The greatest dangers to your cat - cars, dogs and disease - are outside, which is why we recommend keeping your cat indoors or in an outdoor cat enclosure or run. However, not even your home is completely safe for your kitty, there are some common household cat hazards, as most cats have neglected to read the instruction manual. Your cat is your baby, and you need to treat it like one: keep it safe by keeping these objects out of their reach.
Toxic Plants
A variety of common household plants are toxic to your furbaby, and while your cat is a dedicated carnivore, the occasional nibble of veggies helps its digestion. Check out our guide to toxic plants, and replace them with some catnip instead.
People food
Your cat might look enviously upon your dinner, but there are some dishes that should be kept off of kitty’s menu. We’ve made a handy list here.
Food that isn’t food
This almost goes without saying, but any bite-sized object left lying around is a potential meal for your cat. We’ll get to some of the more dangerous culprits, but try to clean up any clothes pegs, paint chips, bottle caps, etc. as soon as they’re dropped. Garbage also falls into this category - you know it’s gross, but your cat might be tempted to take its chances on those week-old leftovers.
Toys that aren’t toys
Anything noisy, wavy, stretch or stringy makes for a tempting toy, but try and keep your cat away from tinsel, thread, dental floss or rubber bands. They might be fun playmates, but they can be extremely dangerous if swallowed.
Badly designed toys
Keep away from any toys with moving parts which your frenzied cat can easily injure itself with. Moving parts are also easy to break off, and then swallow. Instead, check out our pawsome range here.
Pest control
Anything that can kill the seemingly immortal cockroach, mouse or rat, isn’t really a suitable treat for your feline friend. Be careful when using any pesticides or insecticides.
Pet medication
No, that isn’t a typo! Pet medication is great for dealing with nasties - but follow the instructions or you risk making your cat worse, not better. This includes flea and tick treatments, prescription and over-the-counter medication.
Human medication
Human medication on the other hand, is useless to kitties: keep it hidden for when you have your human problems and avoid causing any for your cat.
Electrical cords
Some felines, and kittens in particular, love to gnaw on anything and everything in sight. Usually this is nothing more than an annoyance - your kitten disfigures your favourite pair of shoes or chomps down on your big toe - but in the case of electrical cords, your cat could be in for a serious shock. Keep cords hidden and safely secured.
Blinds
For an adventurous kitty a set of blinds seems like a fabulous way of getting closer to the ceiling. However, cats can easily get tangled in blinds, or their cords - fatalities are not uncommon. Either replace blinds in your house, or find some way of keeping your cat off.
Plastic bags
As if being the bane of sea creatures everywhere wasn’t enough, plastic bags are also a threat to your tabby. Their delightful swishing makes them an exciting plaything, but the risk of suffocation means you should keep them out of sight. Yet another argument for tote bags!
If you’re looking for toys and treats that don’t put your cat’s life in danger, we’ve got you covered.
