Cat Proofing Your House

Kitchen

Cat proofing your house/home is as necessary as preparing your domicile for the crawling toddler. It must be done for your kitty’s protection and your own piece of mind. Cats are inquisitive, they love to climb and push things over. I really believe that cats must not be allowed to freely roam. There are so many hazards outside that keeping them inside is the best option.

Your Home

The fact that cats like to climb and push things over the best place to start cat proofing is any ornament or knickknack that can easily be pushed over. These things should be put away, especially if they are expensive. Because my cats are inside cats they have free run of the house. I let them sit on top of the cupboards and I love it when Ariel watches me do dishes. This is why we have cats so they can interact with us.

The Kitchen

KitchenThe kitchen is a popular spot for the kitties. The smells and the clattering of bowls brings them running. My boy Ariel likes to watch me do dishes. With all the activity it is important to watch they do not get stabbed by any sort of sharp objects. I always wash a knife and put it in the knife block as soon as I am done with it. Another hazard I have seen is that cats will chew and swallow elastic bands and possibly twist ties.

The stove is a potentially dangerous spot for cats. I put a pot of cold water on open hot elements so somebody does not burn their feet. We should always be aware of what our cats are eating when we cook. Grease soaked string, greasy tin foil are not for cats to eat. Please follow this link to a previous article on hazardous foods and plants for cats.

The Bathroom

Cat in the sinkThe bathroom is full of poisons that will kill cats or dogs. All cleaning supplies should be behind closed doors. This means bleaches, toilet bowl cleaners, liquid soaps and personal hygiene items could be something a kitty could lick. If you use toilet bowl cleaning pucks that practice must STOP because cats love to look in and drink from the toilet bowl. It should be a habit to clean the toilet after every use so it has clean water in the bowl only.

Your personal medications must be handled properly so that your cats do not eat your prescriptions. If you loose a pill it must be found. Any medicine for humans can be lethal to a cat. I put a dog antibiotic on the cupboard once and my boy Soxs jumped up and ate it in a second. That was a real wake up call. Be careful.

The Living room

My cats love the living room. It is a great place to sleep, play and run around. If you have anything fragile and expensive it should be in a cabinet or put somewhere so it can not be knocked over. Furniture should have covers to protect from scratches and loose fur.

Shelving units are potential hazards. I have some shelving units with wire shelves spaced about an inch apart. I was working in the kitchen and I saw Esther climb into the plants on the shelf. When she jumped down she caught her leg in the shelves and was hanging upside down. If I would not have been there she would not have gotten free. We have since covered all the shelves with floor tiles and other items so the cats feet can not get between the bars.

Venetian blinds can be dangerous as well. I have replaced our blinds with heavy slatted items so the cats can’t get between the slats. When the blinds are open I recommend tying the cord up so the cats can’t get tangled in the cord.

The Garage

Cat and car

If you have kitties that live in the garage it must be cleaned of any toxic substance that could poison your cat. If there are cars in the garage with your kitties it must be necessary to watch for fluid leaks. Antifreeze will kill your cat in 24 hours with kidney damage. During the time when my Norbu was isolated in the garage I put drip trays under my old car. I put the pans on blocks so the cat could not get into the antifreeze. I made sure there were no fluids of any sort that could hurt Norbu. Cats will sleep where its is warm. They will crawl under the hood and sleep right beside the warm engine. It is necessary to bang the hood or open the hood and have a look before starting the engine.

Solutions

To prevent damage to your furniture I really recommend furniture covers. Scratching posts and cat trees will give your cats other things to scratch. It helps to trim your cats nails regularly. It is necessary for me to mention at this time that Cat Declawing is a cruel procedure that is of no benefit to the cat. Do Not Declaw. I built a scratching post from a piece of Oak and my cats love it. They just walk up to it and scratch on throughout the day. We have a few heavy weave door mats for cats to scratch as well. Cat toys are invaluable for keeping your cats occupied.

In Closing

If you have never had a cat before all the contents of this post make it sound as if  you are in for a stressful experience. I have to tell you that my cats mean more to me than any mess they can make. It is a lot like having that  first child that is just starting to crawl. You will organize your home, love your cat and carry on with living. If you want your house to look like a museum don’t get a pet because any pet you bring into the house will do something to require you to clean up. That’s life and a cat is worth it.

A cat is like a piece of living sculpture.

White Cat
White Cat

It will be necessary to have a large litter box and keep it clean. Feed a good quality cat food and you will have a happy home. Please follow this link to my Maintaining Your Cat for more information.

That’s my story for today. Please go to my Cat Care Products page for some great items for your special kitty, now hug a kitty and do something green for the planet.

Trevor

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