From the minute Sam and I moved in together, we knew we wanted to get a pet. I’ve always grown up with dogs at home and Sam is pretty much the biggest animal lover I know. We always had a little pact that when we bought our own house we’d get a puppy, but when the time came around we realised that our busy lives don’t really fit with regular dog walks and training at the moment. We agreed to put it off for a year or two and forgot all about it.

And then a few weeks before our wedding, I saw that a friend had shared a post on Facebook asking for some help in rehoming some abandoned kittens. I don’t know why it caught my eye as neither of us were really cat people, but I couldn’t get the cute little photos out of my head. I told Sam about it and we agreed to go and visit them - Lola was the last little kitty left and we totally fell in love with her. We brought her home the week after our wedding and the rest is history!

She’s been part of our little family now for almost a year and we couldn’t love her more. Getting a pet has made us both infinitely happier, and this is why...

1) Cuddles

An obvious perk of having a pet is having an exceptionally cute furry pal to have a cuddle with, which is just the best after a stressful day. Cats aren't renowned for being the most affectionate of animals, but every single morning Lola jumps up on the bed and nestles in between me and Sam for a cuddle. It's probably my favourite moment of the day!

2) Having someone to welcome you home

It doesn't matter if you've been out for 10 hours or 10 minutes, as soon as Lola hears the car driving down our road, she's sat on the window sill watching for you. Seeing her little face as I get out of the car never fails to make me smile, and her little chatty noises and leg strokes when you come through the door are the best.

3) Feeling more like a family

Sam and I have been together for nearly 8 years and have lived together for 6 of those, but adopting our little kitty has definitely made us feel more like a family. Lola is definitely now the main subject of our communication, and we both prioritise spending more time at home so that we can all hang out together.

4) She makes us laugh

Probably the biggest way in which Lola has made us happier is that she makes us laugh every single day. Whether it's catching her sitting like a human, trying to find her new hiding place, or being the subject of one of her sassy looks, there isn't a day that goes by where Sam and I don't have a chuckle at her little personality.

I'm so glad we decided to add a pet to our little family. Do you have a pet? Do you want one?