e all love having pets. They’re adorable, they keep us company, and they’re great for our mental health. BUT they also require lots of time and money. As kids, we all had dogs, cats, hamsters, or other little friends that we spent all our time with, but now that we’re older, we can’t be there to play with them all day (despite how bad we want to). We’re busy with school, work, and other adulting responsibilities so we don’t always have the time for a pet that we have to feed, groom, exercise, and clean up after all the time.
But luckily, there are plenty of pets you can get that are independent and easy to care for. These kinds of pets still provide cuteness and companionship, but don’t require as much time and money! Today we’ll talk about the best low-maintenance pets in these categories:
- Cats and Dogs That Are Easiest to Care For
- The Chillest Reptiles and Rodents
- The Most Calm Crawly Critters
The Easiest Cats and Dogs
Cats and dogs can tend to be pretty high-maintenance when it comes to keeping them as pets. The main thing that tends to make cats and dogs so high maintenance is that you need to play with them, take them for walks, clean their hair off of everything, train them not to pee on the floor, and so on.
So if you’re looking for breeds of cats and dogs that are easier to care for, the traits you should look for are short hair, small size, and low energy. Short hair means you won’t have to clean up as much hair, small size means they’ll need less food, and low energy means you won’t have to spend too much time getting their energy out. Another thing you may want to consider is adopting a senior cat or dog. While they might not be around as long, they will not need as much food and exercise.
Here are some of the most low-maintenance breeds of cats and dogs.
Dogs
Dogs have the potential to be some of the most high-maintenance pets. A lot of dogs require frequent grooming, a varied diet, and walks every single day. Not to mention plenty of dogs love ripping up furniture and pooping everywhere. But usually, the work is worth it. Dogs provide some of the best companionship out of any pet, making them amazing for your mental health.
Luckily, some of the smaller short-haired dog breeds are much easier to care for while still providing the companionship dogs are known for.
French Bulldog
Frenchies are one of the most popular breeds of dogs for a reason! They are cheerful, low-endurance, and have minimal grooming needs. While they do require some daily exercise, they are much less needy than most breeds.
Chihuahua
These are one of the cutest and tiniest dog breeds. Chihuahuas are the perfect low-maintenance lap dogs. They have minimal grooming needs and they don’t need frequent exercise. However, chihuahuas tend to be feisty, so be careful taking them out in public.
Basset Houd
Basset hounds are a little bigger, but they are complete couch potatoes. With a little bit of playtime and weekly brushing, they’ll be happy to peacefully sit by your side after a long day at work.
Cats
Cats are usually easier to care for than dogs, but it also takes them longer to warm up to you. Cats can be completely fine on their own as long as you feed them and give them something to scratch other than your furniture, but they can also be messy. Most cats can shed a lot, and may not want to use the litter box all of the time.
Here are some of the least messy and most independent cat breeds!
British Shorthair
These kitties are loved for their good health, easygoing temperament, and minimal grooming needs. They live up to their name, so if you’re looking for a cat that won’t shed too much then the British Shorthair may be for you.
Sphynx
Sphinx cats will do you one better for not shedding much. These cats are completely hairless, meaning they have no hair grooming needs and will never shed. These cats are also hypoallergenic, so you can have one even if you are allergic to cats! But because they have no hair, they do need more frequent bathing and help with temperature regulation.
Russian Blue
Russian Blue cats are very intelligent, easygoing, and absolutely beautiful. Due to their intelligence, they are easy to litter-train and are great at keeping themselves clean.
The Chillest Reptiles and Rodents
There are plenty of cats and dogs that are easy to care for, but none of them are as low-maintenance as reptile and rodent pets. For the vast majority of these guys, you just have to supply them with a nice enclosure, food, and water. You won’t have to worry about messes around the house — you just need to clean the enclosure when needed.
Turtles
Turtles are easygoing, adorable, and resilient creatures who will give you very little trouble if you care for them correctly. While aquatic turtles like red-eared sliders can get expensive with tank maintenance, tortoises and box turtles are some of the easiest pets to care for. Just give a turtle a spacious enclosure, a place to hide, proper lighting, and they’re set!
Lizards
Lizards like bearded dragons, geckos, and skinks are similar to turtles in terms of maintenance. Although, lizards may require more expensive food and occasional skincare, especially when they’re shedding skin.
Hamsters
Hamsters are regarded as some of the best first pets for children due to how easy they are to care for. All these little guys need is an enclosure, food, and a hamster wheel. These little fluff balls may be small, but they do have a lot of energy and will need a way to get exercise.
Guinea Pigs
Guinea Pigs are kind of like bigger hamsters. Because they are bigger they will require larger enclosures and more food, but they are still a great low-maintenance pet. Guinea pigs are also very social and like to have daily social interaction. You can give this to them yourself, but it is also wise to buy guinea pigs in pairs so that they can keep each other company.
The Most Calm Crawly Critters
The only pets that are easier to care for than turtles and hamsters are small insects, crustaceans, and fish. While these little critters won’t give you much companionship, they are still unique creatures who are all cute in their own way.
Hermit Crabs
These guys are as low-key as they come. You’ll just need to give them some water, food, and shells for them to make their home in! You can even paint or customize their shells to give them a fresh new outfit! Hermit crabs are super small as well, so they won’t need a huge enclosure. — and even better, you will barely have to clean up after them!
Spiders
Spiders and insects as pets are not for everyone, but if you are fascinated by bugs and spiders like me, then having a spider like a tarantula or jumping spider can definitely be worth it. All that spiders typically need in terms of care are places to hide, water, and small insects to eat. Spiders are about as easy as they come in terms of pets — as long as you’re not scared!
Fish
Last but not least, fish are the #1 easiest pet to care for. Get your new friend a decently sized bowl or tank, decorate it, and feed the fish once or twice a day. That’s all there is to it! Just make sure you change their water when needed and never forget to feed them.
Why Should You Get a Low-Maintenance Pet?
There are some pets that are super easy to care for — but always keep in mind that you should not get a pet if you do not have the time or money to care for them. We all get busy, but even if you want a companion like a dog or a hamster, know that this is a living creature who needs love and attention. The well-being of a pet should be one of your priorities no matter how busy you get, so if you don’t have the time, focus on your work instead.
But if you feel like you have enough time to love and care for a little friend on your own, then go for it! Coming home to a pet every day is great for your mental health, so it’s a worthy investment to help yourself, and to give a new friend a great new home.
