Adding a New Pet Into Your Home

Most of us animal lovers can't seem to get enough of that wonderful unconditional love we receive from our pets, so how could having more of that be bad, right? Not always so right, unfortunately. I have had several consultations with pet owners who ask for help when they've brought a new cat or dog into the home where a cat or dog already lives. Every now and then, I do get a call before a new pet has been added, which really does make the difference.

One of the best places to start when considering introducing a new pet is to ask the pet currently living in the home how she/he feels about this. Surprisingly, in my experience, there are a few who really don't mind. But that's it--just a few. Most animals do not want what comes with a new pet: less attention from "mom" or "dad" or less quality time(which is, of course, anticipated in their minds), and the chance that this new "sibling" will eat their food (remember, dogs especially have that pack mentality). Most of the time, the answer to the question "Would you like a little buddy to play with?" is......no; sometimes it's even an emphatic NO! When asked if they're lonely, which is a projection from pet owners, most of the time the answer is no. It takes a certain personality in a dog or cat to accept another furry family member...but also taken into account is age, gender, and how long the current pet has lived in the home.

The most difficulty usually occurs when two cats are brought together: cats are much more selective (as any cat owner would agree) and have very different views about their position in the home than dogs. If a new cat comes into the household, without asking the current resident cat(s), you could be facing a very challenging situation that may or may not ever be resolved.

Based on the many pet owners who have consulted with me about adding new pets, I strongly recommend, first of all, that you ASK the current pet(s) -- through the services of an Animal Communicator -- and to seriously consider the possible consequences of changing the present hierarchy--and please know that there is one; if the new pet arrives without the owner(s)having heard from the other pet(s), there may very well be a chance of agreement. Only time will tell. But, fear not, there are some things pet owners can do to try to make the transition go more smoothly. The most important thing to consider is to respect all the animals involved.