Without question, having a pet should be taken seriously. That means nurturing, loving, and not leaving them. However, the latter can sometimes impose restrictions on owners, forcing them to sacrifice exciting opportunities. 

This cat parent chose to give up going to live and travel in Australia with her boyfriend for a year because the breed of her furry companion was not allowed in the country. She just couldn’t leave her, saying, “She’s basically my baby.” Such a decision didn’t sit well with her partner, rocking the previously solid relationship.

Separating from your beloved furry friend can be hard

Image credits: Fotoerfolg2022 / envato (not the actual photo)

For this woman, it was so difficult she risked her relationship

Image credits: Vlada Karpovich / pexels (not the actual photo)

Image source: MentalTrade

40% of American pet owners reported feeling anxious about leaving them

For some people, furry friends take the place of kids, making it difficult to separate from them. In fact, a Pet Honesty survey found that one in three pet owners calls themselves a pet “mom” or “dad,” about the same number of people who use the term “owner” instead.

One in four even admitted to calling their companion their “child,” and 47% use “baby” as a nickname for them. Interestingly, half of the survey respondents thought it was “cute” and “relatable” when people treat their pets as their offspring, compared to 21% who find such behavior “annoying.”

“It’s not hard to imagine why many people treat their pets like people,” a spokesperson for Pet Honesty said. “Some pets can live for several decades, which is a long time to take care of anything! So, of course, we end up feeling a connection to them that’s as strong as the ones we feel with other people.”

Many have become so accustomed to the company of their furry friends that 40% of American pet owners reported feeling anxious about leaving them. This ranges from feeling reluctant to leave the pet for a few minutes to a complete inability to travel. 

There are a number of options to ensure that the pet is well-cared for when one is away

Animal behavior specialist Patricia McConnell, PhD, tells the Wildest she doesn’t travel as much as she used to, and missing her dogs is one of the biggest factors in this decision. “I know when I come home from being gone, the way they greet me, they’re clearly over-the-moon happy to see me, but I don’t have dogs with separation anxiety,” she says. “They’re fine. I think it’s more about me.”

According to her, the first good step is to travel to animal behavior or training seminars designed to help pet parents deal with their separation anxiety. It might be beneficial to understand that the best thing for their companions is developing the confidence to be alone, which in turn would make the owner feel better about leaving them.

Besides, there are many options to ensure that the pet is well cared for when one is away. The best alternative is to have a friend or family member looking after them. It’s especially great if the person taking care of them can do so in your home, as it allows you to keep the environment as familiar as possible for them. This is particularly beneficial for cats, rabbits, or small animals that aren’t usually accustomed to traveling and visiting new places. When you can’t find people close to you available, a pet sitter is another great option.

Something that can help ease the anxiety while leaving your pet in other people’s hands is giving them a checklist to ensure that the pet is looked after properly and has everything they need. Some useful aspects to include are details about your pet’s usual routine, food and feeding instructions, emergency contacts, exercise needs, and health and behavior information. Feeling prepared and leaving the furry companion in trusted hands can help pet parents feel more confident and calm about parting with them. 

The author provided more information about the cat in the comments

Some readers supported the girlfriend

Meanwhile, others thought none of the partners were at fault here

YTA

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