RIs cat-proofing a house possible? This is not easy, given the hunter nature in the soul of domestic felines. We can’t stop them from scratching their claws, jumping onto the top floors of our furniture, shedding hair on curtains and sofas. But there are some precautions that allow the most well-kept of apartments to survive even the wildest and liveliest cat.
5 tips to protect your home from the cat, and vice versa
It should be noted that the small accidents that cats cause are not always a symptom of their liveliness. Rather, they can represent a state of discomfort and intolerance. Based on a survey conducted by Edgard & Cooper between August and September 2023 over 47% of Italian pet parents declare that their cat shows stress through restless and agitated behavior.
Here are the petfood company’s 5 tips for making money protect the apartment from the cat, and vice versa. Ensuring maximum well-being for him too is in fact the best way to reduce domestic accidents.
How to protect furniture and furnishings from scratches
Cats love to scratch surfaces: it’s a way to mark their territory and keep their nails sharp. To save sofas and curtains you can use fabric or corrugated cardboard protections. Or you can put them on citrus peels, or natural citrus essences, near the furnishings to be protected. In fact, cats don’t like the scent and tend to move away.
But scratching furniture can be a symptom of a lack of stimulation or stress. To make the environment stimulating and comfortable for him, simply make it available to himand trees, mats and scratching towers, so that he can let off steam in total freedom.
How to prevent your house from filling up with hair
Cats shed all year round but never like in spring and autumn. In these periods a particular natural process starts which allows them to better regulate their body temperature in view of the hot and cold seasons. To prevent the house from filling up with hair, it’s a good idea brush your cat regularly with a brush suitable for his hair type. And always have it at hand an adhesive roller — which can also be passed on furniture and sofas — so as to avoid carrying the fur from one room to another.
But a cat that loses hair may be a stressed cat (over 8% of Italian pet parents notice an accentuated hair loss in case of physical and mental illness of the animal). It is therefore important to encourage him to drink, keeping his hydration level high, and fill his bowl with foods rich in Omega 3 and Omega 6, such as salmon, which are essential for the health of his skin and coat.
How to save plants from cats
It is impossible to think that cats’ curiosity can spare plants. To protect the animal’s health it is therefore a good idea to choose pet friendly variety. Like orchids, “spider plants”, roses or kentia. It is better to avoid poisonous or toxic ones, such as aloe, ivy, anthurium or sanseveria.
In some cases, to prevent the cat from approaching the pots, it is possible to use natural citrus essences. Or some aluminum foil: many cats, in fact, do not like the reflections created by the light on these surfaces.
To satisfy the curiosity of your four-legged friend you can instead prepare a pot of catnip: perfect as an ornamental plant and adored by small cats; ideal for offering a new stimulus and diversion that is totally pet friendly.
How to prevent your cat from littering around the house
A cat that does its business around the house is often an uncomfortable animal. To avoid bad smells or unpleasant surprises, it is first of all important that the litter box is positioned and maintained correctly. In fact, it must be cleaned regularly and placed in a quiet environment away from noisy appliances (over 52% of Italian owners say that loud noises cause anxiety and stress in their cats). So the cat can always feel comfortable and safe at any time of the day.
At the same time, it should be at least one and a half meters away from water and food bowls, as well as from the doghouse. The bathroom can therefore be a good solution, but not if there is a washing machine.
It is also important to take into consideration the proportion of “number of cats+1”: if there is a feline in the house, the ideal is to prepare 2 litter boxes and 2 bowls for drinking and eating, so that the pet can choose which one to use depending on the needs of the moment.
How to protect the house and the cat from… curiosity
The most obvious advice is to keep the most fragile items safe inside furniture or closed cupboards, such as vases, ornaments or perfume or medicine bottles. Also because they risk being a danger to the animals themselves, who could get hurt or ingest any toxic substances. You have to lend Also pay attention to the electrical cables: it is better to protect them with special cable glands or hide them behind furniture, so that they are not nibbled and ruined, creating short circuits or endangering the pet.
For the cat’s health it is also important not to leave it lying around the house small objects that could be swallowed, such as rubber bands, paper clips or tacks. Banal? But it’s better to think about it.
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