Kitten-proofing the house....what do I do?

Holy cow I have a kitten coming home with me in THREE WEEKS. I am panicking and trying to figure out what to do. I really felt SO confident before because I've grown up with cats but now I realize I've never really had to kitten proof a house. D:

When I was younger, my family's kittens managed to climb into an open vent and get halfway to the basement. Another one climbed in the back of the washing machine and got so tight up into the machinery of it that you could see his fur puffing out of the sides when you opened the top. Now all of these episodes ended well with no injuries but I am now terrified of what sort of dangers lurk in my apartment.

Can anyone recommend things I can do to make my house a safe play area for my kitten?

Here is the latest picture from his kitty mommie! I can't wait for him to come home with me.



Thank you all in advance for your advice!

Such a cute kitty! And I hope the new kitty gets home and settles well, I am in the same position as you, expecting a kitty very soon (my first ever!) and Pami gave me this really useful link not to long ago! I am still reading through it, but it really does have some nice hints for house-proofing, which I going to embark on soon too!

http://www.felinexpress.com/kitten-c...tten-proof.asp

Passing on the knowledge with super thanks to Pami

Oh thank you Pai! Congrats on your kitten too, (pictures?) it's such an exciting feeling. <3

I can't wait to get home tonight and read that site, it seems to have a lot of good info. I'll keep an eye out for your posts about your kitten!

Thanks again

This is one of the boys (we think) from the litter, all the kitties look very similar, so I should be expecting a fluff ball just like this. Mummy cat is a Birman, so the kitties should be small and fluffy, but black due to them being cross-breeds

Oh what a muffin! I love his cute tiny white toes. I have a thing for kitten paws! When do you get to take him home? 7 weeks?

Ahhhh gorgeous, the wait is agonising isn't it?

There are loads of things to consider (more will make themselves obvious when you first follow your kitten around as it explores because it would be impossible to think of every possible situation), but some of the main ones are:

1) Houseplants and cut flowers. Although some houseplants are OK, many many more are fatally toxic to cats. I get around this by having no houseplants at all, it's a small price to pay for the safety of my boys. Lillies are particularly toxic to cats, and a look on google should bring up some good lists of plants that are toxic to cats.

2) Power cables. Kittens explore with their mouths and are very attracted to the rubbery coating on power cables, and can also get tangled in them. You can buy cable holders in DIY, electrical goods, and hardware shops. Here the ones that look a bit like vacuum cleaner hoses are inexpensive and readily available, you just feed the cables through them.

3) Things that can be knocked over. My heart still goes cold when I remember the time I heard a crash and saw a little white kitten paw sticking out from under a large picture frame that had been knocked over from where I had left propped against a wall. It took me about an hour to stop shaking and crying from the fright of it, Radar used up one of his 9 lives that day, and it was my fault for leaving it there. He was fine but it could have been so horrible. I also heard of someone who lost a siamese kitten when a propped up kitchen chopping block fell on it.

4) Small spaces. Make sure there is nowhere that a little kitten could squeeze into and get stuck. They do like hiding spaces, but make sure that the only ones he can use are the ones you provide! Check around where pipes enter the building as well as vents and behind furniture etc.

5) Always check washer/dryer/fridge/oven before closing the door.

6) Enjoy your new little bundle of fun!!! Keep him in one room while he's little unless you can supervise him. It's easier to kitten-proof one room at first, and let him out to explore when you can follow him around to make sure he's not getting into trouble. Kitchens are the most dangerous place in the house for all of us pets included, and the safest thing you can do is make sure they are shut out of the room while you are cooking

Oh that is great advice! I'm so glad to hear it. I'm going to have to lay on my back and check all my cabinets for those tiny spaces underneath them. (So many holes!) and my fridge has a playgound of darkness behind it perfect for kitties so thats gotta go too....

So much to think about, thank you for the advice Epona!