Cats are curious creatures and kittens love to explore and roam the house. Before you bring your kitten home, it’s a good idea to kitten proof your home room-by-room, to keep your kitten safe and happy! So, if you are wondering, “How do I kitten proof my house?”, here are some handy tips…

What to Kitten Proof?

Everywhere and everything!

Even if you only plan on letting your kitten access one or two rooms to start off with, they’re fantastic escape artists and will probably end up where they shouldn’t… even when you think doors are closed!

Kittens are still learning about the world and are more likely to make mistakes than adult cats. They may eat things they shouldn’t, drink things they shouldn’t, go places they shouldn’t, get stuck in unexpected places, jump on hot surfaces, fall off high ledges, the list goes on! It’s a lot like having a baby that has just learned to crawl and can’t be left unattended for a minute without getting into a bit of a pickle!

Kittens are more fragile than older cats. Their bones and joints are still developing, and they’re very small still, so are more likely to injure themselves if they take a tumble than an older cat.

Where Do I Start to Kitten Proof My Home?

Start in the house but don’t forget to include the garden, shed, garage and any balconies if your kitten will be going outside.

Your kitten will soon be able to jump higher than you think, whilst also squeezing into tiny spaces! So, ensure all windows that a kitten could reach are kept shut. If there are window blinds then ensure any blind cords are secured, so your kitten can’t get tangled in them. Cats and kittens love to play with these and other dangly cords (including electric cords), but there’s a risk of these getting wrapped around your kitten with serious consequences, including death.

Consider fitting child proof latches to important barriers, like chemical and medical cupboards as cats can be very clever at opening closed doors. All medicines should be locked away.

In the kitchen/utility areas, make sure washing machine and tumble dryer doors stay closed. Ensure all cleaning products and chemicals are shut away, as some of these are incredibly toxic to cats. Keep hot surfaces guarded from your kitten, so they can’t accidentally jump on a hot stove top or fall into a boiling pan.

Avoid using tablecloths and drapes as your kitten is likely to climb on these and could pull the table contents on top of themselves.

If you have large water bowls down for other pets, ensure they’re not too deep for your kitten. A kitten can easily drown in only a small amount of water.

In office and other areas, keep rubber bands, string, fiddle toys, thread, etc shut away out of reach. Kittens love to play with these but can swallow these objects which can become trapped in the intestine and may need lifesaving surgery to remove them.

Toilet doors should be kept shut and toilet lids closed too. Kittens can easily become trapped and drown in a toilet bowl. The chemicals that may be used to clean the toilet can be harmful too.

In lounge areas, open fires and log-burners should be kept off or have a guard around them. Your kitten won’t understand how dangerous these heat sources can be and it only takes seconds for serious and life-threatening burns to occur.

Kitten Proofing Outside the House

Kitten proofing the garden can be more challenging! You can’t control what happens outside of your garden, but it’s sensible to check whether you have any plants that are toxic to cats. If so, try to either remove them or keep your cat away from them. Lilies, rhododendrons, bulbs (daffodils, etc), cyclamen, holly, ivy, laurel, mistletoe, poinsettia, azalea, yew, mushrooms, jasmine, foxglove, larkspur, monk’s hood, oleander, hydrangea, apricots, onions, garlic, rapeseed, begonia, rhubarb, and many more can be poisonous to cats and kittens.

Any rodent poisons in the house, garden or shed should be removed and replaced with humane rodent traps if needed.

Garden sheds and garages can be dangerous to cats and kittens too. Chemicals like antifreeze, which cats really like the taste of, are incredibly toxic to cats. Keep these areas out of bounds to cats.

Keeping Your Kitten Out of Mischief

Kittens often get into the most mischief when they are bored! Spend plenty time playing with your kitten each day to keep them out of trouble. Kittens love to play, and it also tires them out, so they’re more likely to rest when you’re not there. Provide them with lots of toys and a scratch post, so kittens can display their normal behaviour, but in a way that’s safe for them and for your home.

The tips above aren’t exclusive so it’s important to think like a kitten, get down to their level and work out what hazards may be in your home. It’s impossible to prevent all accidents so it’s also really important to supervise your kitten’s playtime as much as possible. Your feline friend learns through play, so play with them lots, spend time with them, and enjoy watching them grow up and explore their world.

Everypaw Kitten Insurance

Everypaw's Kitten Insurance comes with 24/7 unlimited access to vets and vet nurses that can help with your pet's health, care, nutrition and behaviour. So you can rest assured your kitty will be well looked after.

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Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Felis – https://www.vetlexicon.com/treat/felis

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.