safety

like humans, cats are not perfect either. they can get into trouble like we do. apparently the saying "curiosity kills the cat" has some truth in it. see your cat like a toddler who explores the world and you know what i mean. thats more than true with a small kitten.

when your cat lives indoors, you can keep the most hazardous dangers under control, but you have to know what to look for. with a little common sense its easy to find out. below i have listed the most common dangers in the home:

safety in the home

• avoid toxic plants and toxic freshly cut flowers in the home. a list of common dangerous plants and flowers is provided under the section "poisons"
• use a fire guard in front of your fire place
• sharp knifes, scissors, needles with threads and other small pointy things should be kept out of reach
• make sure breakables and china is not exposed to a climbing cat
• household detergents should be kept in a locked place, especially antifreeze solution is very toxic to cats
• keep an eye on tumble dryers and washing-machines, some cats like to sneak into them in search for a warm sleeping place
• watch the kitchen, boiling water kettles, frying pans, hot plates etc. might attract your cat
• any drugs like aspirin should be kept in a save place
• put your food leftovers like kernels, salty foods and chicken-bones etc. straight into the bin
• don't leave plastic bags laying around, your cat might play with them and could get trapped and suffocate
• make sure electric cables are secured and not dangling, switch the sockets off if you don't need them

safety outside

its much harder to control the cat outside, but when you let your cat into your own garden, some things can be done at least around your house:

• keep weed killers and snail pellets in a secure place, lock the garden shed if you have one
• toxic plants are common in gardens, keep a watchful eye
• don't let your cat out immediately after you have sprayed weed killers or lawn spray in your garden
• in garages: keep oil and antifreeze out of reach, the cat's coat could get contaminated with these substances
• check your parked car before you drive off, a cat could be sitting underneath or under the bonnet.