Every cat owner knows that every cat has its own
individual personality, each cat having its own
quirks and qualities. By far one of the most
challenging quirks, however, is the tendency some
felines have to chew, bite, or tackle cords and
wires – especially the slender cords leading to
modern electronic equipment.
Preventing this is a challenge that requires both inventiveness and
determination. Not only does chewing and biting damage the cords but
it can result in terrible harm to your cat, such as electric shock or
choking. So, just as a parent needs to child-proof their home against
young children, a cat owner needs to be alert to cat-proofing the
home. In this article, you'll find a number of handy suggestions aimed
at deterring your cats from chewing cords and other electrical items
in the home.
!! Steps !!
_ Work out where the electrical hazards in your
home are. Every electrical item at cat level is a potential hazard,
as are items the cat can reach and jump to. Items to look for
especially include cords from appliances, cords from computing and
printing equipment, cords used temporarily for such things as
Christmas tree lights, cords in places you can't reach but your cat
can (for example, behind heavy items such as fridges, freezers,
heaters, and televisions), and all electrical outlets.
* The most vulnerable parts of the cord are where the wire joins the
plug or appliance. These sections are not easily protected by cord
protection kits. Keep the gaps between any cord protection and the
termination points as small as possible. Check them regularly.
* If the gap between an appliance like a fridge or freezer is wide
enough for a cat to slip down or into, then you need to take
precautions to guard the relevant electrical cord and outlet.
Check the number of appliances plugged into
the outlets and how far away those appliances
are set. Do not overload your outlets. Beyond
any damage your cat may do to them, too great
a load on the circuits can cause shorts in the
system or even electrical fires and therefore
present a general household safety hazard. It
is important to keep the cord as close to an
outlet as possible to prevent tripping hazards
for humans and felines alike, to discourage
leaving a dangling snake-like temptation for
your cat, and to prevent cord entanglement.
* Determine what sorts of cords are plugged in to those outlets. It
maybe helpful to group like cords together. In general, the
thinner the cords are, the better your cat likes them.
* Look for which cords are more or less permanently plugged into
the outlet and which cords are cords you tend to move about.
Laptop cords are very tempting to cats because they're small and
they jiggle as you work with the laptop in all sorts of places
around the house, turning them into mini mid-air "toys".
* Keep the distance between the outlet and the appliances the cords
attach to as short as possible.
* Leaving cords around is asking for trouble... Unplug
unnecessary appliances and put them away in a safe, cat-free space
until needed. When needed, do not leave them unattended, or
confine their use to safe, cat-free spaces. There is no point
leaving unused appliances out gathering dust and taking up space
when they could be neatly tucked away, unchewed and dust-free.
Never leave a power cord near a cat toy Rearrange your furniture
to provide protection for hanging cords or cords that tend to
move. Block the base and/or back of tables or book cases that
have a gap between the floor and the bottom of the unit or the
wall and the back of the unit. Remember that cats can slink into
openings smaller than your fist, depending on the cat's size.
Your cat can also move objects that aren't firmly fastened or
are heavy. Hide as much of the cord from your cat as possible.
Tidy up unnecessary corded appliances and put them away in a
safe, cat-free location.
* Consider using wireless technology wherever possible, confining
the cords to the transmitters to protected or cat-free areas.
Protect exposed cords and outlets. There are a
number of ways that you can protect exposed
cords and outlets where it isn't possible to
hide, store away, or wind up such cords. Here
are several suggested ways:
* Tape all dangling cords down so that they don't dangle. It's the
dangling that often attracts the cat; once taped firmly to a table
leg or wall, the cord blends in and ceases to provide the same
attraction. You can also purchase Velcro attachments or special
cord clips to keep cords attached flatly to another item.
* Make the cord distasteful. Spray or wipe down cords with something
distasteful to the cat. There are commercial product solutions and
homemade solutions. If making your own, consider using such things
as hot sauce; lavender oil; a homemade citrus or vinegar paste;
garlic, cayenne pepper, or chili oil or paste, etc. Some people
use sports ointments (the really strong menthol sort). Be sure to
let the applied substance dry completely before replugging the
cord into the wall and you'll need to reapply homemade fixes
periodically. Avoid using anything salty because love licking
salt.
* Cover cords with something solid that deters chewing. Commercial
products include "Chewsafe™" and "CritterCord™", which are
clear, flexible protective cord covers infused with a citrus-scent
to keep the cat away from the cord. These are easy to add and
don't require topical re-applications.
* Cover cords with tin-foil tape. This can be purchased from the
hardware store and is easy to wrap around the cords. Cats dislike
the alkaline taste in their mouth and will refrain from chewing
anything coated in the tape. A note of caution though, as some
cats like the tin-foil to chew on because it makes a similar
crunchy sound as the foil scrunchy boils found in pet stores.
* Cover cords with double-sided tape. Cats hate anything sticky and
won't touch it. The problem with this method is that it is...
sticky, and therefore tricky, and will also collect a lot of fluff
for you.
* Make your own cord protection kit using cardboard or rubber tubing
and electrical tape. It's not necessarily any cheaper than using a
professional kit, nor any less time-consuming, so do your sums
first.
* Make your own plug covers to cover the termination points of cords
using the cups from egg cartons and some electrical tape.
* Hang or curl up dangling phone cords. These are just as inviting
to some cats as other cords.
Use noise or rapid action to deter your cat.
There are several things you can do if you
catch your cat in the act. Yelling a loud "NO"
or clapping your hands every time the cat goes
near the cord is one possibility. Another is to
keep a water-gun handy for squirting your cat
when it gets too close to places you don't want
it going. Obviously, be careful not to hit
electrical or electronic equipment with the
water.
* If you can find a motion-detector toy that makes a noise as soon
as it spots motion (for example, a frog that croaks), consider
placing it strategically to go off every time the cat gets near
certain vulnerable cords, such as under the computer desk. It will
need to be loud and sudden enough to scare off your cat, and there
is a chance that he'll just get used to it and ignore it.
Find distractions. Cord chewing can be a sign
of boredom, a sign of practicing prey hunting,
or just a need to play. There are some great
things you can do to distract your cat with
more interesting things to do than chew on the
electrical paraphernalia in your home:
* Provide your cat with cat grass grown from oats or wheat. Many
cats feel the need to chew on grass, and without grass, the next
closest thing is string and wires. Cat grass is available in pet
stores and on the internet, and you can buy seeds of oats and
wheat and grow them yourself in a pot with a little soil. You can
even dig up a little sod from a yard that is not_ treated with
pesticides or herbicides. Look to make certain the sod only
contains grass leaves, no weeds. Place the clump of sod in the pot
on the floor and let the cat chew on it. Release the sod to its
original place when the cat is done chewing on it. Repeat
frequently, as needed.
* Give your cat plenty of fun cat toys. When cats chew cords,
they're often looking to create small toys for themselves. Short
wires skitter across linoleum and hardwood floors quite
marvelously when batted by a furry paw. You might try distracting
your cat with a different sort of toy. Just be sure to avoid any
toys that encourage wire-chewing behavior (such as toys which are
wire-like using string, yarn, etc.).
* Keep kitty out when cords move. There are
some activities where cord movement is inevitable and it is
probably best to keep your cat locked out of the room or space
where you're using such appliances rather than risk chewing and
the potential for electrical shock to both kitty and you, as well
as the potential for a heavy item falling on your cat if the cord
is pulled down too much. When performing such activities as
ironing, drilling, vacuuming, and even using a laptop away from
its normal stationary area, consider keeping kitty out. Obviously,
with items, the noise produced will be enough to scare her off but
keep in mind that she might try to chew the cord in the intervals
where you put down the item and are distracted by something else.
!! Tips !!
* If your cat likes a single type of cord over another (for example,
it chews thin charger cords instead of thicker appliance or
computer cords), consider simply removing those sorts of cords
from its environment by confining them to a dedicated cat-free
area of the house or apartment (such as a guest bedroom or
computer office).
* If you coat vulnerable wires with a non-toxic substance your cat
dislikes smelling or tasting, protect your furniture, walls,
floor, and carpet by ensuring that whatever substance you use
retains its potency when dry while not staining anything.
* Optionally, you may wish to simply confine
your cat to a cord-free space when you are not home or otherwise
able to watch its movements. (Though, really, this method isn't
highly recommended. It's extremely difficult to corral a cat.)
* If using odors as a way to deter your cat, it can be a case of
trial and error to see what does and does not work with your cat.
!! Warnings !!
* Check the states of your cords regularly. Cats are small, they're
clever, and they're persistent. They may cause damage to the cord
even without actually severing it. A damaged cord can cause fire.
Replace or repair any damaged cords immediately.
* In addition to cords and wires, keep strings, threads, and
elastics away from your cat. Not only do they encourage the same
chewing behavior, but they can be fatal to your furry friend if
swallowed. They can get tangled in their intestines and cause
serious medical problems. If you suspect your cat may have
swallowed a cord, you may want to have a vet look at it, just to
be safe.
* If your cat swallows any pieces of cord, go straight to your vet;
these pieces can become lodged in the cat's intestine and cause
many problems.
!! Things You\'ll Need !!
* Suitable cord protection kits, such as "Chewsafe" or "CritterCord"
* Toys for distraction
* Non-toxic cord pastes or liquids
* Cat grass
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Cat Proof Your Computer
* How to Pet a High Strung Cat
* How to Bathe a Cat
* How to Get Your Cat to Stop Hissing
* How to Keep a Cat Safe
* How to Create a Safe Room for Your Cat/Kitten
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
*
0 comments:
Post a Comment