Page 18 - Complete Cat Care: How To Keep Your Cat Healthy and Happy

Making your home safe

It is feline nature to want to get into and onto everything, and making
a house or garden completely cat-proof would be impossible. However,
you can reduce the likelihood of mishaps with a few basic precautions.

◁ Night prowler
You may worry about your pet's safety if he
stays out after dark. Some owners let their
cats roam outside in daytime but prefer to Outdoor checklist
keep them in at night.
■ Shut shed and garage doors
to prevent access to chemicals
Hazards in the home or sharp tools
Most potential dangers are found in ■ Cover fishponds with netting to
the kitchen. Never leave anything stop kittens from falling in or older
unattended that your cat could cats from poaching fish; empty out
jump on or knock over, such as paddling pools when not in use
■ Place bird feeders out of reach
16 a switched-on hotplate, an iron, ■ Prevent your cat from touching
a boiling saucepan, or sharp rodent bait or poisoned animals
utensils. Keep the doors of ■ Cover your children's sandpit
washing machines or tumble
to prevent use as a litter tray
Your new cat Free to roam? dryers closed, but first make ■ Keep your cat indoors if you
sure your cat is not inside.
have fireworks or a bonfire
Cats are less inclined than dogs
to steal food, raid the trash can, or
If you have a choice, should
DO...
you let your cat go in and out
for shade and for use
as he pleases? Undoubtedly, chew up forbidden items, but they consider planting a tree
still need to be protected from
as a scratching post.
there are greater risks outdoors— substances that could make them
DO...
especially from traffic, territorial sick. Keep them away from wet watch neighboring cats
fights, and cat thieves. On the paint and chemical cleaners, which for signs of aggression.
other hand, confining an are easily transferred from walls
inquisitive cat indoors can lead and floors to fur, and then licked
to havoc in the house. Take your off and swallowed. Check that
pet's personality into account there are no dangers lurking in the
when deciding on the limits of carpet, such as pins, needles, or
his freedom. shards of broken glass or china.

DO...
shut away garden
chemicals and tools,
but before locking up
a shed check that
your cat is not inside.

◁ Watching the world
A window ledge is a good
place to just sit and stare.
If the window is on an
upper floor, make sure
your cat cannot jump out.

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