Windows screened, balcony sorted — and the house still holds a list of things that send cats to the emergency vet. Almost none of them are obvious, and several are in every home. This is the room-by-room check.
Kitchen
- Hob left on. Cats get on the counter when you’re not there and burn their paw pads. Knob locks solve it and cost almost nothing.
- Washing machine and dryer. Dark, warm, enclosed — the perfect nap. Check inside before you shut the door, every time.
- Bin with chicken bones and string. Cooked bone splinters; string and dental floss are the most classic surgical emergency in cats.
The hazard almost nobody knows: string
Anything thread-shaped — sewing thread, dental floss, ribbon, hair ties, tinsel — deserves its own category.
A cat’s tongue has backward-facing barbs. Once thread is in, they can’t spit it out: swallowing is the only direction available. If one end catches somewhere along the way while the gut keeps moving, the thread saws through the intestinal wall from the inside. It’s called a linear foreign body, and it’s serious even in small amounts.
Keep thread and hair ties in a closed drawer, not an open pot.
Bathroom
- Open toilet with cleaner in it — cats drink from standing water and some prefer the bowl
- Human medication: paracetamol is highly toxic to cats, and a small dose is already serious
- Razors and cotton buds in an open bin
Living room
- Blind and curtain cords — a strangulation risk; tie them up high
- Loose electrical cable, especially with a kitten in the chewing phase; trunking fixes it
- Lit candles and reed diffusers; essential oils are toxic to cats, and airborne diffusion alone causes respiratory irritation
Cleaning products: one word to remember
Disinfectants based on phenol — the ones that turn milky white in water — are toxic to cats even through paw contact, because they lick afterwards. Stick to 70% alcohol, soap and water, or products explicitly labelled pet-safe.
The ten-minute check
Sit on the floor and look at the house from their height. You’ll see the gap behind the fridge, the dangling cable, the crack under the cabinet and the hole in the sofa. It’s the fastest way to find what’s at cat level and invisible at human level.
Frequently asked questions
Which plant is most dangerous for cats?
Lilies. Every part is toxic and a small quantity can cause acute kidney failure. If there’s a lily in the house and your cat has chewed it, that’s an emergency.
Can I use a reed diffuser with a cat at home?
Best not to. Essential oils are metabolised differently by the feline liver, and continuous airborne exposure alone causes respiratory irritation.
Can cats have a small dose of human medicine?
No. Paracetamol and ibuprofen are toxic to cats even at reduced doses. Never medicate on your own judgement.
Is string really that dangerous?
Yes. A cat’s tongue makes spitting it out impossible once swallowing starts, and thread caught at one end can saw through the intestine. It’s one of the most common emergency surgeries.
Do I need to keep the bin in a closed cupboard?
It’s well worth it, or use a bin with a firm pedal lid. Chicken bones and greasy packaging are the main attraction.