Making your house into a cat home
Bringing a new cat home is an exciting time, whether it's a new kitten still finding its feet in the world or a more mature cat from somewhere else. Whilst it might feel like the safest place on Earth to you, your house could provide a hazardous environment for your newest family member unless you make the right preparations.
There are a surprising number of everyday household items and substances that might spell trouble for your cat, so it's important to make sure you know where the potential dangers lie.
Sources of toxic substances include:
- Chocolate
- Cigarettes and ashtrays
- Loose batteries
- Detergents, cleaning substances and air fresheners
- Copper coins
- Mothballs
- Anti-freeze
You should also take care if you have mouse-traps or poisonous substances around the place for killing rodents, insects, slugs etc. These are usually disguised as sweet-smelling and slightly appetising substances which your cat might very well decide to eat. If you really need them, make sure they're placed somewhere inaccessible to your cat.
There are also a number of plants to avoid. Cats might be carnivores, but they have been known to nibble on plants or grass. Vets aren't completely sure why, although their best guess is that it is used as an emetic.
Plants that are toxic to cats include:
- Daffodils
- Primroses
- Lilies
- Foxgloves and other Digitalis
- Hydrangeas
- Azaleas
- Tomatoes
- Yews
- Mistletoe
- Aloe Vera
These are just a selection, so check with your vet if you're not sure what houseplants you should keep out of reach.
Toxins aside, there are plenty of other ways to make your house safer for kittens and cats to play around in:
- Keep your toilet lids down
- Hide wires or visible electric cords; tape down any you can't hide
- Use rubbish bins with lids
- Tuck away any dangling cords (from curtains, blinds etc)
- Get a lockable cat-flap so you can keep them indoors if need be.
The Great Outdoors
Most cats love the outdoors. They can hunt, patrol their territory, climb onto high places to enjoy the view and generally potter about exploring and satisfying their curiosity. Obviously you can't control all the hazards outdoors, but you can certainly take precautions, especially in your own garden if you have one.
- Be careful when using weedkillers or fertilisers.
- Give your cat a quick-release collar in case it gets caught on something.
- If you live near a busy road, consider using a cat harness outdoors, or building a sizeable cat-run: an enclosed area with sunny bits, shady bits, rain-proof bits and a number of things to climb on and explore, as well as a litter tray and a bowl of water.
Kittens shouldn't be allowed outside at all until they have completed their first course of vaccinations, and make sure you keep vaccinations up to date at all times. Talk to your vet for advice on what vaccinations are right for your cat. You should also talk to him about worming treatments, flea prevention and having your cat microchipped, which will be invaluable if he ever wanders just a little too far or, heaven forbid, gets catnapped!
Finally, if your cat hasn't been neutered or spayed yet, then you should think hard about getting the procedure done before granting full access to the outdoors. Female cats can become fertile at as young as 5 months, so be careful you don't end up with an entire litter of unwanted kittens! Neutering also makes male cats less hostile, so they'll be less likely to get into fights with competing neighbourhood Toms.
