How to Make Your House a Better Place for Animals
Hide visible electrical wires., Make sure your windows latch securely., Remove any toxic plants in your home., Prevent your animal’s access to cabinets and trashcans., Prevent your animal’s access to rodent traps., Use Teflon-free appliances.
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Hide visible electrical wires.
Chewing on electrical wires can be very hazardous for animals.
For example, an animal could get electrocuted from chewing on an electrical wire.
Electrocution can lead to several medical problems, including burns and fluid accumulation in the lungs.Given these risks, it is very important for you to identify and hide any visible wires (e.g., television cables, power cords for phones and computers) that an animal could get to.Electrocution typically happens in younger animals (less than two years old), since they are very curious about their surrounding environment.Additional clinical signs of electrical injury include difficulty breathing and coughing.Electrical injury requires veterinary care. -
Step 2: Make sure your windows latch securely.
Cats and dogs can be especially prone to falling out of windows.In fact, cats fall out of windows so frequently that there is name for the occurrence: ‘High-Rise Syndrome.’Ensuring that your windows stay securely in the closed position will help prevent your dog or cat from being able to slip out of the window and potentially injure themselves.
Although it may be expensive, it may be worth investing in windows with secure latches.
Visiting your local home improvement store can help you decide which type of window would work best for your budget. , As beautiful as houseplants can be, they can also be quite toxic to animals, particularly dogs and cats.
For example, Cali lilies and philodendrons are very toxic to cats and can cause drooling and vomiting, among other clinical signs.Aloe plants are toxic to dogs, and can cause such signs as vomiting, diarrhea, and tremors.The ASPCA website (https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants?field_toxicity_value[]=01) has a comprehensive list of plants that are toxic and nontoxic to dogs and cats.
If you are unsure what types of plants you have in your home, consider taking pictures of them and visiting your local gardening store for additional information. , Our kitchen and bathroom cabinets typically contain cleaning agents and/or medications that could be very harmful to animals if ingested.
For example, painkillers, vitamins, and diet pills are all toxic to animals.Childproof latches are very helpful in keeping out animals who are crafty enough to open doors or lids.
Spoiled or rotten food can contain toxins, such as the botulinum toxin, that can make animals very sick., Some rodent traps contain rodenticide, which is extremely toxic to animals.
In fact, rodenticide poisoning is a very common cause of poisonings in animals.Rodenticides have anticoagulants, which can cause severe bleeding problems in animals.
Clinical signs of rodent poisoning include lethargy and weakness, and tend to get worse over time.If you have a rodent problem and choose to use rodent traps, it is advised to make the traps as inaccessible to pets as possible.Rodenticide poisoning requires immediate veterinary care. , This is critical if you have birds.
Teflon, which is a chemical commonly found in non-stick appliances, is highly toxic to birds.
It causes a potentially fatal respiratory condition called ‘Teflon toxicosis.’A heated non-stick appliance, such as a skillet, emits a noxious fume that can cause a bird to become extremely weak and start gasping for air.If you are unsure if your appliances are nonstick, you may want to consider purchasing new appliances that you know are not nonstick. -
Step 3: Remove any toxic plants in your home.
-
Step 4: Prevent your animal’s access to cabinets and trashcans.
-
Step 5: Prevent your animal’s access to rodent traps.
-
Step 6: Use Teflon-free appliances.
Detailed Guide
Chewing on electrical wires can be very hazardous for animals.
For example, an animal could get electrocuted from chewing on an electrical wire.
Electrocution can lead to several medical problems, including burns and fluid accumulation in the lungs.Given these risks, it is very important for you to identify and hide any visible wires (e.g., television cables, power cords for phones and computers) that an animal could get to.Electrocution typically happens in younger animals (less than two years old), since they are very curious about their surrounding environment.Additional clinical signs of electrical injury include difficulty breathing and coughing.Electrical injury requires veterinary care.
Cats and dogs can be especially prone to falling out of windows.In fact, cats fall out of windows so frequently that there is name for the occurrence: ‘High-Rise Syndrome.’Ensuring that your windows stay securely in the closed position will help prevent your dog or cat from being able to slip out of the window and potentially injure themselves.
Although it may be expensive, it may be worth investing in windows with secure latches.
Visiting your local home improvement store can help you decide which type of window would work best for your budget. , As beautiful as houseplants can be, they can also be quite toxic to animals, particularly dogs and cats.
For example, Cali lilies and philodendrons are very toxic to cats and can cause drooling and vomiting, among other clinical signs.Aloe plants are toxic to dogs, and can cause such signs as vomiting, diarrhea, and tremors.The ASPCA website (https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/toxic-and-non-toxic-plants?field_toxicity_value[]=01) has a comprehensive list of plants that are toxic and nontoxic to dogs and cats.
If you are unsure what types of plants you have in your home, consider taking pictures of them and visiting your local gardening store for additional information. , Our kitchen and bathroom cabinets typically contain cleaning agents and/or medications that could be very harmful to animals if ingested.
For example, painkillers, vitamins, and diet pills are all toxic to animals.Childproof latches are very helpful in keeping out animals who are crafty enough to open doors or lids.
Spoiled or rotten food can contain toxins, such as the botulinum toxin, that can make animals very sick., Some rodent traps contain rodenticide, which is extremely toxic to animals.
In fact, rodenticide poisoning is a very common cause of poisonings in animals.Rodenticides have anticoagulants, which can cause severe bleeding problems in animals.
Clinical signs of rodent poisoning include lethargy and weakness, and tend to get worse over time.If you have a rodent problem and choose to use rodent traps, it is advised to make the traps as inaccessible to pets as possible.Rodenticide poisoning requires immediate veterinary care. , This is critical if you have birds.
Teflon, which is a chemical commonly found in non-stick appliances, is highly toxic to birds.
It causes a potentially fatal respiratory condition called ‘Teflon toxicosis.’A heated non-stick appliance, such as a skillet, emits a noxious fume that can cause a bird to become extremely weak and start gasping for air.If you are unsure if your appliances are nonstick, you may want to consider purchasing new appliances that you know are not nonstick.
About the Author
Christine Hall
A seasoned expert in arts and creative design, Christine Hall combines 25 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Christine's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: