Cattime - 7 Safety Tips For The Home When You Have A Cat

Posted on 12 November, 2021

Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash

Written by Phillip Mlynar

Cats have nine lives. Cats always land on their feet. Yes, these sayings are all well and good, and they imply that cats can take care of themselves. But in the real world, there are some vital safety steps that you absolutely must put into place at home to ensure that your feline avoids harm.

While cats are marvellously independent animals, we still need to do our parts as pet parents to make sure their living space is safe and free of danger.

Here’s your seven point checklist to get started on making your home safer for your cat now.

Avoid Poisonous Plants

Thinking about getting back to the land and growing your own indoor kitchen herb garden? Or sprucing up your living room with some mighty, healthy plants?

Well, before you exercise your green thumb, it's imperative to make sure that you are not introducing poisonous plants, flowers, and herbs into your house.

Avoid Extreme Cleaning Products

Lots of cleaning products can be toxic to cats, so make sure heavy-duty cleaning substances for your drains and ovens are locked well out of paw's reach.

Also, never use bleach or industrial-strength cleaners during litter box duty. Not only can they irritate your cat, but the potent smells can put them off entering the box.

Keep Medicines And Pills Locked Away

This one might seem a no-brainer, but it's also important to avoid the laziness of leaving vitamins and other supplements out and about where they could be knocked over and scarfed down after being mistakenly seen as feline treats.

Lock the medications up in an area that your cat absolutely cannot open, like a locked medicine cabinet or cat-proof container.

Be Cautious With Breakables

Cats can be both incredibly dainty and unwittingly clumsy, especially during their kitten days. So be smart and make sure anything that's heavy or could break into sharp pieces is not left idly on a windowsill waiting for your furball to brush by a little too vigorously.

Also, tall furniture that might look like it would make for an appealing climb should be secured to the wall, lest it topple over as your feline attempts to scale it.

Tie Up Cords For Blinds

It might seem cute when your newest kitty bats around the blind cord in a playful fashion, but you really need to tie them up and keep them out of the way.

Why? In case a play session goes wonky and the cord ends up wrapping around your cat's neck.

Check Screens For Holes

It's not exactly a fun chore, but when you start opening the windows again for the warmer months, run your hand across your screens to make sure there aren't any holes developing in them.

Also, check to make sure that the screen itself is actually secure and won't pop out.

Don't Lock Your Cat Inside Appliances

This happens way too often for it to be funny. A cat wanders into an open washing machine, tumble dryer, or refrigerator only to have their human shut the door on them without realizing and start up the machine.

Don't be that person! Check and double check every time you use one of your appliances.

What other tips do you have to keep your cat safe? Do you take steps to make your home more cat friendly? Let Phillip Mlynar at Cattime know in their comment section on the original article: https://cattime.com/lifestyle/26853-safety-tips-home-cat#1

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