Kitten Safety Tips

Kitten Safety Tips

Keeping your kittens safe is much like doing the same for a puppy. Both are very curious and will get into anything. Kittens however have a tendency to get themselves into more trouble since they have the ability to climb and jump from virtually anywhere they so please.
 
Playful kittens love to play with anything that dangles like cords, jewelry and house plants. If you have a kitten at home or are thinking about bringing a kitten home, you need to pretty much baby proof your house only with a cat in mind. Electrical cords and such can be very dangerous for a kitten to play with not to mention that whatever the cord goes to chances are you aren't going to want to spend the money to replace it.
 
Tacky as it may look, duck tape will take care of most cords. Tape them together if there is more than one going to the same place then tape them to the wall or floor. This prevents the cords from being a source of batting around fun. You can use furniture or wall hangings to try to hide the tackiness of it all if you feel necessary. For the cords on the floor, find a small area carpet to throw over it and you're done.
 
Jewelry should be put away as it can be a choking hazard or cause internal damage if swallowed. If a part or piece of the jewelry does get stuck in the stomach or intestine, the cat will have to undergo surgery to have it removed and this is a very costly procedure. So if you value your precious belongings and your kitten make sure you put your shiny jewelry away. 
 
House plants should be put up or out doors if that is an option until you feel comfortable in your kittens behavior. Research the plants you do have in your home as some of them can be very poisonous and deadly to cats if ingested. Seasonal plants like Easter Lillies fall into this category and should not be in the house for the kitten to play with at all.
 
Cabinets in the kitchen, bathroom and throughout the house make for great fun. These cupboards can be deadly for your kitten if they are getting into cupboards that have cleaning products in them, poisons or foods that they shouldn't be eating. In the baby section of any store you can find many different packages of devices that will lock your cupboards that are easy to use but still keep kittens out. Don't put it past your kitten to get those cupboards that are up high. A jump on the counter followed by a long stretch to reach and they are in.
 
As mentioned cats are great jumpers and not always very graceful about it either. Keep this in mind when looking around your house for possible dangers for your new kitten as well as things that you value. Breakable family heirlooms that you have neatly placed on the fireplace hearth or on top of the entertainment center may end up shattered on the floor. This can cause your kitten some injuries if they get into the broken pieces and you to be very upset.
 
Naturally very curious as these creatures are, there are some experiences that are best left to be unlearned such as a horrible injury or sickness. You won't have to keep your things put up or out of sight forever but while your kitten is learning the ropes of the house and it's boundaries it is better to play it safe than sorry.