Back
to Kitten Articles
These 10 Home Hazards Can Be Fatal
By Dr. Becker
Kittens are among the most delightful little creatures
on the planet. They're tiny and silly and essentially
helpless… which is why you, as the "mom"
or "dad" of your sweet little bundle of fluff,
must protect her from herself.
By following a few simple suggestions, you can keep
your kitten safe from harm, and your home and belongings
safe from kitty-damage.
10 Ways to Kitten-Proof Your Home
1. Learn your household's hideouts. Kittens
are not only curious little beings, but 
their
bodies are fantastically flexible. This means your little
one will very likely find and squeeze herself into spots
in your home you may not know exist. Cats like small,
dark, out-of-the-way places. While your kitty can be
easily spotted if she's concealing herself under your
bed, you might think you've lost her for real if she
finds a cleverer place to hide.
It's a good idea before leaving the house to say good-bye
to kitty so you can lay eyes on her and reassure yourself
she isn't trapped in a shoebox in your closet or a dresser
drawer. As much as possible, limit her access to potentially
unsafe hiding spots when you're not at home. And when
you're at home and about to run the clothes washer or
dryer, check carefully first to insure kitty isn't in
either machine.
2. Eliminate escape routes to the outdoors.
All the windows and doors in your home should close
and latch securely, and screens should fit snugly in
their frames. Your kitten may see something outside
he wants to investigate, and many a cat has launched
himself against a loose screen and made a quick getaway.
Obviously, this goes double if you don't live on the
ground floor. During the warmer months of the year,
thanks to a phenomenon known as Feline High Rise Syndrome,
city dwelling cats routinely fall from open windows
and fire escapes, often necessitating a trip to an emergency
veterinary clinic.
3. Put away anything you don't want broken. Cats
are gifted climbers and explorers, but their considerable
acrobatic skills can't be counted on to prevent a disaster.
If you have fragile collectibles on open shelves in
your home, you might want to put them away until kitty
is a bit older. Not only could she knock something precious
and breakable off a shelf by accident, she might also
decide to play swatty-cake with your expensive stemware
or the ceramic angel your daughter made for you at summer
camp.
4. If it's dangling, it's a cat toy. The most
potentially hazardous household "danglers"
are
electrical cords and drawcords on window coverings.
You want to prevent your kitten from chewing electrical
cords by any means available, and drawcords on drapes,
curtains, or blinds can present both a choking and hanging
hazard.
You might also want to raise your window coverings
well above floor level while your kitten is learning
to use his OWN scratching and climbing surfaces.
5. Remove poisonous plants from your home. Most
kittens and adult cats will sample whatever greenery
and flowers come into their domain. You'll want to know
the plants that are poisonous to cats (there's a long
list) and make sure they're not in your home. You may
also want to find places for safe plants that kitty
can't get to… unless you like the look of partially
chewed greenery!
6. Some toys require adult supervision. As long
as you're right there to watch him, it's fine to let
your kitten play with yarn, string, or ribbon. But it's
important to keep those items out of reach when you're
not around, as they can be a choking risk if kitty chews
or swallows them.
7.
Secure cabinet doors and drawers. If you've ever
had feline housemates, you probably know that some cats
have a knack for opening drawers and cabinets to see
what's inside. Unless your kitten will be constantly
supervised, it's a good idea to install childproof latches
to prevent her from breaking and entering into an area
where cleaning supplies or other toxic chemicals are
stored. If that's not possible, I definitely recommend
you move all those types of products to an area of your
home that your cat doesn't have access to.
8. Keep toilet seats down. One of the quirkier behaviors
of some cats is a fascination with water (often only
water that is NOT in their water bowl). Some cats also
develop a strange obsession with toilet bowl water,
so to protect your little guy or gal from an unexpected
dunking or worse, it's a good idea for everyone in the
family to develop the habit of keeping the toilet seat
down.
This could also be a lifesaver if the water in the
bowl happens to contain cleaning chemicals.
9. Keep all medications out of reach. All medications
in your home should be kept 
where
your kitten can't get to them.
If you're in the habit of leaving pill bottles on your
kitchen or bathroom counter, it's time to move them
to a secure spot, because a determined kitten can chew
through a plastic bottle.
It's also important to immediately pick up any pills
accidently dropped on the floor before kitty finds them.
10. Give kitty her own outdoor hangout. As long
as your kitten is immunized against disease, she can
go outdoors on a harness and leash, or into her own
outdoor enclosure or catio. This will allow your kitten
to enjoy the great outdoors (preferably with her paws
on the ground as often as possible) in nice weather,
which can prevent boredom and enrich her environment
in a meaningful way. If you choose not to vaccinate
your cat, please keep her inside.
NOTE: This article is for information only. See your
veterinarian for medical advice.
About the author: This pet-friendly article was brought
to you by Dr. Karen Becker, Mercola Healthy Pets resident
proactive and integrative wellness veterinarian. For
more pet care tips and to stay up to date with her latest
recommendations, visit HealthyPets.Mercola.com where
you can also get your FREE Homemade Treats for Healthy
Pets E-book today!
Submit
your quality cat breed or information cat article for
free increased exposure and traffic back to your website.
Home
Add
Your Cattery
Kitten
Information
