Kitten Proofing Your Home
Kittens are just like toddlers—exploring their big, new world, into everything. Their paws will bat at loose objects. They will attempt to eat or carry off things they find. Their coordination is not perfect so they may jump and miss things, knocking things over in the process. They will attempt to pull themselves up onto things by using whatever may be hanging within reach.
For the kitten’s safety, your piece of mind, and to preserve your treasured belongings, here are some hints to make the addition of this new creature a pleasant one for your household.
You need to do a walk-through of your home for your new kitten, just as you would when your child begins to crawl or walk. Put yourself into your kitten’s paws. Get down on your hands and knees and see things as your kitten would.
Store medications and chemicals in a location out of your kitten’s reach. Kitten and cat paws will attempt to open cupboards, so make sure they are secure.
Be sure to pick up any dropped medications because as soon as your kitten sees it, it will try to eat it.
Clean up spills of cleaning products and other chemicals because your kitten may walk through it and then ingest it when it cleans itself.
Place toxic plants in closed-off rooms. (Your vet should be able to provide you with a list of poisonous plants.)
Keep string, thread, and yarn out of kitten’s reach. Cats cannot spit things out. Once a piece of thread is in the kitten’s mouth, it will be drawn back into the throat and be swallowed. In the kitten’s digestive tract, it may become entangled in the intestine. Surgery may be needed to remove it to prevent the death of the animal.
Stow sewing supplies-buttons, needles, pins-in a secure place.
Be sure that all open windows have sturdy, securely-fitted screens. Most new window screens are not meant to support the weight of children or animals. They are meant to keep out insects. Push on your screens to test their ability to withstand an eager animal’s jump at a fly or bird seen outside.
Block access to small spaces. Look for holes in the walls where pipes come out of the wall, crawlspaces, loose ceiling tiles. Close off spaces behind appliances and cablinets. Kittens and cats love close quarters, but that doesn’t mean they can get themselves out again.
Locate your cat before you sit down in on the sofa or use the recliner. Kittens and cats are killed every year by the reclining mechanism of “La-Z-Boy” type chairs.
Close the lids and doors of washing machines, clothes dryers, dishwashers, and ovens.
Supervise your kittens when your stove is in use or burners are still hot.
Tie up or cut window shade pulls so that your kitten will not become entangled in it.
Remove draping items which, when pulled may cause objects to fall on and injure your pet.
Wrap up loose cords. Some kittens like to chew on cords. Putting bitter apple on the cord will discourage this. Some kittens will pull on the cord, drawing the lamp or phone down on top of it.
Look before you step.