Dogs, cats, and other four-legged creatures can really liven up our lives and bring us endless joy and companionship. However, owning a pet is also a huge ongoing financial responsibility.
Aside from food, vet bills, pet insurance, and other common expenses, you’ll often find yourself needing to replace their basic items. Taking good care of your pet’s stuff is an important part of taking good care of them – and when the time comes, replacing what’s worn, damaged, and old.
Here are some items you need to monitor for replacement.
Leads, Harnesses and Collars
Dog harnesses, collars, and leads can become worn out pretty quickly, especially if you’re walking your dog daily. When these items become worn, they’re more likely to tear or break and fall off, which could result in a disaster.
These items can also pick up and hold onto a lot of dirt, grime, and bacteria. Collars and leads should also be washed regularly, and when you can see, they’ve reached the end of their lifespan, replace them with a shiny new version that fits perfectly.
Litter Boxes
Due to the unclean nature of a cat’s litter box, it makes sense that these items will hold onto bacteria to some degree. Thoroughly cleaning out your cat’s litter box two or three times per week is essential, but even so, they will eventually need to be replaced.
Especially when you buy cheaper, plastic options, the boxes can become stained with your cat’s mess and might start holding onto smells too. A higher-quality litter box might be worth the investment.
Toys
Dog toys are pretty much designed to take a beating, so it’s no surprise that these are on the list. However, it’s not just due to the fact that they might vanish or be buried that you need to be concerned about replacing toys.
If certain materials become worn, they can start coming to pieces and hurt your dog’s mouth. They might even ingest broken-off pieces, which can harm their digestion. In the future, you can try to choose more durable dog toys to avoid breakage.
Bedding and Blankets
If you wash your pet’s beds and blankets on a regular basis, these items should last a fairly long time. However, after a few years, they will start to become worn, and weekly washing might become less effective.
When choosing a new dog bed, try to opt for a higher quality one that will last a long time.
Scratch Posts
Finally, you should understand that your cats need to be able to sharpen their nails – a scratch post is a good idea if you don’t want them using your furniture.
You should replace your cat’s scratching post around once a year, but this depends on how damaged it gets. After some time, the material will become worn and less effective, which means your cats will likely start looking for something fresh to use for their claws – that’s when your sofa is in danger.
