How to Hide a Pet From Your Parents

Say you see a stray cat or dog while riding your bike or walking around the park. Of course, you've probably heard from everybody else that "You should listen to your parents." Or, "Leave it alone. It's just an animal." I won't say that. If I was, I wouldn't be writing this. But let me start off with something. If you're 18 or older and looking at this, go away. If you want a pet, then get one. I also wouldn't recommend this for 10 years and below considering at this age that you may not have all the things needed for this. This is for the people who can't exactly just get up and move out. I only know that this will probably work because I'm going through the same thing myself with a cat. I hope this helps!

The very first thing you need to start this epic adventure is to be prepared. Save up money by doing chores around the house. I myself get a dollar for each thing I do around the house like vacuuming the rugs. But if you can't get money off you're parents, I suggest a friendly neighbor. If you don't have one of those, then go to an elderly neighbor. Only do that if you have no other options because even I hate taking money from old people. When you get the money, you need to buy the stuff needed. If your parents ask, I suggest saying it's for a school project or that you want to donate to the shelter. Rodents need a cage, bedding (bedding is really expensive. I would know because I have a hamster) a water bottle, food, and at least a chew toy. In a normal circumstance, I would suggest getting your rodent a wheel but I know that they can be really loud. If you are unable to give it a wheel, then at least give it some time to roam around your room with supervision. Dogs need lots of stuff. They need a leash and collar for starters. If you are unable to get a leash, I would suggest using a belt and looping it around the collar to act as a leash. They need food and water dishes but if your lucky, you could get away with stealing two bowls from the shelf of your kitchen. They will need plenty of toys and they will, of course, need to be walked since they are very energetic and it would be unfair to keep them locked in a room all day. They will additionally need DOG FOOD. It is very unhealthy for dogs to live off table scraps that you sneak it after dinner. Cats will also need a lot of stuff. They will need litter, a litter box, food and water bowls, and some toys. If you have a reptile, they will need a heat lamp, a tank, the right food, and the right stuff needed for its enclosure. If you have fish...wait...why am I talking about fish? If your parents won't let you have a 1 dollar goldfish, you're on your own.

I hope you're getting a stray animal because I don't want to be helping animal nappers O-o. Unless the animal is in a bad home. Then go right ahead. But if this is a stray animal, then it's best if you have a leash or belt, some bait such as tuna or bacon, and a backpack or duffle bag. I would suggest that you try and capture the animal when your parents are not around or are asleep. It is not recommended by me to go out at night. But PLEASE be very careful if you go out at night. Make sure you at least have something to protect yourself with because trust me, there are a lot of unsavory people out there. Anyway, when you find the pet, the best thing to do would be to use the bait to lure it near you. If the animal is very skittish such as the cat I'm trying to catch, then I would sneak up on it. USE CAUTION when doing this. I tried to do this once to the cat I'm trying to catch and ended up sneaking back home with my arm bleeding. Dogs can do much, much worse. If you are trying to catch an aggressive dog, I suggest calling a no-kill shelter where it would be much safer for both you and the dog so the dog can have a chance to get an owner who knows what's going on and could help the dog and you would be safe from a potential attack. Back to what I was talking about. The best way to do this would be to use the bait. When the animal gets close enough, slowly pet it. If the animal reacts by purring or wagging its tail, then slip the leash or belt over its head. You would do this by putting the beginning of the belt inside the buckle, making a loop. When the put your arm inside the loop and pull, it tightens around your arm. When you stop pulling, it will loosen up a little. This is the way it will work on the animal. Put the looped belt slowly over the animal's neck and slide down the buckle so it reaches its neck. If they try to pull away, then it will tighten so they can't get away. When they stop struggling, it will loosen so they can breathe. The same thing will work with a leash besides instead of the buckle, you will put the beginning of the leash inside the handle. If you are dealing with a skittish animal (Not aggressive) then sneak up on them. It won't be easy. If it is a dog and they turn their head around because they notice you, don't stare at them in the eyes. This is known as a challenge in the dog world and they might attack. Instead, look away from their eyes and talk in a soothing voice. As soon as they look like they are about to run away, put the belt or leash over their neck. If it is a skittish cat, try to sneak up on them when they are in a corner. Granted, this will scare them and will make them want to attack for their life. This is why you want to quickly do it with a cat. When a cat is sneaked up on, its first instinct is to run while a dog's instinct might be to fight. NEVER corner a dog. It will attack given no other choice.

I would hope you already came up with a secret place for your pet. If you have come this far, not having a hiding place for your pet might ruin the whole plan. Lucky for you, I'm here. I am planning to keep the cat in my room but basements, attics, cellars, or even if you happen to have a tornado-safe room will do fine. No matter where you hide your pet, you will need to make sure the room is clean. If you're going to hide the animal in a room that has electrical wires, they will all need to be put away. If you are putting your pet somewhere that hasn't been used for a long time, you will have to sweep, mop, or hose the floor, and disinfect the whole room. Hamsters and reptiles will be much easier to hide than dogs and cats. Big dogs will be very hard to hide. If your lucky, there might be a space in your yard that nobody goes. Don't keep rodents or reptiles outside. And even then, don't keep cats or dogs outside unless the shelter is outside or if you have a fenced-in yard and a way to make it so nobody sees the animal. If the animal is being hidden somewhere cold, you should get a heater in the room or make a warm place for them. For a cat, you can do this by getting two boxes and connecting them. Put a hole in the middle of where they connect so the cat can enter both boxes. Put fuzzy blankets on the bottom. On the sides, you may want to put fluff or more blankets to trap the heat. For a big dog, a heating mat inside a doghouse would be best. Of course, if you have a small dog, you could simply use a cage or a big box with a blanket inside. It will most likely be near impossible to buy a big doghouse without raising suspicion. Not to mention they're expensive. Another thing you could do for a big dog is to bring boxes to a corner of the room. Make a big square connecting to the corner by cutting boxes and gluing them to each other. Make sure that the square is big enough for the dog. You don't have to keep a side of the square open because the square will be very short. Short enough for a big dog to easily hop over it. Put a few blankets in the bottom of the square and BAM. You got yourself a makeshift dog bed.

When you get the cat looped in the leash, this is where the backpack or duffle bag comes in. Set the backpack or duffle bag on the ground with it open. The cat most likely won't go in it by itself and might try to scratch you if you pick it up. Grab under the cat's stomach and grab its hind legs so it won't scratch you. Quickly set it in the bag and close it. Mission accomplished. For a small dog, just pick it up and set it in. If it tries to bite, I suggest you hold it's muzzle in a swift motion so it doesn't have a chance to bite. Set it in the bag. Once again, mission accomplished. On the other hand, if this is a big dog, you can't just pick it up like a baby and set it in your bag. Unless you are as strong as Captain America and brought the world's largest backpack with you, then the best way to bring it home would just be to walk it with the leash or belt you brought. Hopefully, it will be willing to walk with you. If not, try to use the bait. If THAT doesn't work, try tugging on the leash a few times. If it still doesn't work, leave a trail of bait a few feet forward and drop the lead. If you are sure the dog might run away as soon as you drop the leash, then put something heavy on the leash so if the dog does try to escape, then at least you will have a few seconds to catch it. When you walk away, the dog might feel safer and eat some of the treats. When the dog realizes that they are good, then it will start looking for more. This is when you come out of your hiding place and offer more treats. When the dog sees that you are the source of the food, it might be more willing to follow you. Now, if you are getting a reptile or a rodent, then you are most likely getting it from somebody's house. Make sure you know this person and didn't just see an ad online for a free lizard or gerbil. For this, I would suggest simply bringing a blanket. When you get the rodent or reptile, simply put the blanket over the cage or tank and go home.

Chances are that when you finally bring it home, you will feel a strong sense of accomplishment and want to take it to you're room to snuggle and play with it. That is until you see one of the many problems. It could be the smell or the fleas jumping around it. Or even the poop stuck on its tail. Either way, unless it's a rodent, you're pet will need a bath. Badly. If you have captured a small dog or have taken in a reptile, lucky you. It's the ones who have the big dogs or cats that will suffer the worst. Even I will dread the moment when I will be forced to give the cat a bath. Now I'm sure you might have many questions. Let me say in advance that I'm sorry if you have gone and bought very expensive cat or dog soap that expires soon. Mostly because for the first few weeks you should use dish soap. Almost any kind of very gentle and light dish soap will do but I very highly recommended Dawn Dish Soap. Dish soap is known and praised for easily killing fleas. It softens up their bodies and dissolves them. For anybody who captured a reptile, I wouldn't use soap. I know....almost nothing about reptiles but just to be safe, I wouldn't use soap on them. NEVER get any type of rodent wet. Ever. It will very easily get them sick and could kill them. Rodents need a special dust powder that will clean them. If you don't have the powder, then I suggest hand wipes. If you got a big dog and have a fenced-in yard, I would use the hose when you're parents aren't home. It wouldn't be a good idea to hose them at night even if you're parents were asleep. The day works better. Even if it is a bit chilly out, it's better than a bathtub. I'm not saying you should hose it down when it's 30 degrees out. If it seems too cold to give the dog a bath, then you might have to resort to the tub. Getting the dog in the tub won't be easy but it might be easier to keep it in there. Now for the cat. Yay. I would suggest using the sink but if you think that a tub would be better, then do that. For both dogs and cats, I would suggest hooking them up to a leash and tying it around the faucet of the tub so they will be easier to maintain while bathing. Of course, it might not be the best idea if you have a really big dog like a German Shepherd or a Mastiff. You wouldn't want to explain to your parents how the faucet got ripped off. I would also suggest that you get the water set up before you put the animal in the tub. The loud sound of running water might spook them even more. Reptiles seem easy to dry off. I would just use a hand towel. Small dogs can be blowdried and cats can also be blowdried but it might be easier to just dry them off with a towel as you would with big dogs.

Now that your pet has been bathed and attended to, you are probably thinking, "Great! I can finally play with it now!" Yup. Go ahead.

Great! You played with your pet. Now your thinking, "Is that it?" I wish. Nope. You may have bathed you're pet but....is that a hint of wet dog in the air? Or maybe it's a dirty hamster cage....or a used litterbox. Maybe even decaying leaves from the reptile tank. Just because you're pets may be flea free and are clean doesn't mean that your're picky mother couldn't smell something fishy in the house. Trust me. If moms can notice that you're socks are tucked into your pant legs or that your belt is too loose as soon as you step outside for school, they're going to notice the odd smell in the house after they just mopped the kitchen. It's all about secrecy. I'm sure you have some kind of air freshener spray in the bathroom. If not, maybe you or your mom has perfume. (Sorry, boys.) If that's not the case, then maybe it's time for a candle. Of course, that is a pretty big fire hazard to have in you're room. If you're out of money by now because of all the stuff you bought for your pet, there are always some natural ways to make the room you're keeping your pet in smell nice. Orange peels smell really good! Be careful though, oranges are toxic to dogs and cats. Some lemon spray sounds nice. If you're getting really desperate, you can always use you're dad's cologne or car freshener. If all else fails, you just might be able to convince your mom that the bathroom needs something to smell better than it does when you're dad comes out of there. Another big thing is sound. Especially small dogs. All they do is yip and yap. If you have a hamster or cat who are sometimes quiet but other times like to talk about their whole day with you, then I would suggest soundproofing the room when you're not there such as having a radio on or having a TV on. If you can't do those things, make sure you are in the room as much as possible, as you should be anyway, and try to soundproof it with yourself by watching videos or talking to a friend. If you have a big dog, nothing will be able to fully soundproof the room when it barks. The best thing I can suggest is training it to not bark by putting the dog in many situations in which a dog might bark. And if you have a small dog, I would suggest a bone or something that doesn't make noise to keep it occupied.

You might have another pet. Me? I'm guilty. I have three dogs and a hamster. If you do have other pets, make sure you put them away before going to get your secret pet so both the secret pet and your other pet(s) will be safe when bringing the secret pet home. If you have a cat or dog that does well with other animals, lucky you. If not, it might be a challenge. If you have a cat and bring home a dog, then you're cat might steer clear. On the other hand, if you're bringing a cat home and have a dog, it might be really difficult. I would suggest trying to hide the cat where your other pets don't have access to or I would train the dog not to go near that area. Of course, if your dog smells a cat, it would be very hard to keep it away. It is best you do something before the other pet finds out about it. If you are bringing a dog in a house with a dog that does not like others, it might end up as both dogs growling at each other through the door. If it gets too bad, I would hope you tell somebody about it and bring your secret pet to a new home since it won't be safe for both pets to live in the same house. If you have a rodent and bring home a dog or cat, then put the rodent somewhere safe or in a different room. Most likely your rodent has a wheel. While the sound might not affect cats much, it will affect a dog. If you cannot put your rodent in a different room, I would suggest taking noisy things out of its cage such as a wheel. This one was short but I don't have anything to add...so....

This day will have to come. You can't just leave a cat or dog in the same room for the rest of its life. Even if it is a hamster or a reptile, it is best if you tell your parents. It would be better than them finding out on their own. When you are about to present your pet, you might have a few presentation boards filled with why you should keep your pet. You might also want to keep it simple in sweet with a paper about how much the pet has altered your life. Or maybe you just want to go the emotionally moving route and cry, talking about the journey you and your pet had gone through together. Whatever you think you're parents would most likely fall for. Some of us have that one parent who is a hard shell and tough mind. Unluckily for me, that person in my family is my mother. If you have a hard nut to crack in your family, I would suggest going the fact way. Making poster boards on all you have learned about your pet and how well you have taken care of them. Of course, this might be very hard to do if you haven't been responsible during the time you had your pet. The key is to be very responsible. Of course, your parents may think you want something and keep asking what you want. The best answer would be, "I just want to show I can be responsible." If they fall for it, good for you! Of course, there might be a time when something goes wrong and your parents find out for themselves. This is the time where they will be the angriest. Because in their minds, not only did you sneak an animal in the house, they might have also thought you were never going to tell them about it. You have minimal options if this happens. You could one, try to talk to your parents about it. Two, pretend as if you didn't know the dog was there which might just work if you come up with a good enough story and have concealed the animal's stuff. Just keep in mind this wouldn't work for a hamster or a reptile. Or three, you could explain what happened and leave it at that. If you did that, your parents would most likely call a shelter.

1. If you find a really young animal such as a newborn puppy or kitten, tell someone. Do not attempt to keep it.

2. If you ever come across a dangerous dog or any other animal, leave. Your safety is not worth a furry friend to bring home.

3. Be very careful if sneaking out at night. If you live somewhere that is considered unsafe, do not leave at night. If you can not sneak an animal when your parents are home, wait until they leave during the day if where you live is unsafe.

4. If your secret pet seems sick, tell your parents. It is not safe for the pet and unfair if you are not willing to risk getting grounded for the life of your pet.

5. Always try to have a backup plan or somebody who is willing to take your pet in. If not, at least call a shelter if you are not allowed to keep the pet.

6. If you lack the things needed for the pet, do not take it home.

7. If your secret pet and household pets are at risk because of this, take the secret pet out of the house.

8. If your secret pet happens to give birth or become in labor, tell somebody immediately.

9. If the pet becomes dangerous to you or other pets, get rid of it.

10. If you find an animal foaming at the mouth and being aggressive, retreat and call for help. They may have a very dangerous disease called rabies and cannot be cured.

11. Not really a tip or anything...but this is the end of it. Please comment if you have any questions!