A safe home for a short-legged cat

See your home through your cat's eyes

The easiest way to find hazards is to get down on your hands and knees, look around the room from a kitten's height, and then look up. Gaps behind appliances, cables under the desk, a thread under the sofa — you won't see any of it from human height, but to a curious munchkin these are the most interesting spots in the house.

We've already covered the basic shopping list for a new kitten in “How to prepare your home for a kitten”. This article is about safety and comfort for a cat with short legs.

Steps instead of high jumps

Munchkins do jump, just not as high as longer-legged cats. Yet like all cats, they love high places with a view of everything around them, because that's where they feel safe. Help them get up there without risk:

• put steps, ottomans or a gentle ramp next to the sofa, the bed and the windowsill;
• choose cat trees with low levels and wide platforms;
• make sure everything is stable and doesn't wobble under your cat;
• on slippery floors, put a rug where your cat usually jumps down.

Remember the way back down: if your cat can climb up somewhere, it needs an equally safe way to get down.

Windows and balconies

An open window is one of the most serious dangers for a cat of any age. Protect windows with sturdy cat-proof screens — an ordinary mosquito net isn't designed for that. Enclose the balcony with netting or don't let your cat out there unsupervised. Tilt-open windows are a trap of their own: a cat may try to squeeze through the narrow gap and get stuck. Special protective inserts are available for these windows.

Appliances and furniture

• Before every wash or dryer cycle, check that your cat hasn't climbed inside, and keep the doors shut.
• Before closing the fridge or a cupboard, make sure nobody is inside.
• Block gaps behind appliances and furniture where a kitten could crawl in and get stuck.
• Check the mechanisms of sofa beds and recliners before folding them.
• Cover the hob after cooking, and don't leave an iron unattended on the ironing board, which tips over easily.

Cables, threads and small things

Kittens love chewing cables and playing with anything that dangles. So:

• tidy cables into cable covers or organizers;
• tie up or shorten cords on blinds and curtains;
• put away thread, needles, hair ties, ribbons and tinsel — a swallowed thread can be very dangerous;
• keep small, swallowable objects in closed drawers, especially if your munchkin likes to carry little things off to its hiding spots.

Plants and chemicals

Before buying a houseplant or a bouquet, check whether it's safe for cats. Lilies are especially dangerous: every part of the plant is toxic to cats — flowers, leaves, stem, pollen and even the water in the vase. "Pollen-free" lilies aren't safe either. If your cat may have come into contact with a lily, treat it as an emergency and call your vet immediately.

Also keep these well out of reach:

• household chemicals, laundry pods and concentrated detergents;
• disinfectants, some of which are toxic to cats;
• all medicines, both human and veterinary;
• antifreeze and other car fluids.

While your kitten is small, keep the toilet lid down and don't leave buckets of water around.

Holidays and home renovation

Holidays and renovation work change your home, and the risks change with it. Secure the Christmas tree so your cat can't pull it over, hang glass ornaments higher up or swap them for shatterproof ones, and skip the tinsel altogether. Check festive bouquets for lilies, and keep holly and mistletoe away from your cat. During renovation work, shut your cat in a quiet room: open doors, building dust, paint and solvents are no place for cat paws.

Cozy hideaways and a place of its own

Safety is also about feeling secure. Cats need places to escape the bustle: a cat house, a box, a shelf in a wardrobe, a bed under your own bed. Put the litter tray, food and water bowls and bed in separate, quiet spots. And for a munchkin, choose a litter tray with a low entrance.

The takeaway

A safe home for a munchkin means screens on the windows, cables and small objects tidied away, no lilies or chemicals within reach, plus steps up to favorite spots and quiet places to hide. Every few months, take another look around: your kitten is growing, and what was out of reach yesterday will be tomorrow's goal.