I adopted a kitten in October of my senior year of college. He's adorable and I love him SO much! However behind all the cuddles and playtime, is a huge responsibility.
Adopting a pet is a huge commitment and it should be given serious consideration. I had to pay for both my kitten's shots and neutering... and it was not cheap. Luckily, I planned ahead and saved up several hundred dollars to take him to the vet and buy all of his supplies, toys, and food! Now that he's six month olds, I wanted to write a short blog post about the pros and cons of owning a pet while in college.
5 Pros:
1. They're always excited to see you.
After a long day of classes or work, it's a great feeling to walk into my house and be greeted by my kitten! No matter what happened that day, it's easy to relax and have fun once I'm with him.
2. They help you de-stress.
College is full of exams, projects, work, and more. It's easy to feel overwhelmed. But how stressed can you really be if you have a cute kitten or puppy to hang out with while you're studying?
3. They teach you how important it is to have fun.
My kitten constantly wants to play with me. No matter how busy I am, he encourages me to stop what I'm doing and pay attention to him. Spending at least 20 minutes a day playing with him and his toys makes my day way more fun.
4. You're never alone.
When my roommates are working or in class, the house gets very quiet and sometimes spooky. But I never feel lonely because he's always right by my side. My roommates also have a dog so between the two of them, I always have company!
5. You take on more responsibility.
This could be seen as a con, but I think it's a pro because it's taught me time management skills and how to prioritize. If I want to go out with friends, I have to make sure I scoop his litter and feed him first. Putting him before myself has also taught me how to be more selfless in my human relationships.
After a long day of classes or work, it's a great feeling to walk into my house and be greeted by my kitten! No matter what happened that day, it's easy to relax and have fun once I'm with him.
2. They help you de-stress.
College is full of exams, projects, work, and more. It's easy to feel overwhelmed. But how stressed can you really be if you have a cute kitten or puppy to hang out with while you're studying?
3. They teach you how important it is to have fun.
My kitten constantly wants to play with me. No matter how busy I am, he encourages me to stop what I'm doing and pay attention to him. Spending at least 20 minutes a day playing with him and his toys makes my day way more fun.
4. You're never alone.
When my roommates are working or in class, the house gets very quiet and sometimes spooky. But I never feel lonely because he's always right by my side. My roommates also have a dog so between the two of them, I always have company!
5. You take on more responsibility.
This could be seen as a con, but I think it's a pro because it's taught me time management skills and how to prioritize. If I want to go out with friends, I have to make sure I scoop his litter and feed him first. Putting him before myself has also taught me how to be more selfless in my human relationships.
5 Cons:
1. You can't travel whenever you want.
If you want to go on Spring Break for a week, that's great! But you have to find a place for your pet to stay. It can be expensive to pay for a kennel or a sitter, and it shouldn't be your parents' responsibility to watch your pet while you go party on a beach for a week. This is something you'll want to consider before you adopt your new best friend.
2. You need to learn to budget.
You can't drop all of your money at the bars because you have a pet relying on you for food, medicine, vet bills, training, etc.! This is something that many people overlook when they adopt a pet. I had thought about it, but I was surprised at how expensive the little things add up to. For instance, the monthly cost of kitten food and litter was more than I thought! Kittens and puppies eat a lot of food since they're growing, so you have to be prepared for that.
3. Finding a place to live can be hard.
Many apartments and houses have fees or rules against having pets. When searching for housing, this is something you'll have to ask your prospective landlord to avoid any awkward (and expensive) situations. When you graduate college and look for housing, you'll also have to face this. But when you truly love your pet, you'll pay anything to keep them!
4. They can damage things.
If you adopt a kitten or a puppy, you can expect they'll make mistakes. They are still learning, after all! My kitten loved climbing things with his claws when he was younger and he put two giant rips in my brand new bed comforter. I was annoyed at first, but he doesn't know any better. Be prepared to pay to fix/replace anything that your pet damages, especially if they ruin something that doesn't belong to you.
5. Some people won't understand.
When I first adopted my kitten, my friends didn't understand why I would stay in instead of going out to the bars with them. Sometimes you just want to stay in and cuddle your fur baby! This can be a pro though because staying in with my kitten actually improved my grades!
If you want to go on Spring Break for a week, that's great! But you have to find a place for your pet to stay. It can be expensive to pay for a kennel or a sitter, and it shouldn't be your parents' responsibility to watch your pet while you go party on a beach for a week. This is something you'll want to consider before you adopt your new best friend.
2. You need to learn to budget.
You can't drop all of your money at the bars because you have a pet relying on you for food, medicine, vet bills, training, etc.! This is something that many people overlook when they adopt a pet. I had thought about it, but I was surprised at how expensive the little things add up to. For instance, the monthly cost of kitten food and litter was more than I thought! Kittens and puppies eat a lot of food since they're growing, so you have to be prepared for that.
3. Finding a place to live can be hard.
Many apartments and houses have fees or rules against having pets. When searching for housing, this is something you'll have to ask your prospective landlord to avoid any awkward (and expensive) situations. When you graduate college and look for housing, you'll also have to face this. But when you truly love your pet, you'll pay anything to keep them!
4. They can damage things.
If you adopt a kitten or a puppy, you can expect they'll make mistakes. They are still learning, after all! My kitten loved climbing things with his claws when he was younger and he put two giant rips in my brand new bed comforter. I was annoyed at first, but he doesn't know any better. Be prepared to pay to fix/replace anything that your pet damages, especially if they ruin something that doesn't belong to you.
5. Some people won't understand.
When I first adopted my kitten, my friends didn't understand why I would stay in instead of going out to the bars with them. Sometimes you just want to stay in and cuddle your fur baby! This can be a pro though because staying in with my kitten actually improved my grades!