Keeping Your Kitten Safe and Out of Danger

The majority of people are familiar with the old adage "curiosity killed the cat" and if you have just decided to share your home with a little kitten, you will soon find out why this saying came about!

Kittens are curious little characters by nature and like nothing better than to investigate new things and places, all too often getting themselves into a bit of trouble. They are also incredibly mischievous which doesn't help when it comes to staying safe. It's important for owners to recognise potential dangers to kittens and young cats, most of which are all too commonly found in the home and which are frequently overlooked. The result is kittens can injure themselves which can be really upsetting for everyone in the household and it could mean an expensive visit to the vet.

Be prepared!

It's part of an owner's duty to ensure a pet is well cared for and kept in a safe environment which is why it's important to be well prepared for the arrival of a new kitten in the home. The trouble is that many people forget they need to be aware of their new pet at all times because a cat toy left on a stairway could result in someone in the house having an accident when going up or down the stairs.

Kittens fall asleep in the strangest of places

Needless to say, kittens tend to play hard, but they then fall asleep incredibly quickly and often they do so in the weirdest of places. Mostly it's somewhere nice and toasty, but sometimes it can be somewhere they could get seriously injured, namely in an open washing machine or drier!

A kitten tucked away behind a cushion on the sofa or chair could well get injured should anyone sit down without checking first, especially if they fall heavily into a chair crushing their kitten in the process.

Kittens also like to crawl into the smallest of places and this includes places you might know even existed in your home. It's important to kitten-proof a house and to block off any holes around the place, no matter how small they are!

Children's toys can be dangerous to kittens

If you have kids, you need to make sure that all their toys are safe for a kitten to play with because the chances are they will get hold on one or two of them at some point in time. Many kids playthings and toys are made up of tiny bits of wood, plastic and other things that if kitten swallows, could cause a serious intestinal blockage which results in them being very sick and an expensive visit to the vet!

Being careful opening and shutting doors

It's also important to make sure you open and shut doors around the home very carefully because you could seriously injure a little kitten if you open them too quickly and they happen to be behind them. You could trap a paw or their tail which would not only frighten them, but it could mean a trip to the vet and a few X-rays to make sure no bones are broken!

Kitten-proofing plugs sockets

It's also a very good idea to invest in some socket covers if you share your home with a kitten because it has been known for them to be electrocuted should they decide to lick an electrical socket that's not got a plug in it or when it is not safely covered.

Getting rid of recliner chairs!

Recliner chairs and kittens are a recipe for disaster with tales of many a small cat getting seriously injured or even killed when they get trapped in the mechanisms.

Rubber bands can be fatal!

A lot of people keep rubber bands in the kitchen because you never know when they would come in handy. However, if you share your existence with a kitten, it's best to bin them and not leave them hanging around. Again, if a kitten swallows an elastic band it may well cause a blockage in their intestines which would result in an expensive visit to the vet and if their condition goes unnotice, it could prove fatal.

Making sure hobs are turned off or covered

Kittens love to jump up high and because all cats, no matter what age love to look down on the world. As such, they like to investigate kitchen work surfaces. You have to make sure hob plates are turned off and ideally you should have a cover fitted over the hob so that kitten does not end up burning their paw pads if they jump up and the rings have not cooled down!

Making sure the toilet seat is kept down

A lot of kittens have a fascination with running water which can get them into a lot of trouble especially in a bathroom! You have to make sure toilet seats are always kept down and that if you've run a hot bath, to make sure your kitten cannot get into the bathroom by always shutting the door when you are going to have a bath. If a kitten jumps up on the side of a bath and slips in the water, not only do they risk drowning, but they may well get seriously scalded!

Meat that's gone off

You may think it's okay to give your kitten a little meat if it has passed its sell-by date or smells a "little off". Bad meat and fish is just as dangerous to a kitten as it is to people, In short, you have to bin the food and never give it to your kitten to eat or they could get very sick resulting in an expensive visit to the vet!