Kitten-Proof Your Home

Kittens are very curious creatures. They will try to play with almost anything they can get their paws on. However, it can lead them into serious troubles unless you take preventative measures. So here are some tips on how to ensure your kitten's safety and preserve your possessions in a process.

  • Keep household killers locked up. Those include (but not limited to): cleaning supplies, bleach, oven cleaners, paints, ammonia, disinfectants, drain cleaners, gasoline, pesticides, fertilizer, and rat poison.
  • Secure your window blinds cords out of kitty's reach. If kittens gets tangled up in it, he/she could strangle.
  • Keep toilet lids down. Kitten may attempt to play with a water and fall head down into it. On top of it, a lid might close and trap your kitty inside.
  • Store plastic bags away from a kitten's reach. Kittens love to play with them but can get tangled inside the plastic bag and suffocate. They can also eat pieces of plastic which is totally not healthy. Instead of plastic bag, you can offer your kitten a paper bag (just make sure to remove the handles first).
  • Remove all breakable valuables. Take them from shelves and/or floor and store them in a cabinet with a door. That way you won't lose your favorite vase and won't have to rush your kitty to emergency room with a broken glass stuck in a paw.
  • Keep your needlework supplies in a closed container. Needles and thread can be fatal if your kitten swallows them.
  • Remove plants poisonous to cats. Those include amaryllis, English Ivy, narcissus, dieffenbachia (dumb cane), mistletoe, poinsettia, holly, philodendron, azalea, rhododendron, daffodil daphne, foxglove, bleeding heart, potato, iris, ivy, oleander, rubber plant, tobacco, tulip, clematis, morning glory, and weeping fig.
  • Secure electrical wires with a plastic cover, or use a pet-repellent spray on them. Some kittens like to chew on them which might result in an electroshock.

A basic rule of thumb to follow — if you would hide it from a human baby, hide it from your kitten as well.