Infographic on 5 dangerous things in the home for cats

This is a visual reminder that the warm, secure home that domestic cats so often enjoy can be a hazardous place. As dangerous as outside the home in some instances. It depends on the quality of caregiving. Things like the human medication in the form of a pill on the bathroom floor can be fatal. And don’t go near lilies if you live with a cat. The alarm bells ring. DEFCON 5 alert! Advocates of full-time indoor cat living are probably more aware of these dangerous things than most. They are often benignly common and innocent looking. They don’t look dangerous to cats either. And some are completely invisible and odourless such as fire retardants in furniture which can disrupt a cat’s endocrine system leading to an idiopathic illness.

5 dangerous things in the home for cats

5 dangerous things in the home for cats. The infographic is by MikeB. It is free to use under a Creative Commons: ATTRIBUTION-NODERIVS CC BY-ND license. Click on the image which takes you to a larger image. Click on that and them right click the subsequent image. Select ‘save as’ from the menu. Please link back to the page as a thank you.

And what about carpet chemicals added to the carpet to improve its durability? Cats lie around on carpets. What kind of hidden, insidious damage are they causing? We have no idea. But we do know that there are a number of illnesses and conditions for which there are unknown causes. Maybe it’s the carpet?

It is a little ironic that a lot is spoken about the dangers to cats outside the home, notably in the USA there are coyotes and other predators. And road traffic, the biggest cat killer I suspect. But I wonder if the number of domestic cats harmed inside the home equals the number harmed outside the home? We don’t have the statistics. They’d be interesting though.

If someone can do me a favour and find a comparison, I’d be eternally grateful.

Useful links
Anxiety - reduce it
FULL Maine Coon guide - lots of pages
Children and cats - important

P.S. ChatGPT an AI computer answered the following question “What are the top ten most dangerous things for cats in the home?” as follows:

  1. Poisonous plants: Many common household plants can be toxic to cats, such as lilies, poinsettias, and mistletoe.
  2. Medications: Cats can be sensitive to certain medications, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, which can be toxic if ingested.
  3. Household cleaners: Many cleaning products can be harmful if ingested or inhaled by cats.
  4. Electrical cords: Cats are naturally curious and may chew on electrical cords, which can result in burns or electric shock.
  5. String and yarn: Cats may swallow string or yarn, which can cause intestinal blockages.
  6. Open windows: Cats can fall from open windows or balconies, resulting in serious injury or death.
  7. Cars: Cats can be injured or killed by cars if they are allowed to roam outside.
  8. Other pets: Dogs and other animals can cause injury or harm to cats if they are not properly supervised.
  9. Insecticides and pesticides: These can be harmful if ingested or inhaled by cats.
  10. Small objects: Cats may swallow small objects such as buttons, beads, and marbles, which can cause intestinal blockages.

It is important to keep an eye on your cat and make sure they are safe, and also to keep these items out of their reach.

Below are some articles on hazards.

Dusty cat litter

Is cat litter dust potentially harmful to cats and cat owners?

To be honest, this topic is a bit of a minefield. It is very complicated. It is hard to find ...
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Cat swallows sewing needle

Cat swallowed a sewing needle

The video shows the removal of the sewing needle from the back of a cat's mouth by a veterinarian. Hard ...
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Nero and Lucy the vet who removed the hair ties. Eleven in all with an endoscope. Image: Westway Veterinary Group.

Hair bobbles (hair ties) are dangerous to cats as too often they like to ingest them

I've decided after a quick search on the Internet to declare to the world that hair bobbles are very dangerous ...
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Daffodils are toxic to cats

Should I allow my cat into the backyard if there are daffodils there?

It is spring and synonymous with spring are daffodils. It's great to see them and the smell of cut grass ...
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Useful tag. Click to see the articles: Cat behavior

Note: sources for news articles are carefully selected but the news is often not independently verified.

Michael Broad

Hi, I'm a 74-year-old retired solicitor (attorney in the US). Before qualifying I worked in many jobs including professional photography. I love nature, cats and all animals. I am concerned about their welfare. If you want to read more click here.

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