**CAT HAZARDS** The BBHQ List of The Top Ten Dangers Around The Home For Cats

  Happy Purrsday supurr pals

Welcome to Cat Hazards ~ The Art of Keeping Your Cat Safer ~ Series at BBHQ 

Today we are sharing Part Six of our helpful series. 

If mew're new to being cat staff, then maybe there are a few things mew haven't thought about, and we're here to point mew in the right direction and share tips that we've garnered over 25+ years. And for those seasoned and veteran cat staff, do feel free to add more suggestions and tips in the comments, as all cat hacks are welcome.

 

The Top Ten Dangers Around The Home For Cats

As a cat pawrent, it is your responsibility to provide a safe and secure environment for your feline companion in your home. Unfortunately, there are various hidden hazards lurking around the house that mew may not even be aware of. Therefore, in this blog post, we will delve into the top ten dangers around the home for cats, so mew can keep your furry furiend out of harm's way.

Links lead to more detailed information in previous posts.

1. Toxic Plants: It is worth noting that many common household plants, including lilies, poinsettias, and azaleas, can be highly toxic to cats if ingested. Therefore, it is necessary to keep these plants out of your cat's reach or opt for cat-friendly houseplants instead (See link at bottom of post for more details). Also, be very careful with cut flowers too.

2. Chemicals: Household cleaners, pesticides, and other chemicals can pose a considerable health risk to your cat if ingested or inhaled. For this reason, it is critical to store these items securely and keep your cat away from areas where they are being used. Also, the use of air fresheners and candles are not recommended.

3. Electrical Cords: Cats love to play with strings and cords, but electrical cords can be a severe risk of electrocution if chewed on. To avoid this, keep cords out of your cat's reach or cover them with cord protectors.

4. Open Windows: Although cats enjoy looking out of open windows, they can also be hazardous if your cat falls or jumps out. Therefore, it is advisable to install screens, or open only a small amount, make sure it's secure so little paws can't open it further, or even keep windows closed to prevent accidents, certainly on upper floors.

5. Small Objects: Small objects such as rubber bands, hair ties, small toys etc... can be easily swallowed by cats and cause blockages in their digestive system. To prevent this, it is vital to keep these items out of your cat's reach at all times.

6. Human Medications: Many human medications can be toxic to cats, and it is essential to keep all medications out of reach. It is advisable to consult your veterinarian before giving your cat any medication.

7. Human Food: It is important to note that many common human foods, including chocolate, onions, and garlic, can be toxic to cats. Therefore, it is imperative to keep these foods out of your cat's reach and avoid feeding them table scraps.

8. Plastic Bags: Cats enjoy playing with plastic bags, but they can be a suffocation hazard if your cat gets trapped inside. To prevent this, it is best to keep bags out of your cat's reach or dispose of them properly.

9. Toilet Bowls: It is worth noting that open toilet bowls can be a drowning hazard for cats, especially curious kittens. It is always advisable to keep the lid closed or install a toilet seat lock.

10. Hot Surfaces: Although cats love to curl up in warm areas, they can get burned if they lay on hot surfaces such as stovetops or heaters. To prevent this, it is advisable to keep these areas off-limits or supervise your cat when they are in these areas.

By being aware of these common dangers around the home, mew can help ensure that your cat stays safe and healthy. As always, if mew suspect your cat has ingested something toxic or is experiencing any symptoms of illness, please contact your veterinarian immediately.

It doesn't take long to make your home a safe place, and mew'd do it for a baby/toddler/child, so do it for your cat too, and our K9 buddies of course!

If mew're looking for plants which are ok to have in your home check out: 

Top 12 Common Cut Flowers 'Safe' To Have Near Cats 

And if mew're looking for more advice on being a cat pawrent, check out our Top Tips for Cat Pawrents page too.

Thanks for joining us today, and we hope mew like our Cat Hazards series. We'll be back on the morrow with some more Friday Fluffers, so do join us for a few laughs.

Until then...

Wing Commander Basil & The B Team

Disclaimer: We are not vets, animal medical professionals, animal doctors or have any formal qualifications in animal health. If mew are worried or concerned about anything at all, purrlease take your feline furiend to your purrsonal veterinarian or other health care provider and seek expert advice and assistance immediately.

See more content, including fun photos and videos Featuring The B Team 

on Instacat, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook

and

Don't furget to subscribe to our blog and never miss another post 

Graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com 

**NEW** Cat Hazards ~ Part 6 ~ The Art of Keeping Your Cat Safer ~ Top 12 Common Indoor Plants 'Safe' To Have Near Cats **Free Printable List with Pictures**

  Happy Monday supurr pals

Today we're sharing Part Six of our Cat Hazards series, and if mew missed the last post click here to catch up on the free A4 printable of 'safe' cut flowers to have near cats.

If mew're new to being cat staff, then maybe there are a few things mew haven't thought about, and we're here to point mew in the right direction and share tips that we've garnered over 25+ years. And for those seasoned and veteran cat staff, do feel free to add more suggestions in the comments, as all tips and cat hacks are welcome. 

Let's Talk About House Plants - AGAIN!

In our second Cat Hazards post, we talked about house plants which are highly toxic to cats and should be avoided at all costs ~ There is a free A4 Printable available on the post for mew.

Today we're sharing a list of the Top 12 Indoor Plants which are deemed **safe to have near your kitties.

Top 12 Common Indoor Plants Safe To Have Near Cats

And here's a free A4 printable so mew can have a visual reference of what's ok to have near Fluffy.

right-click the graphic to print it off and stick on your fridge or noticeboard

**Just remember that nothing is truly safe, especially if ingested in larger quantities. And mew really don't want Fluffy drinking any water that is sitting in a plant saucer.

Ideally, we would advise mew to position your plants in areas inaccessible to fluffy, as mew can never be too careful. 

We have several spider plants at BBHQ, which are in an accessible place for a nibble alongside our homegrown cat grass, and if mew'd like to grow your own cat grass and other greens see the links below. 

The B Team have never shown any adverse effects from nibbling on our spider plants, however all cats are not the same, as all humans are not the same.

If mew are bringing in a new plant from the 'safe' list we would recommend monitoring things closely for a few weeks, just in case your kitty is not compatible with it.

There are more 'safe' plants which mew can have in your home and if mew'd like another list, drop us a comment, and we'll extend this information further.

>^.^<

Check out our definitive guides to growing greens for your cat

If mew can't grow your own cat grass for whatever reason, take a look at our review of My Cat Grass mail order company, click the link. (This isn't an affiliate link)

Or check out our definitive guides for growing greens for your cat:

How To Grow Cat Grass

Epically Funky Grass Pots

The Complete Guide To Catnip

If mew need any further info on growing your own plants or have queries on anything else in today's post, let us know in the comments as we answer all our readers' questions on our Wednesday posts, The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up.

>^.^<

What To Do If Your Kitty Ingests or Licks Something That Might be Poisonous or Toxic

If mew think that Fluffy may have ingested something that he or she shouldn't have, call your emergency vet immediately.

Or call the Animal Poisonline run by the PDSA on 01202 509000 - calls cost £30 payable at the time of the call. 

If mew are in the USA, mew can call Pet Poison Helpline on 855-764-7661 - they have a $75 charge payable at the time of the call.

Our advice, check online for your country and keep the number handy, whether that's stored in your phone or on the fridge, or where mew keep your emergency numbers.

The above prices are correct at the time of posting - September 2022 

Please note: these are not affiliate links, and we are in no way linked to either organisation in any capacity.

It doesn't take long to make your home a safe place, and mew'd do it for a baby/toddler/child, so do it for your cat too, and our K9 buddies, of course!

If in doubt, don't do it! 

We'll be back in a couple of weeks with some more top tips, and if mew missed any of our previous Cat Hazards posts, stop by our Top Tips for Pawents page, and mew'll find oodles of useful stuff and pointers to help mew safely navigate pet pawrenthood.

Until next time...

Wing Commander Basil & The B Team

Disclaimer: We are not vets, animal medical professionals, animal doctors or have any formal qualifications in animal health. If mew are worried or concerned about anything at all, purrlease take your feline furiend to your purrsonal veterinarian or other health care provider and seek expert advice and assistance immediately.

The safe indoor plant list is subject to change pending new information and data on the aforementioned plants, but at the time of publishing was correct according to our resources.

Graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com   

**NEW** Cat Hazards ~ Part 5 ~ The Art of Keeping Your Cat Safer ~ Top 12 Common Cut Flowers 'Safe' To Have Near Cats **Free Printable List with Pictures**

  Happy Monday supurr pals

Today we're sharing  Part Five of our Cat Hazards series, and if mew missed our last post, click here to catch up on a re-run of our Cat Hazards posts sharing the dangers of air fresheners and candles.

If mew're new to being cat staff, then maybe there are a few things mew haven't thought about, and we're here to point mew in the right direction and share tips that we've garnered over 25+ years. And for those seasoned and veteran cat staff, do feel free to add more suggestions and tips in the comments, as all cat hacks are welcome. 

Let's Talk About Cut Flowers or Bouquets

Recently, we re-ran our free A4 printable list of cut flowers that are toxic to cats which are really best avoided at all costs, and unfortunately they are among some of the most readily available flowers to buy.

So if mew really love your cut flowers, what can mew have?

We did a bit of research and floated around the interwebs a little while we gathered information on today's list of:

The Top 12 Common Cut Flowers Safe** To Have Near Cats

And here's a free A4 printable so mew can have a visual reference of what is ok to have near Fluffy.

right-click the graphic to print it off and stick on your fridge or noticeboard

There are quite a few more safe** flowers and if mew'd like another list, drop us a comment, and we'll extend this information further.

But don't forget:

**EVEN SAFE FLOWERS CAN BE HARMFUL

Always make sure that Fluffy can't knock the vase over, or drink the water.

And we would always recommend keeping any cut flowers, even those on the safe list in a place where your cat can't have access to them.

At BBHQ we just don't have any cut flowers in the house, we have house plants but never any flowers.

If your kitty is looking or trying to eat the flowers or any foliage, this indicates to us that your cat is probably looking for cat grass to assist with a possible furball removal, or digestive issue and we would recommend that mew always have fresh cat grass available, especially for indoor-only cats. 

The B Team always have fresh greens available, and if mew can't grow your own, there are many places that supply ready-grown cat grass by mail order, or check at your local florists or garden centre as we've noticed there are several places around us which have recently started selling ready-grown cat grass, and catnip plants.

If mew want to check out a review of My Cat Grass mail order company, click the link.

Or check out our definitive guides for growing greens for your cat:

How To Grow Cat Grass

Epically Funky Grass Pots

The Complete Guide To Catnip

If mew need any further info on growing your own plants or have queries on anything else in today's post, let us know in the comments as we answer all our readers' questions on our Wednesday posts, The BBHQ Midweek News Round-Up.

What To Do If Your Kitty Ingests or Licks Something That Might be Poisonous or Toxic

If mew think that Fluffy may have ingested something that he or she shouldn't have, call your emergency vet immediately.

Or call the Animal Poisonline run by the PDSA on 01202 509000 - calls cost £30 payable at the time of the call. 

If mew are in the USA, mew can call Pet Poison Helpline on 855-764-7661 - they have a $75 charge payable at the time of the call.

Our advice, check online for your country and keep the number handy, whether that's stored in your phone or on the fridge, or where mew keep your emergency numbers.

The above prices are correct at the time of posting - August 2022 

Please note: these are not affiliate links, and we are in no way linked to either organisation in any capacity.

It doesn't take long to make your home a safe place, and mew'd do it for a baby/toddler/child, so do it for your cat too, and our K9 buddies, of course!

If in doubt, don't do it! 

Next time in this series we'll cover the Top 12 Safe House Plants For Cats, and if mew missed any of our previous Cat Hazards posts, stop by our Top Tips for Pawents page, and mew'll find oodles of useful info and pointers to help mew safely navigate pet pawrenthood.

Until next time...

Wing Commander Basil & The B Team

Disclaimer: We are not vets, animal medical professionals, animal doctors or have any formal qualifications in animal health. If mew are worried or concerned about anything at all, purrlease take your feline furiend to your purrsonal veterinarian or other health care provider and seek expert advice and assistance immediately.

The safe flower list is subject to change pending new information and data on the aforementioned flowers, but at the time of publishing was correct according to our resources.

Graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com  

Cat Hazards **RERUN** ~ The Art of Keeping Your Cat Safer ~ The Dangers of Candles and Spray Air Fresheners to Cats

  Happy Monday supurr pals

Today we're sharing a rerun of Part Four of our Cat Hazards series, and if mew missed last week's post click here to catch up on a re-run of one of our Cat Hazards posts and get a free printable of 12 Cut Flowers Toxic to Cats.

If mew're new to being cat staff, then maybe there are a few things mew haven't thought about, and we're here to point mew in the right direction and share tips that we've garnered over 25+ years. And for those seasoned and veteran cat staff, do feel free to add more suggestions in the comments, as all tips and cat hacks are welcome. 

Let's Talk About Candles and Spray Air Fresheners

Who doesn't love the atmosphere of a real candle, and today there are so many delightful ones to choose from.

There are the supurr posh, mega-expensive, top-end designer fragranced candles in chic glass jars with shiny metal lids, all the way through to a simple scented votive available for your aroma-infused whims.

And while these are lovely to burn in the home, they can pose a potential threat to Fluffy. A swishing tail near a naked flame is not a good idea, or a curious nose inspecting the flame sends shivers down our spines and visions of singed whiskers, or just a simple fly-by where a burning candle is, could lead to it being knocked over and the cause of a house fire. 

And while mew may think it's safe to burn votives in glass jars, we did have an incident about 16 years ago here at BBHQ - pre-blog- when Basil chased Humphrey over the mantelpiece and knocked two glass jars with burning votives in, and they smashed all over the hearth, so not only was there hot wax everywhere, there was broken glass too. Luckily no one was injured, but it could have been a total disaster. 

The dangers of a lit candle in the company of cats need a serious risk assessment, and we learnt at BBHQ that it's just not worth the risk. Ultimately, it's your decision, though we do hope that extreme care is taken if mew do burn real candles.

Moving on to the cans and bottles of spray air fresheners, and the ones that can be sprayed on furniture too. Purrlease check the label to make sure they are cat/pet friendly, and don't ever let your cat walk or sit anywhere where the spray is still wet or damp as the chemicals could potentially be quite harmful.

Only recently, we read that a poor kitty climbed on a sofa which had just been cleaned with a well-known disinfectant spray. Needless to say, the kitty was at the vets with chemical poisoning.

Even the so-called natural spray alternatives need to be approached with the same care; just because it's natural doesn't mean that it's safe for cats. As we said earlier, always check the label and if in doubt, don't buy it. There are many different ways to bring fragrance into the home without your kitty being near chemicals and burning candles.

Let's Talk Alternatives to Real Candles and Spray Air Fresheners

Today there are lots of alternative ways to bring fragrance and/or ambience into the home, and we know that everyone is different and likes what they like, but here are a few suggestions:

 

Plugin fragrance diffusers/humidifiers

Plugin air freshener

Electric wax melts

Battery wax melts

Battery candles/votives 

Oil Lamps

Incense 

Reed diffusers

At BBHQ we use a plugin diffuser in the kitchen - see pic bottom left - and use a couple of drops of neroli or orange essential oil in the water; not only does it smell nice it also humidifies the air and stops it from being too dry. We also have battery candles which look very good, although obviously there is no fragrance from them.

We also have several Ashleigh and Burwood Fragrance Lamps located around the house, so if we need a blast of purrfume, say after a particularly stinky litter box visit and an open window hasn't helped, this is the P.A.'s go-to method.

Here's how to use one of these lamps if mew've never tried one before:

Remove stone/wick assembly and fill with your chosen fragrance oil 2/3rds full, replace small snuffer-cap and leave for about 30 minutes or so, as the fragrance oil saturates the internal wick and stone. Remove snuffer cap and light stone; it should flame straight away. If not, then it needs more time and mew should replace the snuffer cap and wait. Anyhoo once lit, yes we know it's a naked flame, but we're sure mew can stay with it for 2 to 3 minutes while the stone heats up. Blow out the flame and place the decorative larger crown cap over the stone and let whatever gorgeous fragrance mew have chosen fill your home for around 30 minutes or so.

Remove the crown cap, although be careful as it might be a little warm/hot to the touch. Replace the snuffer cap, which will stop the oil from evaporating, so mew can have many more aroma sessions as and when mew like.

There are many different fragrances too, and the P.A. just bought one especially for cold and flu, so it has more of a menthol smell.

As long as mew don't leave the lit lamp alone while the stone is heating up, we think this is a great way to fragrance the home.

The plugin and battery wax melts are also nice, although there is the issue of hot wax to consider.

Reed diffusers are also an option, although to be honest we've always been disappointed with this method and find them very overrated and expensive with very little purrfume payoff, plus if they get knocked over this could also be a chemical hazard.

The actual wall socket plugin air fresheners are ok too, but if left switched on can become rather intense, and some of the scents can be very overpowering and cloying for sensitive noses.

Incense is another option, although it can be smoky and some fragrances are rather not very pleasant.

Next time mew reach for that can of air freshener or smelly candle, consider some of the alternatives.

What To Do If Your Kitty Ingests or Licks Something That Might be Poisonous or Toxic

If mew think that Fluffy may have ingested something that he or she shouldn't have, call your emergency vet immediately.

Or call the Animal Poisonline run by the PDSA on 01202 509000 - calls cost £30 payable at the time of the call. 

If mew are in the USA, mew can call Pet Poison Helpline on 855-764-7661 - they have a $75 charge payable at the time of the call.

Our advice, check online for your country and keep the number handy, whether that's stored in your phone or on the fridge, or where mew keep your emergency numbers.

Please note: these are not affiliate links, and we are in no way linked to either organisation in any capacity.

(Prices accurate at the time of posting - August 2022)

It doesn't take long to make your home a safe place, and mew'd do it for a baby/toddler/child, so do it for your cat too, and our K9 buddies, of course!

Next time on this new series we'll cover the Top 12 Safe Flowers For Cats, and if mew missed any of our previous Cat Hazards posts, stop by our Top Tips for Pawents page, and mew'll find oodles of useful stuff and pointers to help mew safely navigate pet pawrenthood.

Until next time...

Wing Commander Basil & The B Team

Disclaimer: We are not vets, animal medical professionals, animal doctors or have any formal qualifications in animal health. If mew are worried or concerned about anything at all, purrlease take your feline furiend to your purrsonal veterinarian or other health care provider and seek expert advice and assistance immediately.

Graphics created with paid licence www.canva.com