Today, 20th February, is Love Your Pet Day! Whilst every day is clearly love your pet day, today is a day to show your pet some extra love. I'm very lucky at home to have two cats; Oreo and Bao. They are very different in personality and like different things, but there are definitely some things that they both love! For this Love Your Pet Day I'm going to be talking about some of the easy (and cheap!) things that my cats love, as well as what Ranger Maggie (my brother's dog) loves too!
Oreo is my older cat and is my absolute favourite animal. He loves cuddles and runs to say hi to me every day when I come home from work. He is a rescue and is HIGHLY food motivated! Toys that he likes are puzzles that involve food.
Simple toys I like to give him are:
Toilet roll tubes with the ends blocked, small holes in the tubes with treats inside.
Cardboard boxes with packing paper shredded in it and treats inside.
Bao, on the other hand, is around a year old and has typical kitten energy! She likes climbing, chasing and hunting toys the best. Her absolute favourite thing are cheap toy mice - she absolutely adores these!
Toys that I like to give Bao are:
A cat teaser - a stick with a string typically with something to catch on the end of it! You can easily make this at home.
An automatic catcher with rotating feather - this is a toy that I have purchased for her and whilst not affiliated or sponsored in any way with the product or company, I would recommend this!
Ranger Maggie (my brother's german shepherd) loves walks, toys and treats, but her favourite thing of all is hugs and strokes from her family. She loves to curl up on her sofa and be adorned with love and cuddles!
Did you know that scientists have found that a cuddle a day can have multiple psychological benefits for both your pet and for you? Cuddling your pet reduces cortisol, the hormone that is responsible for anxiety, stress and depression.
With the global pandemic still ongoing, a cuddle with your pet is definitely a great idea! And if your pet requires walks, you get the added bonus of spending time with your pet and the health benefits of walking too!
To conclude, on love your pet day, the best way to show your pet how much you love them is to spend time with them! Whether this be to give them a toy or make them some enrichment or simply cuddles, we recommend simply being present with your pet will do wonders not only for your pet, but for your mental health too. Let us know how you have chosen to celebrate Love Your Pet day!