10 Amazing Ways Getting a Pet Changes Your Life

Adopting Max was one of the best decisions I've made in my twenties. In my opinion, it totally cancels out the fact that I dated someone totally wrong for me and continuously drop too much money in the Target One Spot section. But anyways, making the choice to get a cat is what has made my cross country move possible. Without Max I don't think I could have handled all those nights without friends or months were my income didn't match my bills.

Apart from always having someone to have a joint costume with, having a pet comes with benefits no one really talks, probably about in an effort to not sound totally obsessed. The thing is, I know I'm a crazy cat lady, and I own every minute of it. My cat eats healthier than I ever could and I consistently know what he's going to be for Halloween before my own costume.

If you're thinking about adopting an animal read on to see all the amazing ways your life will change with the introduction of a little furry friend. Cat, dog or hamster, pets are honestly a twenty somethings' best option to learning how to grow up and love every minute of it.

1. You start spending less money on yourself.

While I'm not claiming that I don't spend money on myself anymore, I can say that currently my cat has a Halloween costume and I do not. Toys, carriers and collars suddenly are more tempting than purses and makeup, so yeah, you still spend money, but in a different category!

2. More attention is paid to the ingredients in the food you buy.

The number of hours I've spent researching what's inside my cat's dry food is embarrassing, but hey, I wan't him to live a long healthy life! You won't catch me reading the ingredients on my cereal but you bet I can name the first three ingredients in anything that goes into my cat's food bowl. 

3. Staying home on a weekend night doesn't sound so bad.

Before Max my Friday nights were spent trying to convince myself to go out then instanty regretting it once I was out. Nowadays a night in sounds much more enjoyable, especially since I have all the company I need curled up on my lap. Plus I can spare myself of being spilled a drink on.

Related Post: 10 Lessons You Learn Living Alone in Your Twenties

4. You're less lonely overall. 

Speaking of nights in, I seemed to do a lot of those my first few months in Washington DC. Having zero friends made it hard to push myself to get out of bed in the morning, but with Max, I at least had one reason to get moving. He was hungry and demanded to be fed. Adopting a pet will give you something to look forward to each day when you come home, and just maybe help your transition into a new environment.

5. Small moments become things worth celebrating. 

Okay maybe I was always this way, but at least now small celebrations aren't just me making a fuss out of seemingly nothing. Traditions don't have to exclude your pets, which is why every year Max steals my pumpkin carving tools and attacks the tree as a decorate it. I have friends who include pets in their holiday cards, so don't worry, there's a whole community of pet obsessed people.

6. You feel safer. 

Even though I know my cat can't protect me in the way a dog could, I can at least blame most of the bumps I hear in the night on him. Pets give you a sense of security, and if you're lucky, they can actually notify people if you;re in danger. I think a few days without me Snapchating my cat would give my friends the message that something had to be wrong.

7. Small talk is suddenly so much easier. 

No more talking about the weather or your commute! Almost everyone has a cat or dog, and if not, they most likely love animals anyways. Go with the safest topic possible by talking about something dumb your pet recently did, or better yet, whip out your camera roll full of adorable pictures.

Related Post: Things My Cat Has No Respect For

8. You become more responsible. 

Have I paid my taxes yet? Heck no! (But I'm planning to, I promise!) But you can bet I have enough cat food and litter to last me through winter, plus I make sure to never be away from home for too long anymore. Maybe I don't have absolutely everything figured out, but I definitely have changed my priorities since adopting Max.

9. You learn what unconditional love is. 

Everyone says your family is a source of unconditional love, which can be true I guess, but are you really feeling that love when your mom yells at you for not emptying the dishwasher? See, pets don't do things like that. You can forget to give them fresh water or buy the wrong kind of food and they just roll with it. And that to me is unconditional love, I mean, why else would my cat put up with finishing a whole bag of dog food before I noticed the difference?

10. You become more selective of who you spend your time with. 

Sure I wan't spending my time with drug dealers and scammer before getting a pet, but I was way more comfortable bringing people by knowing it was just me they'd be around. Apart from people who hate cats, which I strongly don't associate with, I'm much more careful about who I let into my home. I don't know when or why this happened, but it just did. My cat may not be my child, but I'm sure as hell going to come at you if you hurt a hair on his body.



So tell me, did adopting a pet change your life in any way? And if you're thinking about getting a pet, do you have any questions about life with a furry friend?