In many ways it may be easier to baby proof your home than to cat proof it. After all, there are many products on the market to help parents keep their children safe. There are fewer places to go for assistance when trying to make your home safe for your cat.

Cats are great at getting into everything. Felines can often deftly open the doors on cupboards, so it can be a wise precaution to add child safety latches to the cupboards where household cleansers and other potentially toxic compounds are stored. This can also be helpful in the bathroom if your cat has a habit of playing in the toilet paper that is stored under a sink.

Plants are another area where cats can get into trouble. Many common household plants can be toxic to cats. Cats do love to chew on greenery so for the cat that loves to munch, consider getting some safe plants, like kitty grass or catnip for them. Keep potentially off the floor and out of the cat’s reach. Hanging pots make plants more difficult to get to but allow plant lovers to enjoy greenery. Before bringing any plant into the household, check to see if it is toxic if ingested. This can prevent unnecessary heartache later.

Check to be sure your screens are fastened securely. If a cat is leaning against a screen and the screen falls off, the cat could fall out the window. Cats are very agile and have excellent balance, but they can still fall if they weren’t expecting to have to balance. This is particularly true of windows on upper floors of homes of apartment complexes.

Check on your outlets and surge protectors. Some cat toys have wire on them. Cats also find the twisty ties that seal bread fascinating. If these items are played with around outlets or surge protectors, the metal parts of these items can cause a short. This can be harmful to the cat as well as the surge protector or anything plugged into the outlet!

Keep human foods covered. Cats love to check out things. Most human food is fairly safe for cats but some items, like chocolate can be harmful. Onions are another seemingly harmless item that can cause health problems for your cat. Don’t let your cat taste things indiscriminately. While the food may not cause life threatening symptoms, it can easily cause some uncomfortable and smelly side effects.

When we adopt a pet we are taking responsibility for their life. Make sure to keep your cat as safe as possible!

Bonnie Koenig lives with her three cats. She and her Siamese, Cheysuli, maintain their website My Siamese