CHENNAI: Cats are pretty much the ideal pets for working people, living in apartments. They don’t need a lot of space, nor do they need to be taken for walks. They don’t mind spending time on their own while you’re at work (although they’re glad when you’re back). A cat — or better still two — will give you companionship and make your house much more elegant by its presence. How can you make your house safer for felines?
Grill your balconies, windows:
There is a debate among cat people about whether cats should be kept indoors or allowed to wander. Take stock of these factors in your neighbourhood: traffic, stray dogs and hazards like open drains. Then there’s the danger of the cat hurting itself when it jumps, depending on which floor you are on.
To keep your cat safe from these dangers, get your access points to the outside safely grilled. Most kinds of netting won’t work — cat claws can slice through them. But well-chosen grills will let in ample light and air, preventing feline escape attempts from succeeding.
Unplug:
Cats love to play with things that dangle and swing. This includes cables and wires. Keep your cats and your gadgets safe — unplug all devices when not using them and put cables out of the way.
Look before you close:
Cats can get into the most extraordinary places. Cupboards, drawers or washing machines. Before you close any door, check that your cat is safely away from being locked in. If you have small kittens at home, always keep your toilet lid closed — a kitten can fall in and drown.
Knots in cords:
Drapers and draw-cords for blinds can attract cats who will play around with them and then get themselves tangled, sometimes strangling themselves. Knot them up and keep them out of reach.
Lock up medicines, cleaning supplies:
Don’t let curiosity kill your cat — secure your detergents, washing liquids and your medicine cabinet so that your cat does not get at them and poison itself accidentaly.
Keep your knick knacks safe too:
Keep that fine Dresden ware, or those exquisite crystal glasses under lock and key, and behind glass. Cats do not find them as fancy as you do and are liable to conduct a few experiments into the laws of gravity using them.
Hopefully this gives you a good idea of how to keep your home safe for your cat. Don’t forget to look around your house before bringing a pet home. Make sure you haven’t inadvertently left any opprortunities for the cat to inure itself or break out into the dangerous world outside.