Dangerous objects for the cat outside and inside the house: what they are

What are the most dangerous objects for our cat? We certainly have many at home and in the outdoor space too: let’s be careful!

Usually the cat always manages to get by in the most cramped situations, precisely because of his intelligence and ability to stay out of trouble. But it can happen that even the most astute of cats is dealing with dangerous objects for his health, which can sometimes turn into real weapons that undermine his safety. Let’s see what are the dangerous objects for the cat and, as far as possible, we make sure that the cat cannot get close to them.

Dangerous items for the cat

Do we think that our home is always the safest place of all the others? Well of course, compared to a busy road with cars going at full speed, the cat is safer. But even in the serenity of our four walls the cat could find himself dealing with objects that are very harmful to his health. And I’m things that can normally be found in any home, therefore we take extreme care to keep them out of the reach of our four-legged friend. Since, alas, there are so many dangers, we thought of first dividing those inside and outside of our home and dividing them into groups.

Dangerous items for the cat in the house

What we never expected could harm our kitty could actually be a real damage for his safety.

• Toys: if we have children in the house there will certainly be toys. Many of them are safe for young humans, but less so for our cats. We think of all those objects that move with the rope, cords and wires: they can be swallowed or the cat could be stuck inside them. They are also added to the list the smallest toys the size of a walnut: can be swallowed and suffocate him. We make sure that the cat does not find himself playing with them, without anyone watching him.
• Party decorations: do you have bows, balls or small reproductions of eggs that are used to decorate the house during the holidays? We also have to be careful of those because it could swallow them and suffocate (Read here: Cat and the dangers of Christmas and New Year: what you need to know). Not only could the whole tree or the composition drag itself on pulling them away, with the risk of causing physical damage and injuries, but many of them, being made of glass or thin plastic, can break and cause deep cuts.
• Cables and elastics: whether they are hair bands, or whether they are home appliance threads, they are all dangerous! The cat may get stuck in it and suffocate. Those smaller and easier to detach can also be swallowed and choked. As in the case of the Christmas tree, the cat could pull the entire appliance on the wire or gnaw it and take a shock when pulling the wire.
• Poisons: all the chemicals we use to keep insects and mice away from home can be ingested by the cat and cause it to become intoxicated or poisoned by the cat. The risk products also include: detergents, fertilizers, antifreeze products and disinfectants.
• Plants: care must be taken not to keep plants harmful to his health (including poinsettias) at home, or in any case place them in places that are not easily accessible to our cat.
• Plates, pans and microwave ovens: we never underestimate the cunning of a kitty that can even climb on the kitchen surface and get burned by boiling oil or fire or hot surfaces. If then we have a microwave that could be activated by closing the door, we make sure that the cat does not remain closed inside, since it could have very serious and irreparable damage not only to the skin but also to the internal organs.
• Balconies and windows: especially for folding windows, the danger is always that the cat may end up down. It is true that cats are said to have seven lives, but why test their fame? Moreover sudden falls from important heights they can, if not cause death, certainly cause injuries and fractures to the limbs or even internal organs. In the absence of gardens or green spaces, it is great that a cat has a balcony available but let’s make it safer with a dense mesh network, so that the cat does not pass through it.
• Washer or dryer. Better not to say: ‘It will never happen to me!’. Everyone can have a carelessness and not mind the load before starting a washing or drying. The cat, finding the door open, could slip inside the appliance and remain there until the end of the spin cycle, without anyone noticing anything.
• drugs: aspirin, tea tree oil and other essential oils can be poisonous to our cat (Read here: Human drugs dangerous to cats: the most common ones). They have the same toxic effect as the other products listed above.
• Various products: in addition to foodstuffs such as garlic, onion, coffee, tea and chocolate (Read here: The cat has eaten chocolate: the risks and remedies) the cat must also stay away from cigarettes since tobacco is toxic to them, due to the nicotine.

… and outside

Having an outdoor space for the cat is certainly good for our four-legged friend who can stretch his legs when he wants to and enjoy a beautiful sun. But be careful because even the most pleasant space can hide dangers, which can escape us at first sight. Here are what they are.

• Pool: if you have one of the large ones or even a small one of rubber, make sure that the cat does not drown you inside. Certainly most cats hate water (Read here: Why does the cat hate water? We dispel myths and legends about the bathroom) and be careful not to be in contact with it but you can never know.
• Pozzi: worse than swimming pools and spaces of water are in wells which, if not protected by nets with tight links, really risk being a deadly trap for the cat. The worst thing is that the owner could notice his fall in the well when it is too late and the cat, if he survived, will also have stopped meowing for help.
• Electrical networks: Electric fences can cause shock in the cat and the cat may get stuck in it. In short, if they do not die from electric shocks, they could be suffocated by the tightening of these cables, if not covered properly and made safe.
• Barbed wire: here the risk is that the cat gets really hurt because the tips can cause serious injuries. Another danger is represented by nets that serve to keep birds away, and which instead could be a deadly trap for felines.
• Lawnmower: it could happen that, during the mowing of the lawn, the cat could get stuck under the machine that cuts the green. Sometimes the cats are so small (and we are so distracted) that we don’t notice that they are right under the device.