Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards

Cats are wonderful animals to keep as pets. They make great companions and can you show plenty of affection (when they feel like it, of course). Cats, though, are also very curious, which can spell trouble if they happen to get into something they shouldn’t. When it comes to protecting your cat from household hazards, using common sense will go a long way toward keeping her safe and out of trouble.

Protecting Your Cat from Indoor Hazards

 * 1) Remove poisonous plants from your home. There are many household hazards that can injure your cat or make her very sick. Poisonous plants are a common hazard for cats. Examples of poisonous plants are aloe, lilies, and eucalyptus. Cats who eat poisonous plants can suffer from a range of illnesses, such as heart problems (Lily of the Valley) and kidney failure (rhubarb leaves). [[Image:Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards Step 1.jpg|center]]
 * 2) * Other poisonous houseplants include poinsettias and mistletoe, which are popular during the winter holidays. Poinsettia sap can irritate the mouth and stomach, and mistletoe can cause liver damage.
 * 3) * There are many houseplants that can be toxic to your cat. If you are not sure which plants you have, take pictures of them or take them to your local gardening center for identification.
 * 4) Keep all medications and household cleaners out of reach. Human medications (e.g., Tylenol, ibuprofen, vitamins) and household cleaners (e.g., dish detergent, bleach, laundry detergent) can be very toxic to cats if ingested. Tightly seal the lids of medication bottles and household cleaner containers and secure the items in cabinets with childproof latches. [[Image:Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards Step 2.jpg|center]]
 * 5) * Pick up and throw away any loose pills you see on the floor or countertops.
 * 6) * Household cleaners can irritate the digestive system and, if toxic enough, severely burn the linings of the esophagus, mouth, or stomach.
 * 7) * Your cat’s medication can also be toxic to her if she manages to open the bottle eat the contents. Keep her medications safely stowed away as well.
 * 8) * When you use household cleaners, follow the label instructions carefully. For example, if the label says “keep pets and children away until dry,” make sure your cat stays out of the room until the product has completely dried.
 * 9) Hide or cover all electrical cords. Cats have very sharp teeth and can chew through the insulation on electrical cords. If your cat chews on a cord, she may develop severe burns in her mouth or even experience electrical shock. An electrical shock could damage your cat’s heart or lungs and would require immediate veterinary care. [[Image:Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards Step 3.jpg|center]]
 * 10) * Place plastic cord protectors over your electrical cords or coat them with something unpleasant tasting for your cat, such as hot sauce or a non-toxic spray. The non-toxic spray is available at your local pet store.
 * 11) * Tie up the loose cords before hiding them.
 * 12) * Examples of good toys for cats are laser lights and wand toys (a small toy or feather is attached to the end of a plastic wand).
 * 13) Do not let your cat eat toxic foods. Certain human foods are very toxic to cats. For example, your cat should not eat chocolate (or any form of candy), onion, onion powder, raisins, or garlic. In addition, treats and scraps from the dinner table are often full of fat and sugar, which can overwork your cat’s pancreas and cause her to develop a serious disease called pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas). [[Image:Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards Step 4.jpg|center]]
 * 14) * Chocolate contains a substance called theobromine, which can cause nervousness, vomiting, or even death.
 * 15) * Leftover bones can also be hazardous to cats. Bone fragments could damage your cat’s digestive tract, and may cause her to choke.
 * 16) * Other toxic foods are coffee and tea, dairy products (adult cats only), and raw meat.
 * 17) Keep your cat away from sinks, tubs, and toilets. Toilets are dangerous for your cat. If the toilet lid is open, she may fall in and drown if she is small. Also, some toilet bowl cleaners can leave a residue that is toxic to cats. Sinks or bathtubs could also be drowning risks for your cat. If you are filling up a sink or bathtub, keep a close watch on your cat, or keep her out of the room completely. [[Image:Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards Step 5.jpg|center]]
 * 18) * Keep toilet lids closed at all times in case your cat wanders into the bathroom without you looking.
 * 19) Remove any small objects on counter tops and floors. Small objects, such as rubber bands, hair pins, and twist ties can be very harmful to your cat if she swallows them. Although it is quite easy to leave such small items lying around, you must keep them out of sight from your cat. It may help to do a visual ‘sweep’ of your home each day to make sure there are no small items that your cat could easily access.[[Image:Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards Step 6.jpg|center]]
 * 20) * Pennies minted after 1982 contain zinc, which can be toxic to cats. Keep any spare change in your wallet.
 * 21) Close all doors. Your front door is a hazard if it's left open, but other doors in your home can be equally dangerous, including those of your dryer, refrigerator, freezer, and oven. Close all doors promptly so your cat does not have a chance to squeeze inside. When you do your laundry, check to make sure your cat has not crawled in your dryer—cats may want to climb into a warm, cozy dryer.[[Image:Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards Step 7.jpg|center]]
 * 22) Give your cat safe toys to play with. Cats are very playful animals. As much as your cat enjoys her playtime, you will need to make sure all of her toys are safe. For example, her toys should not contain ribbon or string that she could bite off and swallow. Ribbons and strings can cause serious intestinal problems that require immediate and extensive veterinary care. [[Image:Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards Step 8.jpg|center]]
 * 23) * Toys with small plastic eyes are also unsafe, since your cat could chew these off and swallow them.

Protecting Your Cat from Outdoor Hazards

 * 1) Keep your cat away from antifreeze. If your cat stays outside, there are outdoor hazards from which you will need to protect her. Although several automotive supplies (e.g., gas, oil) are toxic to cats, antifreeze is, by far, the most common automotive toxin for cats. Most antifreeze contain ethylene glycol, which is extremely toxic to cats and can be fatal. [[Image:Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards Step 9.jpg|center]]
 * 2) * Cats are attracted to antifreeze because of the sweet taste. Signs of ethylene glycol poisoning include vomiting, excessive urination, dehydration, and maybe even coma as the poisoning progresses.
 * 3) * Ethylene glycol poisoning in cats requires immediate veterinary care.
 * 4) * Ethylene glycol-free antifreezes are available. They contain propylene glycol instead, which is safe for pets in small amounts.
 * 5) * Keep antifreeze and other automotive supplies safely secured.
 * 6) Use lawn and gardening products with caution. Products such as fertilizers and pesticides are toxic to cats. When you use them in your lawn and garden, keep your cat away from the treated away for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer. If she steps in the area too soon and licks her paws, she could swallow toxic ingredients. [[Image:Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards Step 10.jpg|center]]
 * 7) * Cocoa mulch is toxic to cats.
 * 8) * When you are not using the products, keep them safely stored away. Since fertilizer bags tend to be pretty big and can be hard to close after opening them, store them in a large garbage or plastic container can with a tight-fitting lid.
 * 9) Block access to rodent traps and dead rodents. Rodenticides can cause serious or life-threatening injuries in cats. Cats can become sick by eating the rodenticide directly, or get ‘secondary poisoning’ by eating a rodent killed by rodenticide. If you have a rodent problem, place the rodenticide in areas where your cat can’t access.[[Image:Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards Step 11.jpg|center]]
 * 10) * Speak with your local pest control company if you are unsure where you can put the rodent traps so that your cat can’t access them.
 * 11) Use pet-friendly de-icing salts. During the winter, de-icing salts are useful for melting snow and ice. However, these products can contain toxic ingredients that your cat may ingest when she licks her paws. When you visit your local home improvement store, look for pet-friendly de-icing products. [[Image:Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards Step 12.jpg|center]]

Treating Your Cat

 * 1) Look for signs of injury or poisoning. The list of potential household hazards for cats is quite long, so it is not feasible to list clinical signs for each hazard. However, there are some general observations you can look out for that would suggest your cat has gotten into something she shouldn’t have. For example, if your cat has burn marks around her mouth, she may have been chewing on an electrical cord. [[Image:Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards Step 13.jpg|center]]
 * 2) * If your cat suddenly starts having digestive upset (vomiting, diarrhea) or showing behavioral changes (e.g., nervousness, excitability), it is likely that she has eaten something toxic.
 * 3) * Some poisons can make a cat sicker the longer it stays in her system, so it is very important to act quickly when you notice sudden sickness or behavioral changes.
 * 4) Call the ASPCA poison control hotline. If you suspect your cat has ingested something toxic, call the poison control hotline, whose number is 1-888-426-4435. When you call, provide as much information as you can, including your cat’s breed and age, what she ingested and in what amount, and what symptoms she is showing. The more information you can provide, the better the hotline staff will be able to assist you.[[Image:Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards Step 14.jpg|center]]
 * 5) * If you live outside of the United States, contact the animal poison control hotline in your country.
 * 6) Seek immediate veterinary care for your cat. Do not feel as if you need to treat your cat at home. The poison control hotline may be able to recommend some first aid care for your cat, but you should get your cat to a veterinary clinic as soon as possible. Some poisonings can be fatal if not treated quickly, so it is critical for your cat to receive immediate veterinary care.[[Image:Protect Your Cat from Household Hazards Step 15.jpg|center]]
 * 7) * When you call the veterinary clinic, provide the same information you did for the poison control hotline.

Tips

 * Talk with your veterinarian if you are not sure what items may be hazardous to your cat in your home.
 * Although protecting your cat from household hazards primarily involves common sense, you will need to remain diligent about keeping your cat safe.
 * Tubes of human ointments and creams are also toxic to cats, so keep these securely stored.
 * The only medications your cat should receive are those prescribed just for her by your veterinarian. This is particularly important if you have other dogs; cats should not receive dog medications (and vice versa).
 * Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that can make dogs very sick. However, whether xylitol is toxic in cats is unknown.

Warnings

 * Potpourri contains oil that can be toxic to cats.
 * Raw meat, poultry, and fish can contain harmful organisms, such as E. coli and Toxoplasma gondii.

Sources and Citations
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