Have you just got a new little kitten? If so you have to be as attentive to them as you would be a toddler. They are curious and always getting into everything.
Some people make the mistake of thinking that kittens have all of these natural instincts that protect them from danger. This is definitely not true. They are as out of it as human toddlers. They will eat the wrong food, chew on the wrong plant and misjudge distances.
Like all kids, kittens are on a learning curve and they do need to be protected from danger in their immediate environment for at least the first seven months of life. Here are some ways that you can kitten proof your home so that it is safe for the little critter.
Check your dryer drum before you to turn it on. Kittens love warm areas and they like to sleep inside dryers. They could be killed if they are trapped in a dryer.
Get rid of toxic house plants. A young cat does not necessarily instinctively know which plants are bad for it and which ones are good. The safest thing to do when you have a new kitten is to just get rid of your houseplants. Use fake flowers or plants instead but be careful there are no small plastic parts on the articial flower that the kitten can pull off and choke on.
Remove rocking chairs. These are very easy for a kitten to get trapped under. Keep your kitty out of the garage (especially in the winter.) Kittens are attracted to the taste o poisonous antifreeze.
Wrap up electrical cords into bundles. The texture of an electrical cord is attractive to teething kittens. Of course chewing on an electrical cord can also cause elrotcution. When purchasing appliances look for ones that have cord retractor or ones where the wires are concealed. This is also good if you have human toddlers tripping around the house. If this is not possible then wrap the cords in heavy plastic tape. Don’t let cords from window blinds dangle. Tie them up as kittens can get caught in the loops and hang themselves accidentally.
Don’t leave plastic bags with handles lying around as kittens like the crackling sound they make. However the handles are a real strangulation hazard! Also never leave something like a plastic drycleaning bag around as they could suffocate.
Keep your windows closed in a way that a kitten can’t slip out the window and fall out. Make sure the window screens fit in there securely.
Take all big cushions off of the couch. When they are little kittens like to crawl under these big pillows and have a nap. The danger is that they could be sat on and crushed. Protect your kitten from people who are mentally ill, moody or who have addictions. Pets, especially cats, can be the targets of anger, frustration and other human emotions. T
he biggest danger to cats is letting them outside. If you live in a rough area know better then to expose a tiny vulnerable kitten to all of the predators (both human and animal) that are out there.