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Welcoming a new cat into a home is a warm,
emotional and exciting time for every member of the
family. However, whether you’re taking in a tiny kitten
or an adopted older cat, take some basic steps to ensure
that their house will be safe for their new pet’s
arrival.
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Inspect all window and door screens to make sure
they are strong and securely in place. An excited
cat can jump on a windowsill and catapult through
the screen if it isn’t sturdy.
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Make sure household cleaners and medications are
kept in locked cabinets. Resourceful felines are
masters at opening unlocked cabinet doors.
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Jewelry boxes and sewing kits should be kept
safely out of the reach of cats. A curious feline
can be attracted to the glitter of jewelry and
dangling sewing threats. Swallowing either of these
items can have serious, even fatal, consequences.
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Review all plants kept in the house, and remove
all that are potentially poisonous to cats. Azalea,
Easter lily, holly, iris, oleander and yews are only
some of the common plants that are toxic for cats. A
more complete list is provided in the Cat Fanciers
Association website,
www.cfa.org.
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Electrical cords should be kept out of reach of
cats, or a cat repellent should be applied to them
to prevent a pet from chewing.
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Narrow areas behind heavy furniture (breakfronts
and bookcases) and appliances (refrigerators) should
be blocked so they are inaccessible to a cat.
Sometimes a feline who squeezes into these tight
spots can’t work his way out.
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Antifreeze and other poisonous items should be
kept out of a cat’s reach in the garage. A single
teaspoon of antifreeze can be deadly to a 7-lb. cat.
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Any mouse, rat, roach and ant traps should be
removed from the house before a cat comes home. Many
of these deadly products will attract cats as well
as their intended animals. If you must use these
traps, position them in areas that are not
accessible to cats.
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Store chocolates in bins or cabinets that are
beyond the reach of cats.
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Make the laundry room off limits to cats. Aside
from the danger posed by their cords and the tight
spaces behind them, laundry dryers are tempting
sleeping places for cats. A dozing cat in a dryer
that is suddenly turned on will be in a great deal
of trouble.
The
Animal Poison Control Center offers a
24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week telephone poison hotline for
cat owners. There is a $65 consultation fee. Animal
Poison Control Center 1-888-426-4435
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