Pet Proof Your Home

Keeping every member of your family safe around electricity is a priority and that includes the furry members of your family too. Many families take precautions to child-proof homes when a baby arrives, but why not pet-proof homes as well?  Pets are just as curious and can be even more playful than children. And kittens, especially, can somehow get into places we never could imagine they’d even try. So, we want our members to be mindful to pet-proof their homes too.

Here are some tips:

• Like young children, kittens, and puppies like to chew on anything they get in their mouth. Rabbits, hamsters, and other small pets with constantly growing teeth will also chew on such things as electrical cords. Make sure all loose electrical wires and cords are tucked out of sight behind appliances or confined to areas where pets cannot get to them.
   
• Dangling cords are an irresistible temptation for frisky felines, and, along with electrical issues, can be a choking hazard. Make sure they are tucked away or taped to a wall to prevent them from being pounced upon.
   
• Pet-proof your cords when they cannot be hidden. Pet-proof cords and covers can be found in pet stores. Or, try wrapping flexible safety cables, found at hardware or computer stores, around the cords. Simple PVC piping, found at hardware stores, can also be assembled in almost any configuration and used as a tube to run cables and cords through and around appliances and computers.
   
• Invest the time in training. You can train a dog to stop chewing the couch, you can train a cat to keep off the counters, and you can train your pet to stay away from wires.
   
• Check exposed cords, cables, and wiring frequently for fraying and replace them immediately.
   
• Do not let your pet nap behind electrical appliances such as a computer, dryer, TV, etc.
   
• Keep all electrical appliances away from kitchen sinks, bathtubs, and bathroom counters. Cats, especially, like to leap up and can knock radios, curling irons, flattening irons, clocks, or other items into the water, creating a dangerous situation for you and the pet.
   
• If you have an aquarium, make sure all electrical cords coming from the tank have drip loops which cause any water from the tank or condensation running down the cord to fall on the floor instead of running into the outlet.