Jeff Flowers on October 28, 2015 0 Comments If you have a dog or cat, you know that they can get into just as much trouble as kids. Dogs and cats are naturally curious. They might go snooping around your home, and you don’t want them to get into anything that could hurt them. That means you have to try to keep your house as pet-friendly as possible. There are plenty of safety tips you can follow to protect your pets, as well as ways you can keep your home clean even with pets. Keeping Your House Safe As you start the process of keeping your home safe for your pets, you need to remember that certain things that are not threats to humans can still be dangerous to animals. For instance, certain plants can be hazardous to animals, so if a cat eats a lily, her kidneys can shut down. As a homeowner, you must do some research to find out what is really dangerous for your pets. Beyond knowing exactly what is dangerous for them, you can just try to keep everything out of reach. Here are some ways you can make sure that your pets stay safe and healthy: 1. Childproof Latches Use childproof latches on kitchen and bathroom cupboards. This will prevent animals from getting to foods and chemicals that can cause them harm. 2. Store Items High Keep medications, cleaners and other chemicals on high shelves, so if the childproof latches don’t keep your pets out they still won’t be able to get the dangerous stuff.< 3. Cover the Garbage Keep garbage cans covered, and, if possible, store them in a cabinet, closet or outdoors. Garbage cans are usually filled with a collection of old food, dangerous chemicals, and small indigestible pieces of trash that can all be harmful to your animals. 4. Use Blockades Animals can get trapped behind large units and overheat. To prevent this, put up blockades so they can’t get behind appliances like washing machines, dryers, refrigerators or air conditioning units. 5. Keep Food Out of Reach Make sure food is out of reach or behind a closed door. Different food causes problems for dogs and cats, and the wrapper could also present a choking hazard. It is best if you keep all food where they cannot get to it. 6. Close the Toilet Lid Keep the toilet lid down to prevent small animals from drowning. Allowing your pets the opportunity to drink out of the bowl is dangerous too, as it exposes them to all sorts of harmful chemicals. 7. Avoid Dangling Wires Try to eliminate dangling wires from lamps, gaming systems, TVs, stereos or anything of the sort. Your animals might get hurt if they chew on any wires. 8. Hide Breakable or Chewable Items Be wary of placing knick-knacks, picture frames, vases or other dangerous items on low shelves where your cat or dog can get at them. Smaller or breakable items should be kept higher than your pet can get to. 9. Dangerous House Plants Be aware of plants that may be a danger to your animal, and try to avoid bringing them into the house. Common houseplants that are actually dangerous for your animals to ingest are Lilies, Azaleas, Oleander, Tulips, Yew, Chrysanthemum and English Ivy, and there are many more. Be sure to research if your houseplants are hazards to your beloved animals. 10. Strings and Threads Make sure all thread and string is safely put away. Sewing rooms in general can be very dangerous for pets. It is easy for a cat to choke on some thread while playing with it. Needles also pose a real danger to animals. 11. Laundry and Shoes Keep your laundry and shoes in closets or proper bins, so your pets can’t eat them. Not only can pets ruin your clothes for you, but small pieces like buttons and zippers can be choking hazards. 12. Closet and Cupboard Traps Be careful not to close your cat or dog in closets, cupboards or drawers. You don’t want to trap them without food and water! Make sure all cabinets are clear of animals before you shut the doors. 13. Rugs and Claws Pick rugs that resist stains, such as indoor-outdoor rugs, as well as ones that do not have high loops. Cats in particular can get hooked by their claws and hurt themselves. Not only do you have to make sure that your home is pet-proof, but you also have to know what you should be letting your dog and cat do. Positively or negatively reinforcing your pets’ behavior can protect your belongings as well as your own health and safety. Here are a few ways you can entertain your furry friend so they chew or scratch on what they’re supposed to: 14. Healthy Chew Toys Make sure dogs, especially puppies, have a few things that they can chew on. These could be durable toys, hooves, snouts or some other dog-friendly chewing snack. It is important to remember that some of these items may pose a choking hazard, such as some rope toys, so make sure to do research before you leave your pet with them. 15. Scratch Pads Give your cats something they can scratch. You may have noticed some new marks on your couch, trim or even carpet. Try setting up scratching posts in the areas that you frequent. 16. Nail Caps Eliminate the sting of a cat’s nails. You can use claw caps to lessen the damage a cat can do to your furniture and favorite clothing. The caps are attached with a little bit of cat-friendly nail glue, they still allow the cat to retract their nails and they fall off naturally. Your pets are a part of the family, and you want to make sure that they stay safe, happy and healthy. By following these tips and keeping a watchful eye on your animals, you can be sure that they are safe. Keeping Your Home Clean Every homeowner wants a clean home. Part of making your home truly pet-friendly is finding a way to keep it clean even with dogs and/or cats running around. These tips will help you keep a clean home while also keeping your favorite furry companions safe: 17. Hide Pet Hair Pick rugs, bedding, blankets, pillows and other décor pieces that won’t show hair. That means if you have a black dog, think about using darker colors in your decorating. If you have a white cat, consider going with lighter colors. 18. Accident Cleaner Be prepared for accidents. Especially if you have young pets, accidents happen. Make sure to have a cleaner that will clean and disinfect animal waste and other messes. 19. Closed Storage Use closed storage. Closed storage means your little puppy can’t pull things off the shelf, which keeps them safer and your home cleaner. 20. Regular Grooming Regular grooming can help lessen the amount of pet hair around the house. 21. Proper Vacuum Cleaner Get a vacuum that has a high efficiency particulate air filter. This will be better at picking up pet hair. 22. Lint Remover Have plenty of lint removers on hand to remove hair from your clothes before you go out. 23. Dirty Paws Wipe off your pet’s paws before you let them in the house. This will eliminate little dog paw prints in your kitchen, and help keep the home cleaner. 24. Food Bowl Keep a plastic place mat under your pet’s dishes to make cleaning spilled food easier. If you keep the food bowls slightly elevated you can avoid having ants or other unwelcome critters from getting into the food. Keeping your home clean is all about being prepared. You have to have a good vacuum, plenty of lint removers and carpet cleaners ready for when those accidents happen. Keeping a Good Environment You want your pets to feel at home in your house. You want them to stay healthy so you can enjoy many years of snuggling with your cat on the couch or playing fetch with your dog in the yard. Following these tips will help you keep a safe and clean home. It is very important to familiarize yourself with what is dangerous for your cat or dog so you know when you have to get them to the vet and when you can just clean up the mess that was made. When in doubt, you should have your pet checked out by a professional. Knowing how to make your home pet-friendly is one way that you can make sure that your pets stay healthy. Remember, you are making your home pet-friendly because they are animals. That means that not only do they need you to keep the bad things out of reach, but they need you to give them good things to distract and entertain them too. Give your dogs something safe to chew on and your cats something okay to scratch. Finally, remember a safe environment is also a clean environment. Follow the cleaning tips to help keep your home clean. By following these easy steps, you too can have a pet-safe, clean home.
