not all animals can handle the free reign of the home. Nor can their people handle their animal’s free-reign. When cats start peeing all over the new carpet, and ferrets eat the sofa from the inside out, and small creatures burrow in the dirty laundry it is time to get a grip. Thankfully these animals are dearly loved and their people refuse to give them up to a shelter for bad behavior. These people understand that animals are instinctual and if they were running wild their behavior would be normal. But in a small house, there is no room for the wild side. The solution… give them their own room.
Morgan, a 15 yr old boy, has three ferrets, Mutt, Rock, and Krypto. They lived in his bedroom until his bed became theirs… literally. Then the curtains somehow were shredded, then small suspicious poop surfaced under dropped socks. Mom had a fit. Morgan didn’t see an issue. The solution was to make the back room into a ferret room. They called me when they wanted to know how to make the ferrets feel more like they had their own apartment opposed to being punished. Morgan bought several ferret safe toys and bedding for his little friends. Then he moved in an old stuffed chair where he could sit as he played with the critters. For added protection, he secured the window so escape was impossible. I mentioned they would like a see-through door and sure enough an old porch door made from plexi-glass replaced the wooden one. Now Morgan hangs out with Mutt, Rock and Krypto in their room as he texts his friends and chats with his girlfriend online. Morgan’s bedroom is now less of a health hazard and mom is happy.
Cindy has an old orange cat named Butter. When she first moved into her apartment 10 years ago Butter peed on the rug to mark her territory. Then she would use the kitty pan. Over the years, Butter would routinely make her rounds peeing on the carpet. Cindy had the carpets professionally cleaned several times, but still Butter would pee on them. Butter was also taken to the vet and given a clean bill of health so she wasn’t expressing a health issue. This was an aggravating situation for Cindy because she could not have guests over due to the mounting smell of urine. When Cindy called she was at her wits end. I explained that unless the mat under the carpet is cleaned, the faint smell of urine will attract Butter making her want to pee. The only real solution is to rip up the carpet and mat and throw it away. Then using a special cleaner specific to this problem wash the underlying floor. After it drys then seal it. Once this process is complete you can put down a new mat and carpet. This is a huge ordeal and does not always work especially if the cat has had free reign for a long time.
Since Cindy was renting she didn’t want to invest in a new carpet. The solution was to move Butter into her own room. The spare bedroom was seldom used and would be perfect for Butter. Butter now has two great windows to sit in where she can watch the birds. She has the bed to lie on. The bare floor is easy to clean, if necessary. She has her kitty pan which she uses since the temptation of smelly rugs are not nearby. Cindy put in a chair where she can sit with Butter while she does her nightly reading. She also replaced the wood door with a screen door so every time she passes in the hallway she can say hi to Butter. Butter no longer has free reign of the house, yet is very happy in her kitty room. Cindy, after seeing Butter’s contentment in her new space went ahead and had the carpeted floors redone in her apartment. She now enjoys an odor free home and is much happier and less stressed. For these two, a private room with a view was the best option.
Granted not everybody has a spare room to offer their beloved pet. There are many other options to help an animal live better in the home. If you have a situation and can’t figure out a possible solution, before you give up your animal, please call. With the help of your guardians and your pets guardian, we can most likely find a perfect solution that will make everybody happier.
