Cats, especially kittens are curious little creatures who wind up getting into everything they aren’t supposed to get into. There are things that a cat owner can and should do in order to ensure the safety of their pet over both the short and long term.
Cat-proofing your house: things to do before you bring the cat home
1) Hungry kitties will smell food in the trash and go for it as soon as you aren’t looking. Actually, some of them might not even wait until your back is turned to start digging for goods in the garbage. To keep cats out of the trash, put the can in a baby-locked cabinet or try installing a simple lock on your trash can. Another option is to purchase a trash can that comes complete with a lock already on it. Even the hungriest cat can’t get into a locked trash can.
2) Check the window screens. If a window doesn’t have a screen, get one for it or else never open it. If the screen is present but has a hole in it, replace it with a new screen. This might seem extreme, but many cats escape through windows the first chance they get.
3) Cats love to chew on phone cords, especially long or spiral cords. Make sure the phone cord and other electrical cords are out of reach for the kitty.
4) Curiosity can kill your cat. If you are an avid gardener, be sure that your plants are non-poisonous to cats. Some examples of common household plants that are also poisonous to cats are daffodils, tulips, narcissus and rhododendron. If you insist on keeping your plants, make sure they are in a place will the cat will never get to them. If there is even a slight chance that the cat can get to and eat your plants, then you need to give them up or lock them up in a greenhouse or separate, always locked room.
5) Other household items can also be poisonous to cats. These items include but are not limited to the following: fertilizers, cleaning supplies, bleach, and paint. Moving these items on to a top shelf may not be enough, as cats are excellent climbers. Consider installing baby-proof locks on all the cabinet doors that contain harmful and potentially deadly substances.
Protect your other animals from the cat:
Even though you may have done everything you can think of to keep your cat out of harm’s way, consider the harm your cat could bring to another family pet. If you or someone in your house owns small pets such as fish, mice and/or other rodents, or birds take extra care to place those animals in a location far out of reach of a kitten or cat. Cats are natural predators and even if they aren’t hungry they might take it upon themselves to go “hunting” for that poor little goldfish. If you can’t put the animal’s cage or dish out of reach, at least be sure that its home is impenetrable. The critter’s home should have a tightly locked lid and holes for breathing that a cat’s paw can’t even begin to fit through.
