Whether you have a cat, are about to bring home your first, or are pet sitting a kitty in your home for a short time cat proofing your home is a must. Anytime we prepare to bring cat into our home no matter how long or short their stay, we must first make their environment safe and secure. Not only is this crucial for keeping the cat safe throughout their time in your home but it provides much peace of mind for you too. Let’s break down every room of your house to share the best ways to cat proof your home.

A cat playing with a cord of a set of blinds

Living Room

Tie up blind cords. Oh, the fascination of a long, lanky blind cord! While these common ribbons of material are the best thing since catnip to our kitties, they pose certain dangers that you want to avoid. Playtime with a blind cord can quickly turn into a tangled mess escalating fear and frustration in our kitties. A caught paw could become a broken bone and even, God forbid, a choking hazard almost immediately. Avoid disaster and tie up those intriguing blind cords.

Hide electrical cords. Who doesn’t love a long cord to play with, chew on, and even befriend? Well maybe not you, but your cat sure does. Wherever possible secure all electrical cords either tightly against a wall or hidden in a space your cat cannot reach. Avoiding electrocution is key to being a successful cat parent, hide the electrical cords.

Cover outlets. If you are a cat owner already you know that felines have an innate sense of what they are not supposed to do and go right for it, right? These curious little areas on the wall are no exception. Electrocution aside, their claws can easily get stuck in the tiny holes of an outlet and cause major pain.

Candle with care. Flames are intriguing to our curious kitties. Be sure to always place your candle up high or in an area that your cat cannot or will not get to. Even when a candle is not lit avoid letting the candle become a play toy. Once a cat feels like something is theirs to play with, whether it is lit or not, they will not make a distinction between times they can and cannot play with it. Candle with care my friends.

Check if a plant is poisonous before bringing it into your home. Always, always, always check here to see if a plant is poisonous to your pets before bringing it into your home. There is a surprising amount of quite common plants that are poisonous to our beloved fur babies. Do not assume, always check the poisonous plants to pets list first!

A cat smelling a poisonous poinsettia

Kitchen

Stovetop safety. This is more about a “redirection” routine for when your cat decides to dance on the stove top. Establish a ground rule that being on the stovetop, no matter when, is never allowed to keep your curious felines save. Whether you use a spray bottle or blow a whistle to signal the current action is not acceptable, decide what works for you and choose something your cat can understand.

Keep drawers and cabinets closed.  The kitchen houses many potentially dangerous items so it is best to avoid “playtime” all together in this area. In addition, be mindful of closing cabinets and drawers immediately after use. We all know how sly and quick our kitty cats can be and the next thing you know they are playing with the Ninja blade at the back of your corner cabinet! Keep cabinets and drawers closed and keep your kitty safe.

Countertop awareness. Remember that there is a cat constantly roaming around every room of your home looking for interesting things to play with. Do not leave hot pots/pans or other potential dangerous yet intriguing kitchen tools unattended. When not in the kitchen clear your countertops of any knives, blenders, mandolins, etc. Your cat may never show an interest in being on the kitchen counter, but don’t underestimate the power of a bored cat. You can never be 100% sure a cat won’t do something, am I right?

Keep trash securely covered. Keeping the trash covered always is extremely important. After all, what we put into these shiny barrels is TRASH. Whether it’s rotten food, raw chicken packaging, or plastic bottle ties (which we sincerely hope you cut up before placing in your bin) nothing good comes from a cat getting into a trash can. Avoid a choking catastrophe or an emergency vet visit be putting a lid on it.

Bedroom/ Office Space

Keep nightstands and desks clear of potentially dangerous items.  We all have our evening routines whether putting on creams, taking nightly meds, or even sewing up a hole in your spouse’s work shirt. Kitty thinks wahoo! It doesn’t get much more intriguing than string with a shiny needle attached or the chattering sound of pills when they bat at the container with their paw. Whatever your routine looks like be sure to have a proper place to securely put those items away when they are not actively being used.

Hide mothballs. Do not leave mothballs out in the open. Always hide them in a drawer or up on a shelf in your closet. Place them anywhere that your cat cannot get to as they are toxic to our precious kitties. 

Research your essential oils. Not all essential oils are safe for pets. If you love running your diffuser even just occasionally be sure to research the types of oils you are using first. Click here for a list of oils that are toxic to pets.

Cat smelling a flower and essential oils

Bathroom

Cover the trash. Just like the kitchen these curious bins that house all the things their humans don’t want/need anymore is just too much not to play with. Dental floss in particular must be avoided as it can easily be ingested and cause major intestinal issues. Keep all trash bins throughout your home covered for optimum pet safety.

Always put the toilet seat lid down. This is particularly important for new kitties. They can easily slip and fall into the toilet bowl when trying to climb the toilet. Avoid disaster by simply keeping the toilet seat cover closed.

Laundry Room

Safety container for detergent. Laundry detergent not only smells wonderful, but it looks exciting too! This is particularly true of those convenient detergent pods that are so popular these days. After all, to a cat those colorful pods are the perfect size for them to play with and who can avoid sinking their teeth into the rubbery, ooey gooey-ness?! Avoid temptation and keep all detergents and fabric softeners in a secured cabinet or container.

Keep washer and dryer doors closed. You have heard the horror stories, don’t let it happen to you! Always close the doors to your washer and dryer to keep your kitty out. If you need to air out the washer be sure to check that your cat is not anywhere in the room before shutting the door to the laundry room itself. Only then should you leave the door to one of these machines open.

Double check before starting a new laundry cycle. Even when we exercise proper precaution and keep the doors to our washer and dryer closed our kitties can act in the blink of an eye. Always doublecheck the drum of your machines for your curious kitty before shutting the door and starting a new wash/dry cycle.

Hazardous household materials

Storage Spaces

Store Chemicals and hazardous materials safely. From car oil to rock salt always keep chemicals and other hazardous materials in proper bins, containers, or out of reach locations. Even if you keep all these items in your garage where your cat “never goes” we all have had those moments with Felix senses a mouse or gets the itch to run out the door into the garage for no apparent reason. It is better to be safe than sorry. Keep hazardous materials safe and secure to avoid disaster.

There you have it! With every room in the house safely secure for your fur baby to live, play, and love as they please you can enjoy peace of mind and harmony. Just remember, never underestimate the power of curiosity in your cat. Have experience cat proofing your home? Share your tips in the comments below!

Just Around the Corner offers daily Dog Walking , Dog Hiking, and Pet Sitting in Plymouth, MA. To learn more about how Just Around the Corner can help, check out our Services Page. You can also Contact Us for more information. Be sure to Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Instagram!