Kitty Proofing Your Home

Kitty Proofing Your Home

Cats are curious creatures. But ever heard of the adage, “Curiosity killed the cat?” Protect your feline friend from him or herself by taking these kitty-proofing precautions for your home.

Welcoming an adorable new kitten or an charismatic adult cat to the family is an exciting event. However, in the midst of all the joy, remember that your home is not naturally the best place for your new feline family member. In order to give your new cat a safe, friendly and welcoming environment, you just might want to make these small changes throughout your household.

Living Room

I'm so tired....
I’m so tired….

Lounging in your living room is probably going to be kitty’s new-found hobby. However, while you might love the idea of him or her snuggling up to you on your coach as you watch your favourite television show, you might not love the prospect of cleaning up all that fur on your sofa – cats naturally and regularly shed their fur. As such, you can invest in an extra slipcover for your sofa for easy washing when it gets all too furry. Alternatively, if your cat is the chewing type, you might also want to protect your upholstery by using double-sided tape on places susceptible to chewing. Your feline friend will keep a healthy distance then as they usually detest things that might stick to their fur. As for the kitties that leave all scratch marks on your beloved glass tables and such, consider giving them cat posts and scratchers to alleviate some of the scratching tendencies during play.

Moreover, with all those television cables around, it’s important to prevent your kitty from getting a nasty electrical shock should he or she chew them. To this end, regularly unplug all your devices when not in use (yes, even your laptop or comter). You can also stow away any loose cords out of sight or coat them with a non-toxic repellent spray to deter your cats.

Kitchen

What's for dinner?
What’s for dinner?

As the place where you cook your meals, the kitchen room is a treasure trove of food (and possibly danger) for your pets, especially if care is not taken to place unsuitable edibles out of reach. As cats are great at jumping onto even high areas, an further preventive measure would be to lock cupboards or drawers safely. Moreover, if you have trash bins laying around, you might want to get one with heavier lids or those that are opened through stepping. This is to prevent your cat opening the bin (accidentally, or otherwise), as such preventing mess or even health issues in your cat should he or she really consume any garbage.

Another instance where you might have to keep your items would be fragile objects, such as delicate porcelain vases or even glass trophies. As cats love jumping on all surfaces – be they tables, cabinets or bookshelves – you might find your vase spectacularly shattered one day by your cat by accident. A greater risk too, would be your feline friend walking or even chewing on the broken pieces. As such, what you consider is to swop your delicate ornaments for more hardy ones or keep them in a “no-go zone” which you keep your cat out of.

Bathroom

A place that’s often overlooked, the toilet is also a prime danger zone for cats. This is so as your cat might mistake the toilet bowl as a drinking bowl, and erroneously consume highly detrimental chemicals as a result. To curb this, always remember to put the toilet lid down when not in use. Also, if you store medication in bathroom cabinets , remember to keep them well out of sight too.

To really understand your pet and find out how your home might benefit from a few “kitty-proof” touches, you might want to go down to your pet’s eye level to see any other potential hazards you might have missed out from your vantage point. You might be surprised at the stuff you discover: loose coins, dropped pills or wires all pose a potential threat to your pet’s safety. After all, when it comes to your feline friend fitting into for your home, it all comes down to thought and consideration for his and her needs, balanced with yours.