How to Cat proof your home – Smooth Whiskers

How to Cat proof your home

Few places in a home will escape a cat’s attention. Your cat will play with interesting looking stuff, explore interesting spaces, climb onto the top of furniture and appliances. You need to make your home safe for your cat, and also protect your possessions from damage. 

Be careful with cords

Cats love playing with cables, hanging cords (e.g. on blinds), strings of wool - but he can get tangled up in it and even strangle himself. Rather tie cords from blinds away and be especially careful with electrical cords as cats sometimes like to chew them, which is extremely dangerous. 

Dangerous stuff your cat can eat

These include food your cat shouldn’t eat, medicines, toxic household products, insecticides. It’s not only dogs that will chew on bones, your cat will love to get its paws on something like a chicken bone, which can splinter or choke him. And many household plants are toxic for cats. 

Cats will play with almost anything

Lots of things in the home will amuse the cat – so keep any object that can be swallowed and possibly choked on out of sight. Small objects like pieces of plastic, shiny objects, in fact anything that lies around, have a special appeal. 

Close doors to dangerous spaces

Where there’s an open door, the cat will look what’s behind it. So be vigilant and close kitchen cupboard doors, dryer and washing machine doors, in fact any door with dangerous stuff behind it, or where the cat can be locked up. 

Cats like to climb

Cats like to observe the world from the top of shelves and bookcases. Put objects away that the cat can break, and be sure the shelf is secure enough so that it wouldn’t fall over when the cat climbs onto it. 

Cats need to scratch...

Don’t let your furniture become the cat’s scratch post. Have a special cat scratch pole ready when you bring the cat home, and encourage him to use it. 

Don’t be overwhelmed by cat hair

However hard you try, your home will have cat hairs. It’s virtually impossible to keep cats off couches, chairs and beds. Encourage the cat to use approved places to sleep, and put throw blankets over furniture it favours.                                                       

Keep the cat inside

If you want to keep your cat indoors, particularly when it’s young, make sure all windows and door screens are secure. Cats can sneak through the smallest space.

 Accidents do happen, so have your vet and emergency numbers handy. Fast action may save your kitty.

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