Guest Author - Anna Monteagudo
For a cat human environment can be dangerous and full of unexpected hazards.
Cats are very curious creatures and will explore everything in the house. Anything that is hanging, sticking out and moving will be "attacked" and "hunted". Things such as electrical cords, plastic bags, sharp objects, small ornaments and even drapes can harm your kitty.
To cat-proof your home start in the kitchen as it is the most hazardous room of the house for your cat. Avoid leaving sharp objects lying around and cooking pans unattended. Any food left out unattended will be viewed as fair game but it might contain bones that could hurt your cat. Keep the garbage pails covered since a curios kitty-cat could get trapped in one or find an item inside that could be harmful for him/her. If you are busy cooking a meal you might want to keep your cat out of the kitchen completely since it is bound to end up under your feet, which could lead to an accident. If you have an open plan house where the kitchen does not have a door it will require a little more creativity from your part, you could create a distraction for your cat such as a new toy or treats, I some times give them cat nip or ask a family member to play with them. However, they end up under my feet anyways, in that case just watch out for them. I have a habit of moving slow in the kitchen always looking under my feet for one thing my sense of balance has greatly improved!
In the kitchen or bathroom make sure you keep disinfectants, bleach, detergents and medicines (aspirin is especially poisonous for a cat) out of your cats reach and sight, as they can be overturned and the contents explored with possibly fatal results. Also remember that your cat can bite through the plastic bottles, therefore just having the containers shut will not prevent your cat from exploring the insides. Also remember that if you use the toilet bowl disinfectants the ones that work every time you flush you should keep the toilet bowl lid shut at all times, you never know when your at will develop a taste for toilet bowl water. I would recommend eliminating the use of such disinfectants as it is an accident waiting to happen.
Throughout the house, try to tuck away trailing electric cords. If you have an open fireplace, put a guard in front to prevent your cat from exploring the chimney and getting stuck in it. And of course remember to have the guard on when the fire is burning. Don't leave the plastic bags lying around - no cat can ignore a plastic bag, an inquisitive cat could get his/her head stuck in a bag and suffocate. If you have houseplants make sure they are not poisonous to cats. Plants such as philodendrons, dumb cane, ivy, elephant's ears (caladiums), poinsettias, Christmas cherry, oleander and lilies are toxic and/or poisonous to cats so give them away to a cat-less friend. If in doubt about a plant consult your vet. Also, keep in mind that plants can cause harm to your cat even if they are not poisonous to him/her. Consider a cactus, my neighbour's cat had blood in his stool, the vet ran all kinds of tests and could not find anything wrong until my neighbour realized her cat was chewing on her cactus. So when creating a safe home for your fur baby use your common sense and even if everybody else thinks you are being paranoid, remember that it is better to be safe than sorry.
