Cats are the easiest pets to look after as they tend to look after themselves, buy a cat flap so they can come in and out as they please, clean the litter tray daily, keep water and food down for them, as cats eat little and often. Also booster injections every year.



Before you go out and buy a dog there are a lot of things to consider. Is the garden big enough? Is there always someone around to take it for walks? Are you going to take it on holiday with you, or put it in kennels? A happy dog can give you years of happiness. Dogs can be expensive to keep, injections when they're puppies, then a booster every year. If you're not going to breed from your dog, neutering it is also expensive. Don't overfeed your dog with scraps, cheese, chocolate and milk isn't good for your dog. If you take your dog out in the car, always keep a window slightly open; take a bowl and plenty of water with you, especially if it's hot.

Rabbits and Guinea Pigs can live together, but not if the rabbit is male, as they will fight. Rabbits need to be cleaned out two or three times a week. Never give a rabbit lettuce as this could kill it. Don't keep your rabbit or Guinea Pig in the hutch all the time, build them a run, this way they can exercise and get plenty of fresh air, also keeps the grass down. In the winter if you're not going to keep it in the house, protect it from the cold, by putting it in a shed.

Fish pretty much look after themselves. If you're going to buy fish it can be expensive for a start, with all the equipment you will need, water pump, air filter etc, this will save you cleaning the tank out every few days. If you're using furniture polish or fly spray cover the tank if it hasn't got a lid, the fumes from these can kill fish.

If you're going for the more exotic animals such as Snakes and Spiders, always go to a reputable dealer, there are a lot of these exotic animals for sale on the black market. These tend to need expert care.