Persian Safety - Watch Out For These Common Household Dangers

If you own a Persian, this is a sure sign that you are a cat lover. If you keep your Persian indoors, this is a further sign that you genuinely do care about the overall health and well-being of your Persian. However, have you taken the necessary precautions to protect your beloved Persian from the dangers in your household?

Ideally, you will start by child-proofing your home. You do this with the understanding that if it isn’t safe for a toddler, it isn’t safe for your Persian. With that said, however, there are many other dangers that you need to be aware of. Many innocent looking things can be life threatening for cats.

Overall, plants are a particular danger – especially to indoor cats. Because they do not have the opportunity to nibble on plants and grasses that are good for them, they will nibble on just about any houseplant that you have, and numerous houseplants will make them sick…some are even fatal. When you get a houseplant, make sure that it isn’t poisonous for cats.

Aluminum foil, cling wrap, and tinsel are all dangerous. These things can be ingested and cause the cat to smother. Tinsel also offers a strangulation danger, as well as a choking danger. For the same reason, you should keep dental floss, sewing thread, and string out of your Persians reach as well, and this includes yarn, which cats seem to adore.

Electrical cords not only present a strangulation danger, but the danger of electrocution as well should the cat chew through the cord. Curtain cords present a strangulation danger as well.

Cats love bags, and your Persian will be no exception. However, bags with handles and plastic bags do present a danger, and these types of bags should be disposed of. Cats also love twist ties for some reason, and these are small enough to choke on.

Be careful with all medications. Cats don’t have opposable thumbs, but they may still manage to get a bottle open – although it would be difficult. The main danger is pill boxes and bottles that are not properly closed. Cats are curious, and it may smell tasty to him. Also, take your garbage out of the cats reach daily. They will not be above rummaging through the garbage in search of some tasty ‘left-overs’ and this includes any medication that you may have tossed as well as food that has spoiled.

Many of your appliances offer danger. Unplug small appliances, such as mixers, and use caution when operating the stove. The cat can’t check to see if the stove is hot before he jumps up on it. The washing machine and dryer should always be closed so that the cat can’t get in, and piles of laundry should be shaken out before being tossed into the washer, as small kittens love to hide in clothing to nap.