Living with pets is an absolute blessing! However, sometimes our pets can be mischievous, or get into parts of our home that we would rather avoid having them in. How do we prevent that? By “Pet Proofing” our homes! In this article, we’ll explore the various methods in which you can pet proof your home room by room.

 

Living Room:

The living room is essentially the “family” room, and it stands to reason that as part of our family, we would want our pets to be able to join us there. We’ll start by looking at how you can create a safe, and non destructive environment for your pets in your living room.

The first step towards pet proofing your living room, or any room for that matter, is by hiding or putting any loose, dangling wires or cables out of reach. Most cats love to play with anything resembling string, and wires are no exception. This may result in them wearing out the coating of the wires and exposing them, or, pulling a device attached to the wire to the ground, damaging or breaking said device. Dogs and other small pets, such as ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, etc. may also attempt to chew the wires, which could be dangerous, especially if they’re plugged in. You could use cable ties to bundle up your cables somewhere safe, such as behind a shelf, or table, or you could use cable protectors.

A living room without plants is not always ideal, but there are certain plants that could be toxic if ingested by your pets. We would suggest looking at our list of Plants To Avoid Having At Home & Their Alternatives, for more information on which plants your pets shouldn't have within reach, and which plants are completely safe.

Try to avoid having anything small that could be swallowed within reach, as you would for infant children and toddlers. Sometimes our pets can’t tell what they should and shouldn’t chew, and if they ingest something that may be too small, such as a child’s toy or ornament, they could choke. This could also apply to small, loose items such as buttons or strings.

To be even more cautious, we would recommend checking under areas that you haven’t been able to reach with a broom or vacuum, but your cats or small pets have access to. The best way to avoid this, is to have furniture that doesn’t leave too much of a gap between the bottom and the ground, this will prevent your smaller pets from getting into these areas and not only not ingest anything that may have strayed there, but also prevents them from getting stuck.

Have you ever bought or at least looked at a really nice piece of furniture, such as a new couch, table or set of chairs, only to realize that your pet is going to have a blast destroying it? Thankfully, there are ways that you can protect your new furniture from claws and teeth. The first and most effective way that we would recommend, is using deterrent sprays, such as Greenfields Stay Away Spray or Beaphar Indoor Behaviour Spray, to repel them from soiling, chewing or scratching up your furniture.

Another option is to consider using furniture covers. You can find special covers for certain types of furniture that protects them from any damage. Another form of deterrent is distraction, by having something else for your pet to focus their attention on, they will be less likely to destroy or pay much attention to your furniture. For cats we would recommend a Cat Tree or cat scratcher that they can use to sharpen their nails. For dogs who enjoy chewing, look at using Chew Toys to help sate their gnawing needs. There are even dog accessories you can use to distract Smaller Pets as well.

When it comes to fragile and breakable items, there’s two ways you could look at protecting them from being knocked over. Firstly, you could assemble and place them on a high surface out of reach from even the most capable climber. The other option to consider is using a cabinet with doors that you could lock with a child-proof lock.

 

Kitchen:

Whilst the kitchen may be the best room for some, it can also be rather unsafe for your pets. With various breakables, sharp objects and chemicals, you’ll want to ensure that this room especially has been pet-proofed.

Like the living room, you’ll want to ensure that there are no small spaces your pet can crawl into, such as behind cupboards and the fridge. The best way to do that is to seal off any nooks and gaps that your pet can squeeze into. As for around the fridge, you’ll want to ensure that the area behind it is regularly cleaned to avoid any dust, dirt, food scraps or debris that could be ingested if your pet were to get behind it.

If you have a cat that likes to jump up onto counters, you’ll need to ensure that any jars, containers or appliances that can be knocked over and broken are safely tucked away or positioned at the back of the counter. Any sharp objects such as knives, peelers or other utensils should be put away safely. Food items that should not be ingested by your pets should also be stored away, this includes their treats or bags of food, as some pets will have a habit of chewing through the bags and risk choking on the plastic.

Some cats and dogs are even capable of getting doors open, this includes cupboard doors. In this instance, it would be safer to invest in a child proof lock to prevent your pets from opening these doors, you can store any dangerous equipment such as cleaning chemicals or sharp objects within these locked cupboards.

Washing machines or dishwashers should always be closed when not being used. Small pets and puppies or kittens may find a way to climb inside, and that could be very dangerous for pet parents who aren’t paying much mind when closing them.

Sometimes our pets are like raccoons, getting into garbage to dig out food scraps. This could be prevented by using automatic bins, or bins with lids that lock into place to stop them from getting inside.

 

Bathroom:

Bathrooms also require pet-proofing to some extent, as like kitchens they are used to store cleaning supplies and chemicals, medications, and can contain sharp objects or items that can be knocked over.

As previously mentioned, cleaning supplies, including soaps, shampoos, and other products, should be stored behind a child-proof locked door, to prevent any of your pets from getting to them. Medication should also be stored away safely, which is why hanging medicine cabinets are so useful. They will prevent your pet from reaching the doors as they’re high up, and stop them from getting hold of any medicine that may be dangerous for them. Sharp objects such as nail clippers, tweezers, razors and scissors should also be kept out of reach, as if your pet gets hold of and tries to play with any of these objects, they could end up hurting themselves.

We all know the cliche about dogs drinking out of the toilet, but cats do as well. Due to the chemicals inside the toilet bowl, and the uncleanliness of the toilet water in general, your pet may end up getting sick if they do manage to drink toilet water. The best way to prevent this is to not only ensure that the toilet lid is always closed, but also by child-locking the seat itself.

 

Bedrooms:

If your pet loves to sleep in your bedroom with you, you can’t deny them that! However, you can find ways to keep your bedroom belongings safe, and your pets too for that matter!

If your pet has a habit of chewing up your shoes or clothing items, the simple resolution is to keep them out of reach. Invest in a shoe rack that you can close, to keep your shoes safe from gnawing teeth. Any loose clothing should be stored in your closet with a child-proof lock, or if dirty, in a closed washing basket. Handbags that you also don’t want damaged should be stored away in closets, away from scratching claws or chewing teeth.

Speaking of closets, some of us may have the habit of leaving them open, this creates easy access for our pets to get hold of our belongings inside. Whenever you leave the room, always ensure all closet doors, and drawers are closed properly, without your pet inside.

Like the living room, cables are abundant in bedrooms, from phone chargers, to hairdryers. Cable management is key when you want to keep them out of reach from your pets. Any cables that don’t need to be permanently plugged in should be unplugged and stored away in a drawer away from playful paws.

Any make up or other cosmetics should also be stored away to prevent them from being knocked over and damaged, or chewed up. This can also be true for hair brushes, combs, lotions, or jewelry. Jewelry especially is a choking hazard, and the best way to keep them safe is by using a closed jewelry box, as opposed to jewelry hangers.

If you’d prefer your pet not to jump up onto your bed, consider using a deterrent to discourage them from climbing up. Of course the best option of all if you’d rather not have your pet enter your room, would be to close and lock your door when not inside.

We all know how mischievous our pets can be, especially when they’re young, and keeping up with them and preventing their destruction can certainly be a challenge. With these tips though, you should be able to successfully pet-proof your home and protect your belongings. Remember to invest in toys and accessories to keep your pets busy and stimulated, the best prevention overall is distraction!