Your apartment is your indoor cat's home too, so it's essential to create a safe environment in every room's nook and cranny. You've probably heard the saying that curiosity killed the cat. Although this is not literal, there is a direct message warning that curiosity can sometimes lead to danger. When cat-proofing your apartment, you want to cover your bases.
Here is a complete checklist of things to do when you move into an apartment or bring your new feline friend to live with you. Follow this detailed information on protecting your sweet, feisty companion.
Plants
If you have indoor plants, check to see which are poisonous to cats. If you discover one of your plants may present a danger to your cat, we suggest moving the plant outdoors or gifting it to a friend who doesn't have pets. There are hundreds of other house plants you can replace the poisonous one with that won't harm your cat.
Ingesting a poisonous plant can vary for each cat, ranging from mild irritation of the lips and tongue to life-threatening organ damage. If you suspect your cat may have ingested poison, schedule an online pet telehealth appointment to check your cat’s condition and discuss next steps.
The following are some of the more common plants to avoid as a cat owner. For a comprehensive list, visit the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List.
Any type of true lily can be fatal if ingested
Sago palm can be fatal if ingested
Plants from the Araceae family, for example Mother-in-law’s tongue, dieffenbachia, peace lily, philodendron, pothos, dumbcane, devil’s ivy, and elephant ear. These plants are not poisonous to cats, but do irritate the lips and tongue.
Common spring bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, hyacinths can cause GI upset
Foxglove, oleander, and lily of the valley contain cardiac toxins
Common spring bulbs, including tulips, daffodils, hyacinths can cause GI upset
Foxglove, oleander, and lily of the valley contain cardiac toxins
Spanish thyme
Eucalyptus
Garlic (store in a container in the refrigerator)
Onions (store in a container in the refrigerator)
Jade
Hydrangea
Dracaena trifasciata
Important Note: Lilies in the genus of Lilium and Hemerocallis are deadly toxic to cats. Even just a tiny amount can be life-threatening and warrant a trip to the emergency hospital.
Power Cords and Wires
Some day, we may live in a wireless and cordless world, but for the time being, check any entangled power cords under desks and tables. Neatly attaching a cord to the wall will keep them together and seem less appealing to cats. If your cat is understimulated, it can resort to all types of unwanted behavior, including chewing through your cords.
The easy solution to deter that behavior is to make time to play with your cat. For extra precautions, invest in plastic cord covers.
Windows, Cords, Shades, Dangly Shade Cords
If you leave your windows open on the ground floor, invest in a new screen with durable pet-proof material. Cats can easily fall out of windows with a weak screen that isn't secured. We don't recommend leaving your windows open above the ground floor if they are not protected with a safety screen or gate.
Anything dangling, like a lift cord for blinds or shades, can be hazardous to curious cats. They can easily get tangled and injure themselves. To prevent any mishaps, invest in blinds without curtain cords.
Cat Toys
It's always a good idea to keep your cat stimulated when away from the apartment. Be aware that not all cat toys can be left alone with your cat.
Suffocation
Ingestion
Strangulation
Toxicity
When you're not home, hide the yarn and any toys with long cords or strings. A cat’s anatomy makes them particularly likely to unintentionally swallow strings and fibers. The rough barbs on a cat’s tongue all point backwards, down the throat. As a result, when a cat gets anything stringy or yarn-like in it’s mouth, that string is very likely going to be swallowed, even as the cat licks and chews frantically in an effort to get it out. Once ingested, the yarn bunches up in the intestines and can block the passage of food or fluids, and eventually that string will saw its way through the intestinal wall. Once the intestines start to leak, life-threatening peritonitis sets in.
These “linear foreign bodies” are a real nightmare to owners and their feline friends. And they are also very common. Avoid giving yarn, string, ribbons, or other stringy materials to your cats.
Holiday Decorations
The Christmas season can be a joyous time when you bring out all of the festive adornments. Not surprisingly, your cat can find plenty of mischief in and around the Christmas tree, so here are some tips to safeguard your tree. Many holiday decorations are a serious safety hazard for cats, so here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Find a place to put it that's not near a table, sofa, bookshelf or chair.
Secure your tree in place as if to withstand a hurricane.
Cover the water feeding the tree with a tree skirt and gifts.
Tie the ornaments to the tree rather than using hooks.
Avoid tinsel and poinsettia.
Decorate the top part of the tree and leave the bottom more sparse and out of reach.
For obvious reasons, avoid setting out fire hazards like candles. Keep foods stored away and out of reach.
