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Anna Mwikali

The term “fur baby” was coined not very long ago, and since then, it has gained traction.

Recently, the relationship between people and their pets has been evolving. More individuals increasingly see their four-legged companions, usually cats and dogs, as core family members rather than animals whose sole purpose is to protect the household at night or catch mice.

Brian Rotich, the proud father of a canine named Frosty, describes his dog parenting experience.

 “I got Frosty when he was three months old in November 2018. I was depressed at that time, so adopting him was for companionship rather than having a mere house pet.

I consider Frosty as family, so I do all the things that I would do with someone I was living with him such as dining together, watching movies, going out for walks or taking trips,” he says. 

Tender care

While a pet’s needs may vary from a human child’s, pet caregivers dictate that furry babies still need TLC and extra attention similar to their human counterparts. 

Melody Kalondu, who has cared for her feline, Abed, for seven years now, says being a pet parent involves being attentive to your pet’s needs and going an extra mile to ensure they are happy and healthy. 

“I found Abed near my home when she was just a kitten. She must have been lost or abandoned.

So, I took her in and nursed her as I waited for someone to claim her, but no one came,” Kalondu remarks.   

Abed eventually grew, but ended up having complications giving birth.

“I became concerned, so I took her to the vet. I had to have her uterus removed because having kittens was deemed detrimental to her health.

The surgery cost Sh10,000 and I was every bit happy to pay for it because I love my cat and want her to live a happy and full life,” says Kalondu.

She adds that for most people, it seems over the edge to pay so much for a cat’s treatment. 

“Many people don’t even take their cats to the vet for check-ups, even when they get ill. But as a cat lover, I have no problem going above and beyond.” Kalondu notes. 

Rotich says many people don’t realise what it takes to be a pet parent. 

“In my case, caring for a dog isn’t about keeping him on your balcony- it requires a lot of commitment.

For instance, one-time last year, I rushed Frosty to the vet in Muthaiga at 2am after he ingested a mosquito coil.

It was risky as it was way past curfew time, but I couldn’t sit and watch my best friend die.

Any human parent would have done the same for their child in such a situation,” he adds.

He has sent aside Sh15,000 towards his pet every month. This caters for vet visits and vaccinations, high-quality dog food, grooming services, pet accessories such as a carrier and comfy bed, pet boarding and care centres. 

“I work from home, so it’s easy to attend to Frosty and keep him company.

But when I leave home for more than four hours I always take him to a pet care centre called Royal Pets where he gets to play with his doggie friends.

Moreover, I celebrate Frosty’s birthday on 19 August every year. I buy him toys and the best dog treats as gifts. That’s how much I love my canine,” he says. 

On the other hand, some people would slightly object to pet parenting. 

Ernest Muhoro, 31, says, “I have never thought of parenting a pet because my busy work schedule doesn’t allow me to devote my time.

But I have nothing against those who keep pets as babies— as long as it keeps you happy.”

Pet perks

Phyllis Wanjiku, 29, adds, “In my opinion pet parenting is for those who are over 50 years and need companionship after their kids leave the nest.

Even a single person can do it, but if you are married like me, society expects you to give birth to your own babies rather than adopt four-legged ones.”

Irene Wairimu, an animal activist and practitioner says while some pet parenting styles are obnoxious and unsanitary, such as kissing your pet on the mouth, there may be some perks to having pets as family members. 

“Pet caregivers who spend more time caring and talking to their pets develop a human-pet attachment, which in turn lowers stress levels than those who don’t have pets.

Furthermore, those who live with their animals in-house often care more than those that keep their animals in the yard,” she mentions.

She adds that  sharing your life with a pet is linked to reduced risk of coronary artery disease, and heightened physical activity, especially through dog walking.

Most importantly, levels of beta-endorphin, dopamine and oxytocin increase in both humans and pets during caring interactions, which helps to keep depression at bay.

Pets have  been linked to increased cardiovascular disease survival for senior citizens aged 64 to 84 years.