How to Pet-Proof Your Home

Quick answer

Pet-proofing means getting down to your pet's level and removing what it could swallow, chew, knock over, fall from or get trapped in. The big ones are medicines, toxic foods and plants, cables and cords, cleaning products, open windows and balconies, and small objects. Do it before a new pet arrives, then keep checking as it grows.

Start at pet height

Crawl round each room at the height of your pet. You'll spot things you never notice standing up: a dangling phone charger, a gap behind the fridge, a pill that rolled under the sofa. Cats and birds add a third dimension, so check shelves, worktops and the tops of cupboards too.

Think about the specific animal. Puppies chew everything. Kittens climb and squeeze into tiny spaces. Rabbits gnaw cables and skirting boards. Birds land on anything and taste most of it.

The biggest hazard: medicines

Human medicines are the most common pet poisoning reported to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center, with over-the-counter painkillers and vitamins high on the list. A single dropped tablet can be enough to seriously harm a cat or small dog.

• Keep all medicines in a closed cupboard, not on bedside tables or in handbags.
• Take tablets over a table, not over the floor, and pick up any you drop straight away.
• Store pet medicines separately from human ones, so nobody mixes them up.
• Don't leave visitors' bags on the floor.

Kitchen

• Toxic foods. Chocolate, grapes and raisins, onions and garlic, and anything sweetened with xylitol (some sugar-free gum, sweets and peanut butters) are classic dangers for dogs. Cats and birds have their own lists. See Foods That Are Toxic to Dogs for detail.
• Bins. Use a bin with a locking or heavy lid. Cooked bones, corn cobs, fatty scraps and food wrappers can cause blockages or illness.
• Worktops. Don't leave food, knives or hot pans where cats or tall dogs can reach.
• Appliances. Cats climb into washing machines, dryers and dishwashers. Check before you shut the door and switch on.
• Birds. Keep them out of the kitchen entirely. Fumes from overheated non-stick cookware can kill birds within minutes.

Living room and bedrooms

• Cables and chargers. Tuck them behind furniture, run them through cord covers, and unplug chargers when not in use. Rabbits and puppies are the worst chewers.
• Blind and curtain cords. Tie them up out of reach; pets can get tangled and strangled.
• Small objects. Hair ties, coins, batteries (especially button batteries), toys, earrings and socks get swallowed. Children's toys are a big source.
• String, thread and ribbon. Cats love to play with them, but swallowed string can cause a serious intestinal blockage. Put sewing kits and gift ribbon away. If you see string hanging from a pet's mouth or bottom, don't pull it; call a vet.
• Candles and heaters. Use guards, and never leave an open flame alone with a pet in the room.
• Recliners and sofa beds. Small pets hide inside the mechanism. Check before you close them.

Bathroom and laundry

Keep the toilet lid down (small pets can fall in, and cleaning products in the bowl are harmful). Store cleaners, bleach and detergent pods high or locked away. Wipe up spills, and let floors dry before pets walk on them, since they lick their paws.

Plants and flowers

Many common houseplants and cut flowers are toxic to pets. Lilies are the one every cat owner must know: true lilies and daylilies can cause kidney failure in cats, and even pollen groomed off their fur or water from the vase can be enough. Treat any lily exposure in a cat as an emergency.

Check every plant in the house and garden against a reliable toxic-plant list before a pet moves in, and keep cut flowers out of reach.

Windows, balconies and stairs

Cats fall from windows and balconies more often than people expect, and falls from upper floors cause serious injuries. Fit secure screens or mesh, keep windows open only at the top or behind a guard, and never leave cats unsupervised on an open balcony. Birds out of their cages need every window and outside door shut, and fans switched off.

For puppies, older dogs and small animals, use a stair gate until you're sure they can manage steps safely.

Garden, garage and yard

• Antifreeze and car fluids. Antifreeze containing ethylene glycol tastes sweet and is deadly in small amounts. Store it sealed and wipe up drips at once.
• Rat and slug poison. Both are common causes of poisoning in dogs and cats. If you must use them, choose pet-safe methods and keep products well out of reach.
• Fertilisers, weedkillers and insecticides. Follow label instructions on keeping pets off treated areas.
• Ponds and pools. Puppies and small dogs can fall in and fail to climb out. Cover or fence them, or supervise.
• Fences and gates. Walk your boundary looking for gaps. Dogs dig, and cats and rabbits squeeze through surprisingly small holes.
• Heat and shade. Pets left outside need shade and water all day. In hot weather, paving and car interiors get dangerously hot.

A safe space of their own

Give a new pet one room or area that's fully pet-proofed: bed, water, toys, litter tray if needed, nothing dangerous within reach. A crate or puppy pen does the same job for dogs. Expand access to the rest of the home as you learn what your pet gets into. Our guide to your new pet's first week covers this settling-in period.

Keep the vet's number handy

Even a well-prepared home isn't risk-free. Keep your vet's number and the nearest emergency clinic's details on the fridge and in your phone. If you think your pet has swallowed something toxic, call straight away rather than waiting for symptoms.

Once the house is ready, you can browse healthy, verified pets on Paalo.