Cats and Hidden Dangers In the Home

For kitties, the kitchen is a maze of land mines. Cats have been known to jump on searing hot stove elements and suffer severe burns.

• Never leave a hot stove unattended.
• Also, don't forget to give the oven and broiler a quick glance before you close the door.
• Never leave the oven door open any longer than is necessary to remove a baked item.
• Open both oven and broiler doors and inspect inside before you even turn on the oven.
• A quick once-over will protect both you and your cat against a family member's carelessness or a neighbor child's mischief.

The same approach is wise when operating the dishwasher. Cats have been known to sneak into the dishwasher and drown.

It seems no room in the house is immune from cat danger. Mary lost her kitten when it fell into the open commode and drowned. Keeping the toilet lid closed could also prevent a crushing blow to a cat curious about water. It is unwise to encourage your cat to drink from the toilet bowl. Besides the danger of drowning, there is also the possibility of bacterial infections from the water.

While some of the accidents with appliances are freak occurrences, a little precaution costs nothing and could ultimately save your cat's life.

Dusty Rainbolt is an award winning cat writer. In her spare time, Dusty writes product review for Catnip and Whole Cat journal so she can get cat bowls and other free stuff. She also co-authors a monthly column with Hobbes Egan for City & Country Pets.