Welcoming a pet into your home can be a huge source of joy, but it also requires lots of responsibility. On top of feeding and caring for your pet, you’ll need to take active steps to make sure they’re safe — and, at the same time, protect your home from potential damage.
Cats and especially kittens can be very curious. The more thought you put into making their environment safe and comfortable, the more potential accidents you can avoid.
Follow these tips to help reduce the risks:
- Purchase pet-friendly furniture and opt for removable cushion covers that are machine-washable. Silk and velvet probably won't wear well in a home with pets!
- If you have carpeted floors, invest in a high-quality vacuum. Do not leave small items lying around your floors.
- Install window screens, baby gates and fences as needed, cover HVAC vents if accessible, and make sure animals don't have enough room to crawl behind large appliances (washer, dryer, refrigerator, etc.) where they may get stuck.
- Keep your toilet lids closed at all times.
- Make sure all your trash cans, including the ones in bathrooms and bedrooms, are the lidded variety and always keep them shut. Pets can become ill from ingesting many of the items commonly found in our trash.
- Make sure any sockets near water are GFCI (ground-fault electrical interrupter) sockets that can prevent shocks should a short occur. Unplug and wind up cords properly when they are not in use and storing them safely out of sight and reach of your pet or otherwise use chewing deterrent/bitter spray. Most sprays can be used on fabric as well as hard surfaces.
- Along the same lines, move all foods, medications, cleaning supplies and chemicals to an area that your pet cannot access, ideally, locked in a box or containers. Keep chemicals and fluids in original containers. Keep lids tightly closed on containers. Never leave bottles or cans with liquids open.
- During the adoption process, be sure to get all the information you can about your new furry friend. Ask about your pet's specific history, allergies and propensity for getting into mischief! The more you do to prepare, the happier they (and you) will be in their new forever home.
- Ensure all plants are non-toxic. Remove all toxic plants from your home (yes, even those on a high shelf)
- Install pet camera that allows two-way communications with pets to check in on pets when at work or when gone for a long weekend.
- Provide plenty of toys, and places to climb, provide and switch toys especially chewing, like catnip sticks, every few weeks to prevent destructive behavior from boredom. Spray anti-chewing products anywhere your pet shouldn’t be chewing.
- Keep windows and doors closed. Prevent animals from falling through a screened window. There are a variety of pet and child safety products available that can be installed in an open window in a home or apartment.
Room-by-room guide and checklist
KITCHENS/BATHROOMS
Make sure a cabinet door can't be sprung open by pawing from a pet and if it can be potentially opened by a pet, consider the use of childproof door locks and latches
Close the dishwasher when not in use
Put up a stove guard to keep your cat from jumping on a hot surface
Keep foods out of reach (even if the food isn’t harmful, the wrapper could be)
Place medications, cosmetics, toothpaste, cleaners, chemicals and laundry supplies on high shelves or in a cabinet or pet proof container
Keep trash cans covered or inside a latched cabinet
Check for and block any small spaces, nooks or holes inside cabinets or behind washer/dryer units to prevent pets from exploring
Make sure your kitten hasn’t jumped into the dryer or washer before you turn it on
Keep the doors to the dryer and washer closed at all times
Store all laundry related chemicals, including dryer sheets, safely in a cabinet with the door closed
Throw away old dryer sheets and other used cleaning supplies
Make sure caps are firmly reattached after use of detergents and bleaches
Keep the toilet lid closed to prevent drowning or drinking harmful cleaning chemicals
Keep the pantry door closed
Keep sharp items including razors, razor blades, tweezers, nail files, scissors, and more out of pet reach
Keep hair accessories off the floor to prevent choking
Take toilet paper off the roll and store in a cabinet
Put away toiletries like sponges and loofahs when not in use
Remove rugs until litter box training is complete
LIVING/FAMILY ROOM
Place dangling wires from lamps, DVD players, televisions, stereos and telephones and remotes out of reach
Put away children’s toys and games
Put away knick-knacks until your kitten has the coordination not to knock them over
Check all those places where your vacuum cleaner doesn’t fit, but your puppy or kitten does, for dangerous items, like string
Move common house plants that may be poisonous out of reach
Don’t forget hanging plants that can be jumped onto from nearby surfaces
Make sure all heating/air vents have covers and it is fixed and can not be pulled out by pet, especially those placed on the floor
Put away all sewing and craft notions, especially thread
Install fireplace screens to prevent unsupervised access
Remove fragile decor from coffee and end tables
Taller items like curio cabinets or bookcases should not be top heavy, and if there's any chance a climbing pet could topple it, secure the top portion to the wall
Mount televisions high enough so pets can't reach up and secure cords
Keep in mind that seasonal decorative items like Christmas trees can also pose a safety threat to animals from both falling and choking hazards
Never left pets unattended where flames from a candle or potpourri holder are burning – it can cause burns or a fire!
Use safer alternatives include electric candles, fireplace
BEDROOMS
Keep laundry and shoes behind closed doors (drawstrings and buttons can cause major problems if swallowed)
Keep any medications, lotions or cosmetics off accessible surfaces (like the bedside table)
Move electrical and phone wires out of reach
Be careful that you don’t close your kitten in closets or dresser drawers
Keep clothes, pillows and other items off the floor
Make your bed each morning to discourage digging
Make sure ironing boards are set up and irons plugged in only when they are being used and store them away if not use
Avoid hanging ironed clothes from the edge of an ironing board
GARAGE
Move all chemicals to high shelves or behind secure doors
Clean all antifreeze from the floor and driveway, as one taste can be lethal to animals
Bang on your car hood to ensure that your kitten (or any neighborhood cat) has not hidden in the engine compartment for warmth
Keep all sharp objects and tools such as nails, saw blades and screws out of reach
Keep the garage door shut when not in use
Remove mouse and insect traps
Make sure heavy items do not pose a risk of falling or tipping onto a pet
Make sure shelving and shelving units are stable enough to support a climbing pet without tipping or falling
Don’t let cats outside! And look out for paws, noses and tails when you shut doors behind you or scoot chairs. Know where your pet is every night before retiring and be sure to check the garage.
Hopefully these steps help you pet proof your home and keep your animals safe! And if you don't have pets but instead are looking to baby-proof your home, we've got you covered there as well 😊.