Back
to Kitten Articles
New Kitten Care - How to Kitten-proof Your Home
A very important aspect of new kitten care is keeping
your kitten safe from danger.
There are a lot of potential hazards round the home for
little kittens. This article lists the most common ones
and suggests ways you can minimize risks to your kitten
and keep her safe.
Washing machine and tumble dryer:
If you leave the door open and there are clothes inside,
there's a good chance your kitten will climb in and
go to sleep. Always check your kitten isn't inside these
before you use them.
Fridge and freezer:
As soon as you've used these, shut the door.
Hob and oven:
Shut the oven door as soon as you've finished with it.
Cover hot hob plates.
Raw meat:
Keep it out of reach - it can give your kitten food
poisoning.
Garbage:
Put all garbage in a sealed bin that your kitten can't
access.
Plants:
Many plants are poisonous to cats. If you're not sure
whether a certain plant is safe for your kitten if she
eats it, put it out of her reach.
Pot pourri:
The oils used to scent this can be poisonous.
Open fires and candles:
Use a guard on the fire. Never leave a kitten in a room
alone with lit candles.
Electrical wires:
If your kitten is a wire chewer, you'll need to put
wires out of her reach or buy plastic covers for them.
Curtain tie-backs and cords on window blinds:
Kittens can get caught in these. Either remove them
completely or tie them up out of reach.
Filled bathtubs and sinks:
Make sure your kitten doesn't have access to the room
when the tub or sink is full.
Open toilet:
Try to get into the habit of keeping the lid down when
the toilet's not in use.
Medications:
Keep them in a cupboard that your kitten can't get into.
Small objects:
Kittens can swallow small things like paper clips, rubber
bands, staples and needles.
String, wool, fishing line and thread:
Kittens can swallow large quantities of these. For this
reason, balls of wool or string and pom-poms aren't
good toys for cats.
Household chemicals:
Most cleaners etc. are highly poisonous to cats and
need to be kept somewhere your kitten can't access.
Tobacco:
Tobacco, nicotine patches and nicotine gum are all poisonous
to cats.
Reclining chairs, futons, folding beds, drawers:
If kittens get caught when this type of furniture is
moved, they can get crushed. Make sure your kitten isn't
asleep somewhere she could get trapped before you use
any of these.
Safety is a major factor for new kitten care. It's
fairly easy to keep your kitten safe as long as you
anticipate potential dangers and take the necessary
steps to prevent them. Putting brightly colored post
it notes up around your home is a good way to do this.
Stick the notes on or near potential dangers - for example
the fridge, washing machine, oven, toilet and futon
- and anywhere else that could be a hazard.
NOTE: This article is for information only. See your
veterinarian for medical advice.
About the author: Liz Allan has 25 years experience
of caring for cats. To find out more about new kitten
care, visit: http://www.cat-behavior-explained.com/all-about-kittens.html
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
