Making Your Home Safe for Your Pets

Do you have a dog or a cat that you absolutely love? Well, you are not alone. More people than you would imagine actually identify their pets as their best friends. It doesn’t matter if you don’t think of Twinkles as your best friend, you still want her to be safe at your home. Here are a couple of simple ideas that you can carry out to make your home safer and less injurious for your pets. 

1. Make sure your indoor plants are safe for pets. Plants like aloe vera, ivies and amaryllis are quite toxic for dogs. Lilies have also been shown to cause liver failure in kittens. If you are considering getting a newly potted plant, you might want to ask your vet if it’s safe for your pets before you decide to bring it home.
2. Keep all chemicals behind closed doors. It’s not uncommon to find all kinds of chemicals in the house – antifreeze, rodenticides, cleaning products, fertilizers, etc. Remember that pets are by nature rather curious creatures, so make sure all your chemicals are safely stored away behind a closed cupboard, far away from the reach of your pets.
3. Keep your trash cans tightly covered. And if it’s possible, keep them outside your home, and if that’s not possible, in a locked cabinet. The trash is usually full of discarded food, small pieces of trash and other waste products that you might not consider dangerous but may be very harmful to your pets.
4. Keep your toilet lids down. Small animals have been known to drown in the toilet or poisoned by drinking chemically contaminated water from there. 
5. Keep your windows properly shut. This is very important, especially if you live in a high rise. If you have to open your windows, you should install a sturdy and robust window screen. Don’t count on the window bars alone; cats can fit through them and dogs can easily open them.
6. Don’t leave food or drinks out in the open. Always try to keep food and other edibles out of the reach of your pets. What you may consider a gourmet dish may turn out to be toxic for Tiger. Grapes and raisins can lead to kidney failure in dogs. Caffeine and chocolate are also lethal too. Milk and dairy products can cause indigestion in animals too. For a more comprehensive list of dangerous foods for pets, see the ASPCA website.

When you’re shopping for a new home, make sure to tell your real estate about your pet needs, they can help you find the most pet-friendly properties.