9 Tips to Help Your Pet Live a Healthy Life

45% of pet owners say they frequently buy birthday presents for their pets, and 95% of them consider them to be family members. When a special dog or cat becomes a part of the household, we want to do our best to increase their quality of life. It can be as simple as visiting the vet regularly, spoiling them with a safe outdoor play area, or probably their favorite — giving them healthy treats.

Our pets can be the highlight of our day, and that’s why Bright Side gathered a few tips on how to better the lives of our significant puppers and cats.

1. Keep your pet active.

Give play the importance it deserves; keeping your pet active and entertained will ensure that their body, mind, and wittiness will flourish. And as an added bonus, you’ll also lead a healthier life with regular exercise thanks to your dog walks.

2. Spay or neuter your pet.

We know that sometimes we want to see our pets become mommies and daddies; that would make us proud grandparents. But for the health of your pet, make sure you spay or neuter them as young as possible. This reduces the chances of certain diseases and lowers the likelihood of your cat running away in search of the perfect mate.

3. Give your pet spa days.

“We could use a pampering day,” is what we usually say when we need some pick-me-ups. Just like us, our pets deserve a pampering day. Start with a gentle body massage, as this can do wonders for your cat. It can decrease anxiety and relax your cat’s muscles after a day of jumping, playing, and running after little bugs.

4. Pet-proof your house.

Cats and dogs are curious — this is not news. They’ll chew on things, scratch at things, and play with the most random stuff in the house. That chocolate bar packaging is their perfect toy! Dogs are just the same, but they might choose to chew on your favorite shoes. To avoid situations like these that can endanger your pet, make sure to do a house scan and remove or change anything that might pose a risk to your pet’s health.

5. Befriend a vet.

Make sure to visit the vet anytime that it’s necessary, and don’t overlook regular routine checks. Sometimes our pets can appear normal, but they might have an underlying condition. An early visit gives your vet a chance to spot something out of the ordinary, thus keeping your dear pet healthy.

6. Brush their teeth.

Just like us, our pets need their teeth taken care of. It’s not as easy as it sounds since our pets have teeth brushing as the last thing on their daily to-do list. You can try the 7-day-teeth-brushing challenge. This might be a long process and will require a lot of patience, and your pet might even resist at first. But if you don’t succeed, there are other alternatives, like prescription dental diets or chews.

7. Groom your pet.

Bathing your dog or bringing them to the groomer for a haircut, brushing your cat’s fur, and cutting their nails can make your pet feel taken care of. Do you know that feeling when you leave the hair salon and you feel like a new person? Help your pet to have the same feeling by introducing grooming to their routine, which is also a preventative measure against any skin irritations or infections.

8. Keep your cat indoors.

One of the easiest ways to prolong your cat’s life is to keep it indoors. In the great outdoors, your sweet fur-baby can be exposed to trauma, whether it’s from fast drivers or other predators, and the chance of encountering disease-carrying pests decreases when you choose to not let them wander off-route. If you really want them to breathe the fresh air outside, try building your loved ones a “catio” — yes, that’s a right, it’s a patio for cats.

9. Watch what your pets eat.

A study done on 50,000 dogs concluded that the group of dogs that were fed 25% less than the dogs in the other group resulted in 2 different categories: lean dogs and overweight dogs. The lean dogs lived for an average of 18-24 months longer than their counterparts. This applies to cats too — if your cat has self-control, free-feeding is okay, but if your cat has a big appetite, loves to snack, and is piling on the pounds, it’s better to supervise them. Make sure to always keep an eye out for any weight changes.

Bonus: Advice from a vet

• Vet here. Thin pets live longer than fat pets. Google a BCS chart and make sure your pet has a visible waist and palpable ribs. No crash diets. © tralalala_splat / Reddit

What’s the one thing you’d never stop doing for your pet? Are you a cat person or a dog person? Or are you simply a “just give me all the pets” type of person?