Tips for keeping your felines safe from household dangers
You share your home with a feline or two. You acknowledge that items can no longer be left on the counters. Cabinets must be closed or locked. Plants are moved up high. Valuables es are kept in a hutch with a door.
Just when you think you have your feline friend safe from household dangers, something you overlooked pops up.
Here are a few more suggestions to keep your curious buddy safe so you can say with pride, "Curiosity did not kill the cat."
A utility or laundry room can be a feline sanctuary for them and a nightmare for you. The hot water heater, furnace and washer and dryer can all hold hidden disasters. Try to keep all the lids and doors closed and check the contents as a precaution before loading or turning on the appliance.
Spaces behind appliances should also be checked to prevent your feline from crawling into a tight trap.
Gas dryers are famous for this problem. The coil that vents the dryer to the outside often requires too much space to prevent kinking. If you find this to be a problem, there is a product on the market called a dryer box that allows the coil to recess on the wall behind the dryer.
This product allows more airflow to the vent and the dryer to be placed right up to the wall, blocking the space your feline might normally investigate.
Laundry soaps, bleach and other cleaning agents can also be potential hazards. If toddlers find the cleaning pods attractive to eat, your feline will also find them tempting to bat around until they burst and soap is everywhere. Then you'll have a soapy mess all over your felines' paws for him to ingest, not to mention the clean up.
All cleaning products need to be placed in cabinets with childproof latches.
The bathroom is a feline paradise of mischief. The toilet, sink and tub are true trouble. Keep all the lids closed and free of chemicals. Some felines cannot resist water.
Make an extra effort to tighten all faucet handles. Our felines seem to be quite proud of themselves once they master the skill of turning on a faucet.
When you leave the bathroom, remember to check that all the stoppers are in the up position, or you may find a flooded room when you get home hours later.
For a tiny room, the bathroom is sure a lot of work to cat proof. Besides cleaners, you have medications, mouthwash, toothpaste, antiseptics and adhesives as just a few of the potential problems. All of these items need to be secured in a tamper-free cabinet.
Dental floss is of great interest to our felines, so do not leave it on the counter or in an open trash bin. My felines think they have discovered floss as the next best toy. Floss, like yarn, can cause serious intestinal obstructions.
If you store your curling iron or hair dryer in the bathroom, keep it stored away to avoid burns or cord chewing. An appliance plugged in unattended or cooling is a potential disaster.
In larger rooms, where you put decorations and breakables will take special planning. Crystal, glass and ceramic items are not safe within a feline's jumping range. They can harm your feline when they fall, not to mention when they shatter.
If you are not willing to give up live plants, be sure you are familiar with their properties. Anything toxic should stay outside.
Reclining chairs and collapsing tables may not be items you associate with danger to an animal. If you feline has ever fallen asleep under one and a paw or tail is pinched, you already know what I am referring to. Check to see who is snoozing below before reclining.
In time, your feline will teach you on a day-to-day basis what perils it wishes to investigate. Feline proofing your home is an ongoing, exhaustive process, so just accept the fact that you can never let your guard down. When you do, it is off to the emergency room.
Upcoming
The Buddy Foundation will celebrate its 25th anniversary from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27, at Chandler's at the Schaumburg Golf Course, 401 N. Roselle Road, Schaumburg.
Join Buddy's "Cheers to 25 Years" for a donation of $40 in advance; $45 at the door, which includes a buffet dinner, cake and two drink tickets.
The evening will feature a raffle and auction, along with music and entertainment. Reserve your tickets by calling Buddy at (847) 290-5806 or sending a check to The Buddy Foundation, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60005.
• The Buddy Foundation, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, is an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization with all funds directly assisting its animals. Call (847) 290-5806 or visit thebuddyfoundation.org.