Suggestions to Kitten Proof Your Home

A new environment is always very stressful for any kitty and being prepared ahead of time will greatly ensure that the transition for your new furry family member is as quiet, calm and comfortable as possible. Kittens and cats are by their nature - VERY - curious about their surroundings, so you will need to take several precautions and educate everyone in your home about the responsibilities of a new kitten and that everyone in the house has a share in the that responsibility. So just how do we prepare a new kitty for our home?

Here's How:

The real secret to kitten-proofing is to look at your home through the eyes of a cat. Find everything that looks like a swell toy, and if it's something harmful, get rid of it or make it safe.

  • First an foremost, put a collar with a bell on on your kitty so that you always know where your kitten is. Maine Coons love to follow their people around and as kittens, they haven't learned how to watch our for themselves just yet. As a result, you might accidentally step on them when turning around. That's painful for kitty and often requires a trip to the vet to make sure that nothing was broken.

  • Check to make sure there are no hidden "escape routes" that lead outdoors for your indoor-only kitty. Keep in mind that Maine Coons are critical thinkers and will try to figure out how to solve a problem. They've been known to learn how to open latch handle doors and simple pet doors.

  • If you have young children, or any concerns about the cat getting out, you can even make and post small signs at each doorway reminding the family to close them carefully and watch for kitties!!

  • Look around your house, at high shelves and low cupboards and hidden nooks. Do you see things that kitty might break? If so, you'll need to move these items to a safe place or pack them away so that they don't get broken.

  • Keep looking around the house, do you see any or harmful substances she might ingest? Keep in mind that Maine Coons are critical thinking problem solvers. So, you can expect to see them in closed kitchen drawers or cabinets that you wouldn't expect them. The obvious danger areas are under sinks where most of us keep chemicals. You can use common baby latches to prevent access to these tempting and dangerous areas. If kitty simply won't leave the area alone, investigate the area with her under supervision. Then she'll know what's in there and the curiosity is gone.

  • If you're into needlework, keep your supplies in a closed container. Needles and thread might appear to be fine playthings, but can be fatal if your kitten swallows them. Especially the thread.

  • Are the window blind cords reachable? Fold and secure your window blinds cord with a rubber band or use a decorative method to conceal them, anything to get them out of kitty's reach. If she gets tangled up in it, she could strangle.
  • If you don't want to find your floors littered with garbage, invest in covered wastebaskets and kitchen garbage containers.Always keep the door to your clothes dryer closed, and double-check inside before using it. Cats like to find dark, warm places to sleep, and the results could be tragic.

  • Keep the floor clean of stray rubber bands, ribbon and twine. All are hazardous when ingested by a kitten.

  • Keep cupboard doors and dresser drawers securely closed. Cats can find all kinds of mischief inside, and can be injured if you close a drawer and the kitten is behind it.

  • Cloth drapes are better left out of reach of your furry "curtain-climber". Tie them up securely until your kitten is trained to a scratching post.

  • Keep your toilet lid down at all times. Better yet, keep your bathroom off-limits to your kitten unless you absolutely have to keep her litter box there. Maine Coons in general are naturally attracted to water.

  • Do not keep your kitten in the garage, and always keep the doors closed. Pets are attracted to the odor and sweet taste of antifreeze. Store it high and tightly sealed, wiping up any spills on the garage floor. Window-washing solution also contains antifreeze. And remember, engine warmth promotes cat naps, so honk your horn to wake pets under the hood.

  • Be careful of houseplants that may be harmful for your pet. A veterinarian should be contacted immediately if your cat suddenly collapses, has repeated vomiting or severe diarrhea, or shows signs of excessive irritation (red, swollen, blistering or raw) skin of the mouth or throat. Any cat or kitten that becomes lethargic and loses interest in their food for a day or more may also have ingested something potentially dangerous, and professional help should be sought immediately. If you actually see your cat eat something that you suspect to be poisonous, do not attempt to make the cat vomit yourself. Take the cat to the vet with a sample of the plant (a plant label or means of identification would also be most helpful). This will help the vet to find a treatment or antidote to the poison. Keeping notes of the time of eating and any symptoms may also be very helpful to your vet, as sometimes several days can pass between the ingestion of the harmful material and the actual effects showing up in your cat. Contact with the leaves, stems or sap of certain plants can cause rashes and hypersensitivity to sunlight resulting in sunburn. In cats, these plants may cause blistering or itching of the mouth and gums, which can sometimes be misdiagnosed as gingivitis. Sneezing and eye problems can also be caused through contact with these plants.

  • Cover electric cords and outlets, such as the tangle from your computer, with covers sold for that purpose. cats and young teething kittens like to gnaw on such items. Caution: wrapping eclectic cords could be a fire hazard. The fur from a kittie's paw could cause an unwelcome shocking surprise and unwanted trip to the vet.

  • Chocolate can be dangerous. It contains theobromine, a powerful stimulant that is toxic to pets. Sweets, cakes, cookies can also upset a young animal's G.I. tract and lead to diarrhea and vomiting, which can be serious. Teach your children why it's not good to give your pets chocolate.

  • Treats can be dangerous. Never give turkey bones, chicken bones, or rib bones as a treat. They can splinter and cause serious injury.

  • Check your pet's collar on a regular basis. Kittens grow rapidly and collars or harnesses can be rapidly outgrown, leading to serious wounds or strangulation.

  • Take care of personal care items and medications like cosmetics, shampoos, skin creams, hair "perm" solutions, depilatories, suntan lotions, sleeping pills, antihistamines, aspirin, and acetaminophen can all be lethal to pets.

  • It's not a toy - Don't leave plastic bags out. Inquisitive young animals, especially kittens, can suffocate. Cats seem to love household items such as twist ties for plastic bags, but these can be deadly. Twist ties can be swallowed and perforate intestines. Make aluminum foil balls that your cat will love because they are easy to bat around and make a nice noise on hard floors, but be sure to wad the foil up very tightly so your kitty can't chew off and swallow bits of foil, and also be sure the ball is large enough that we can't swallow it. Other types of potential hazards for kittens and cats include anything with loops on them, such as grocery paper or plastic bags with the carry handles still on them; litter box liners of the drawstring type if they are pulled closed and the loop is left kittens can get stuck in them.

  • If you see a piece of yarn, audio tape, string, tinsel, etc. protruding from your cat or kitten's mouth or anus, do not attempt to pull it out! It could be wrapped around your cat's intestines and by pulling, you might inadvertently cause damage. Instead, take your kitty in to your vet. Other symptoms that might occur even if nothing foreign is showing: your kitty is having difficulty breathing, vomiting or trying to vomit, coughing, bleeding from the mouth or anus, convulsing, frothing at the mouth or intensive salivating, or has a swollen tongue. Any of these symptoms require veterinary care and immediate intervention. If your regular vet is closed or unavailable, take your kitty to the closest emergency veterinary hospital.

  • Cozy up - Always use a fireplace screen. You wouldn't want to come home to gray kitty if you kitty wasn't already gray.

  • Do you eat with that mouth? - Rule of thumb: If any or all of something will fit in a mouth, it's dangerous. Watch out for cigarette butts, rubber bands, balloons, sewing needles, thread, string, ribbons, small eyes and bells from cat toys and, yes, even pantyhose. Because what goes in must come out, often via surgery.

    Tips:
    The real secret to kitten-proofing is to look at your home through the eyes of a cat. Find everything that looks like a swell toy, and if it's something harmful, get rid of it or make it safe.

    Bitter Apple or lemon-scented sprays are both great for marking areas you want to be off-limits. Cats hate the taste and/or scent of them.

    Maine Coons are wonderful, loving, funny cats and become very attached to their humans. Congratulations and we hope you enjoy many years with your new kitty!