Cat Safety Tips: How to Protect Your Furry Companion

Many of us have those 4-legged feline friends that love to hunt and no amount of domestication has changed their inherent desire to patrol their domain in the hunt for prey.  We have all seen the look of pure joy on our cat’s faces when they watch birds and small rodents from the window.  And because cats are naturally curious, they love to explore.  That is why some people allow their cats to spend considerable time outdoors.  The downside it that the outdoors has many dangers that can linger and it is our job as responsible owners to keep them safe.

While most experts would recommend that the best thing to do would be keeping them indoors, you can allow them to get some fresh air in a relative safe environment away from predators that would prey on your cat and making sure that they are protected when they go outside.

Some owners may try to leash train their cat.  This is one of the easiest means of monitoring where your cat goes because you get to go along for the walk.  Cat’s generally dislike harnesses, so they will need to be made accustom to using them first. This may entail having the harness on inside and provide positive reinforcement with treats.  Supervised outdoor time is a great way to bond with your cat and give her the mental stimulation that her wild instincts crave.

Whether you allow her to roam free or keep her as close as possible, it is important for the cat to either have a microchip or some other form of identification on your pet.  If you use a collar, a safety collar with an elastic panel will allow your pet to break free if it gets caught.

To allow cats to have the ability to go outside, some owners make a catio that keep predators out and their pet in.  This can serve as an outdoor playground within the vicinity of your home.  You can feel safe knowing where it is and that she is not running out into the street or being picked up by predator birds or other mammls.

If your cat goes outdoors, it is at risk to the diseases and parasites that the outdoor feral cats have.  So it is important to have your pet’s vaccines updated and kept on flea and tick control.

Your back yard can be dangerous to your pet if you have planted some toxic plants for landscaping.  Plants like lillies may look nice in your back yard, but they can be toxic to your pet.  It is important to make sure that anything potentially toxic and dangerous be picked up and secured.  I would also recommend not having mouse poisons available because not only would the poison be toxic, eating a dead mouse that has succumbed to the poison may be also lethal to the cat.

It is important to have a regular dinner time.  That way when the cat’s return for it evening meal, they will be able to be locked up for the evening.  This will protect her from the nightly predators and allow her to go on daily patrol the next morning.

For any more questions on cats, or any other furry companion, contact our offices today!