In the last week, I made the decision to adopt a kitten. He is wonderful, his name is Fred and he’s 5 months old. While I’ve grown up with cats and the routine of having a pet is nothing new to me, I can see how it might be overwhelming for some who are brand new to the process. I

’ve come up with a little guide for anyone who might be interested in adopting a pet. I know less about puppies, and this will be a bit biased towards cats, but most of the tips will go for both.

1. Make sure you’ve got plenty of food in the house--for yourself and for your pet.

You won't want to leave for a couple days, and it will be hard to tear yourself away even if you do. This is especially true if you’re toilet training. Fred was litter trained already when he came home, but that’s not always the case.

2. Make sure that if you like to cook,

you put your knives and hot pans in a place where they can’t be reached by an overzealous jumper. This is one of those ones that’s a bit biased towards cats, but it’s not unheard of for a dog to get onto the counter either.

3. Make sure you let them develop their independence.

Although it will be hard, make sure to get out of the house once in a while. I adopted Fred during my winter break from school, and after the first couple of days I’ve been making sure to get out of the house a little bit each day so that he can get used to being alone on the days where I have classes and work.

4. This might go without saying, but be prepared

with all the supplies you might need. If you’re getting a cat, that means a litter pan and litter, a scooper and food and water bowls. I’m less experienced with dogs, but I’d say that some of the basics include a leash, collar, plenty of food, and bowls.

5. Both puppies and kittens are quite energetic,

and sometimes they don’t understand their bodies. If there are any extremely sharp corners of tables etc., moving them or putting some plastic on them would be a good idea. Making sure there are no inescapable spaces for them to get into is also a good idea. Fred already almost got himself stuck between my bed and the wall, and I couldn’t push it any closer, so I pushed a couple of pillows against the gap.

6. Make sure that you are emotionally prepared.

There may be some interrupted nights, and for a few days it will feel like your entire life and all your conversations are about this new addition. This can be hard, but make sure not to lose yourself completely. It won’t be good for either of you in the long run. Love them, but don’t forget yourself.

I hope this can help some prospective pet owners prepare for the new additions to their family! Adopting a pet is really an amazing experience and although it’s not easy, it is completely worth the time, money, and effort. As a last note, remember: #adoptdontshop