Congratulations on welcoming a new cat to your household! Now it’s time to ensure your home is set up to keep them safe and healthy.
Even the smallest and most simple household objects can be a risk for your new feline friend. To ensure your cat’s safety, you’ll want to cat-proof each room of the house. Here’s a handy checklist for what you need to do in each room to ensure your home is safe for your new cat.
How Do I Cat-Proof My Living Room and Bedroom?
Tie up or cut your blind cords and loops.
Keep your candles up high!
Cover up your electric cords and cables.
Be careful with essential oils and potpourri – some can be toxic to cats.
Ensure none of your plants are toxic to cats.
Clear potentially dangerous objects from side tables and nightstands.
Hide or remove any mothballs (silicone drying packets).
Add scratching posts and protect furniture with scratch mats.
Shut medications in cupboards or drawers.
Place precious and/or breakable items out of jumping reach.
While your new cat might be quiet and timid when you first bring them home, they will likely develop their natural instinct for adventure over the coming weeks. Most cats love to explore, leaping and climbing to obscure areas of the house.
To help keep your cat safe, walk through your home and analyze the environment through the eyes of your curious cat. Look for anything with hanging strings or cords (cats love to play with these), sharp objects like scissors or needles, and common household objects (like rubber bands or thread) that could be a choking hazard if swallowed.
How Do I Cat-Proof My Office?
Clear desk clutter into drawers or containers
Power down or remove your paper shredder.
Organize & contain electric cords.
Cat paws are the perfect size for investigating a paper shredder, and should be kept far away from sharp blades! Keep your paper shredder on off instead of “auto” or “standby” or unplug when not in use.
How Do I Cat-Proof My Kitchen?
Keep your cupboards or pantry doors closed.
Cover your trash!
Cover your stovetop.
Put any human food in cupboards, the fridge, or your pantry.
Keep cleaning products stashed away.
Active cats can enjoy journeying across a stovetop, which can be incredibly painful if they land on a recently turned-off burner! After cooking, make sure you cover your stovetop with burner covers to help protect your cat from painful paws.
It is very important to use a trashcan with a lid in your kitchen or keep the bin shut inside a cupboard. Cats can potentially suffocate on food bags, get sick from compost, or eat any number of mysterious, and dangerous, things when they get into what gets thrown away in our homes.
How Do I Cat-Proof My Bathroom?
Cover up your bathroom trashcan!
Use your medicine cabinet!
Keep the toilet seat lid down.
Cats love to play with dental floss and other string-like hygiene products, all of which can present serious digestive obstruction if eaten.
Your medication and supplements are massive poison hazards if your cat can get a hand on over-the-counter and prescription medications, as well as natural supplements.
It can be funny if a curious cat makes a mistake, but your feline friends, especially kittens, can be in danger if they fall in. Don’t let toilet bowl cleaners sit in the bowl either!
How Do I Cat-Proof My Garage?
Keep the clothes dryer closed!
Store and hide your garage chemicals.
Take special care in storing rock salt and ice melters.
Automotive chemicals, cleaning chemicals, and lawn maintenance products are a wonderland of dangerous hazards. Stash them away to prevent paws from reaching.
Northern pet parents know ice melts are important, but they can burn sensitive paws and cause stomach problems. Use pet-safer ice melt products instead, and store them away!
Toasty dryers are cozy places for your cat to take a nap, but they’re fatal if turned on with them inside. Make sure to check them before use!
