| Persian
Safety Tips 1 |
| Arrange an area -
preferably a room
you can close where you can confine your new cat and where she can have
some privacy, especially if you have a busy family or other pets. |
| Persian Safety
Tips 2 |
| Put
her food and water, litter box, scratching post, and toys in the room.
Many cats will hide for the first few stressful days, so giving her
“a
room of her own” at first will allow her to adjust to the
smells and
sounds of your home without having to interact constantly with people
and animals. |
| Persian Safety
Tips 3 |
| Leave the open carrier
in the room, so she has a safe
retreat if she wants one. A very young kitten especially doesn't need
the run of the house—there are too many things to get into
that might
hurt her. |
| Persian Safety
Tips 4 |
| To
keep your cat safe, be sure all plants in your home are nontoxic.
Some toxic plants, and plants that may irritate the digestive tract,
are listed at the end of this article. Your veterinarian can provide or
refer you to a more complete list. Just to be safe, place all plants
out of reach. Hanging pots, for example, usually lose their appeal even
to curious cats. |
| Persian Safety
Tips 5 |
| Avoid string, ribbon and
other
rope-like toys, which, if ingested, can cause life-threatening
intestinal obstruction. |
| Persian Safety
Tips 6 |
| If your cat is fond of
drinking
from the toilet (a popular source of
fresh water, believe it or not!), do not use toxic chemical cleaners or
toilet tank drop-ins. Better still, keep the lid down on the toilet so
kitty can't fall in. |
| Persian Safety
Tips 7 |
| Train your cat never to
dash
out
the door unexpectedly. Such escapes often lead to loss and injury,
including car accidents. |
| Persian Safety
Tips 8 |
| Cats lack our sense of
height and
depth. If you live in a high-rise
building or if your cat has access to upper story windows and decks,
use screens and safely spaced bars to prevent jumping or accidental
falls. |
| Persian Safety
Tips 9 |
| Remove or secure
household
toxins,
including toxic plants, chemical
cleaners and environmental insecticides. Whenever possible, consider
using safer, alternative, "green" products. |
| Persian Safety
Tips 10 |
| Kittens are curious
creatures capable of jumping onto high surfaces or squeezing into the
smallest of spaces. |
| Persian Safety
Tips 11 |
| To protect your kitten
in his new environment, and to safeguard your belongings, kitten-proof
your house. |
| Persian Safety
Tips 12 |
| Use childproof latches
to keep little paws from prying open cabinets |
| Persian Safety
Tips 13 |
| Keep medications,
cleaners, chemicals, and laundry supplies on high shelves. Keep trash
cans covered or inside a latched cabinet |
| Persian Safety
Tips 14 |
| Check for and block any
small spaces, nooks, or holes inside cabinetry or behind washer/dryer
units. Make sure your kitten hasn't jumped into the dryer before you
turn it on. |
| Persian Safety
Tips 15 |
| Keep foods out of reach
(even if the food isn't harmful, the wrapper could be) |
| Persian Safety
Tips 16 |
| Place dangling wires
from lamps, VCRs, televisions, stereos, and phones out of reach. |
| Persian Safety
Tips 17 |
| Keep kids' toys put away. |
| Persian Safety
Tips 18 |
| Put away knick-knacks
until your kitten has the coordination not to knock them over |
| Persian Safety
Tips 19 |
| Check all those places
where your vacuum cleaner doesn't fit but your kitten does, for
dangerous items, like string |
| Persian Safety
Tips 20 |
| Be careful that you
don't close your kitten in closets or dresser drawers |
| Persian Safety
Tips 21 |
| Make sure all
heating/air vents have a cover |
| Persian Safety
Tips 22 |
| Put away all sewing and
craft notions, especially thread |
| Persian Safety
Tips 23 |
| Move all chemicals to
high shelves or behind secure doors |
| Persian Safety
Tips 24 |
| Clean up all antifreeze
from the floor and driveway, as one taste can be lethal to a kitten |
| Persian Safety
Tips 25 |
| Bang on your car hood to
ensure that your kitten (or any neighbor cats) has not hidden in the
engine for warmth |
| Persian Safety
Tips 26 |
| Keep laundry and shoes
behind closed doors (drawstrings and buttons can cause major problems) |
| Persian Safety
Tips 27 |
| Keep any medications,
lotions, or cosmetics off accessible surfaces (like the bedside table) |
| Persian Safety
Tips 28 |
| Move electrical and
phone wires out of reach of chewing |
