Kitten Proofing Your House
Get on all fours and role-play! Imagine that you’re a curious kitten. Crawl around on your hands and knees in the rooms where your kitten will be playing.
You’ve found the furry love of your life and you’re ready to bring your new kitten home. Before you do, it’s critical to create an environment where she – and all of your valuables – will be safe. Kitten-proofing your home is much like childproofing it. Start with the big things and then go room to room, assuming a kitten’s point of view to make sure that she can’t get into anything that can harm her.
The Living Room
Get on all fours and role-play! Imagine that you’re a curious kitten. Crawl around on your hands and knees in the rooms where your kitten will be playing. Take note of tiny crawl spaces and close or block them. Tie up exposed wires. Gather pins, strings, or ribbon and put them away. Secure anything that could resemble a toy.
Scan your entire home for any breakables or valuables that your new kitten could claim. Either lock them away or firmly fix them so they don’t topple.
Take down your drapes and any other hanging fabric. Kittens love to climb and will learn how to use their claws on your drapery. Also, tie up cords on your mini-blinds. They make fun toys, but if your kitten gets caught in the loop, he could wind up in big trouble.
Talk to your veterinarian about poisonous plants. Certain varieties of lilies and other plants are deadly to cats.
The Kitchen
Install childproof latches on all accessible cabinets. Kittens are clever creatures and they will open cabinets and drawers with very little effort.
Check the floor for stray bottle caps, beads, buttons, or other small items that could be swallowed.
Put away all household chemicals and cleaners like bleach, ammonia, and soap. They’re poisonous, and just a little drop can harm a small kitten.
Store the garbage can under the sink behind a latched door, or purchase a garbage can with a secure lid. Scraps may tempt your kitten to dig through the rubbish.
Hide knives, blades, and other sharp items in cabinets or behind a closed pantry door. You wouldn’t want your kitty licking a knife and cutting her tongue.
Check around the refrigerator, oven, washer, dryer, and other appliances, and block any pathways. The dryer and dishwasher are favorite hiding places for kittens, so keep the doors closed and always check inside before you turn them on.
Tape your veterinarian’s office and emergency numbers to the refrigerator in case of an emergency.
The Bathroom
Always keep the toilet lid closed. If your family is not diligent about this, keep the bathroom door closed or set up a baby gate. Kittens gravitate toward water and an unexpected swim in the toilet could be deadly.
Install childproof latches on all accessible cabinets.
Be sure that all the shampoo bottles, cosmetics, creams, and medicine jars are tightly closed. Batting around an aspirin or a cotton ball might be fun, but also could be poisonous or cause a bowel obstruction if swallowed.
Make sure no stray pins, hair ties, razors, ribbons, thread, or jewelry are strewn on the floor.
The Bedroom and Office
A teething kitten loves to chew on electrical cords. Invest in cord covers made specifically to protect wires or make sure all wires are neatly tucked away.
Check the floor for paper clips, rubber bands, staples, pens, or other office supplies that could be ingested. Likewise, check for panty hose, plastic bags, earplugs, and similar bedroom temptations that your kitten could swallow. If it’s small enough to fit in her mouth, it’s a hazard.
Kittens love dark, warm spaces, so keep all drawers, closets, and trunks closed. If you’re concerned about her hiding under the bed, block the space with boxes.
Outside
If your kitten will be allowed outside, check the perimeter for snail bait, rat poisons, and ant traps. Keep a close eye on her while she’s playing in the grass.
Kittens are drawn to the sweet taste of antifreeze, so keep it locked in a cabinet and always wipe up spills that may have leaked from your car.
Kitten proofing your home isn’t difficult, but please do it before you bring your fuzzy bundle of joy home. Look at your home from your cat’s perspective and clear out all temptations. Then you can enjoy watching her play – safely.
Wendy Bedwell-Wilson writes about pet and lifestyle topics from her home in Hawaii, where she lives with two spoiled cats, an exuberant Pointer puppy, and her husband.