Owning a cat is exciting and rewarding experience. When you live in an urban environment, there are so many considerations to keep your cat safe from the dangers of living in a densely populated environment, both in terms of neighbours and pets. A kitten or an older cat brings so much joy, but there is a lot of responsibility that comes with it.
Sadly, we often know from personal experience the risks for cats in everyday life that can result in harm, injury or even premature death. But fortunately, there are lots of preventative steps that every cat owner can take to reduce the risks and enable your beloved cat to live a long and enriched life with limited exposure to hazards.
Is your home cat-safe? Whether you live in an apartment or an expansive house, you’ll need to ensure that you have removed harmful products such as household cleaners. Did you know that scented candles, reed diffusers and plants such as lilies and poinsettias are poisonous to cats? Also consider any unstable furniture or trailing wires which could cause injury if knocked over by an excitable cat!
Will your cat be indoor or outdoor? You might consider the local vicinity of your house when deciding whether to keep your cat exclusively indoors or allow them to roam outdoors. Not all neighbourhoods are cat friendly. Think about the type of roads and drivers in the area along with other risks such as dog attacks, any potential harm caused by humans in the area, and so on. There are lots of risks to outdoor cats, but you can minimise the hazards of free roaming by creating a controlled outdoor environment with a cat fence barrier, cat enclosure, catio or cat balcony. Cat fence toppers are the easiest and quickest way to convert your existing garden into a cat haven.
Do you know basic first aid? There are some great video tutorials that will enable you to learn how to respond in an emergency. If your cat is unconscious, watch here to see what to do.
Talk to your vet about preventative treatments for your cat: from parasite treatments, though to neutering and microchipping, all these actions will add up to give your cat the best chance of living a better quality of life.
Talk to your family or flatmates about your cat care routines and rituals. Do you train your cat to come to the shake of a treat tin? This can really help children to engage with caring for your cat and take small responsibilities for their welfare.
We hope you’ve enjoyed our basic overview of preventive cat care, and that the tips enable you to feel confident and secure in providing your cat with a safe and enriching environment at home and in your garden, while giving you the peace of mind about their safety and wellbeing.
To keep cats safe from the dangers of free-roaming in London, we recommend a garden cat-proofing company called ProtectaPet (affiliate links). They offer a range of cat fence barriers, cat enclosures and catios to enable your cat to enjoy safe outdoor access and for you to enjoy total peace of mind. If you get in touch with them, please mention LICK or use promo code 'LICK' at checkout: it will generate a £50 discount off any order over £400 and a 10% donation to our charity.
If you’ve like to find out more about cat fencing solutions in London, please visit ProtectaPet.
How Can You Help Us?
L.I.C.K is a volunteer run charity, no one gets paid!
Every donation big or small allow us to do our work and care for all our cats and kittens.
All donations go towards medical costs.