Pet-proofing your home

Our homes are places to relax, unwind and chew on a bone or two. But pets can be harmed by hidden household hazards:

• Chocolate (particularly dark chocolate) contains a chemical that can be fatal to cats and dogs. No matter how delicious, those cakes, sweets and cookies need to be stored safely.
• Vapes and e-cigarettes are dangerous to pets as they contain highly toxic nicotine. The casing, battery and e-liquid can cause serious harm – and even death – if ingested by animals.
• Garden chemicals, such as weed and pest killers, present a danger to pets if swallowed or exposed to their skin. Keep that shed firmly shut!

So the dangers are clear. But are pet owners prepared?

Many common household items can be harmful or toxic to pets, but not everyone is aware of the risks:

• 66% of people know that common cleaning products can harm pets like dogs and cats.
• 57% of people are aware of the dangers posed by garden chemicals.
• 43% of people recognise the risk of certain plants being toxic to their furry friends.

But here’s the surprising part: 12% of people didn’t know any of these items could be harmful.

If we dig a little deeper, our survey found differences across age, gender and geography in pet owners’ perception of household risks.

Just 58% of 16-24-year-olds are aware that common cleaning products can be toxic to pets, compared to 75% of over 55s. Meanwhile, 32% of male pet owners versus 53% of females say they’re aware that plants can be toxic to pets.

And across the UK, people in Cardiff and Glasgow had the highest net confidence (93%) in identifying harmful or toxic risks, whereas Sheffield had the lowest (79%).

There are many ways to reduce the risks to our pets, but what about when the roles are reversed? Let’s face it – we could all do without scratch marks on the sofa.

More than four in ten (41%) cat and dog owners (and 50% of Londoners) told us they’ve had to replace household items due to pet-related damage. And on average, pet owners are replacing furniture or household items twice a year due to pet damage.

Pet ownership is changing, with a rapid rise in the number of indoor cats in the UK. So naturally, millions of us want to live in homes that are cat-friendly (and cat-proofed).

Younger pet owners were more likely to say they’d experienced pet damage. 63% of 16-24-year-olds said they’ve replaced household items damaged by pets, compared to only 26% of over 55s.

Similarly, 34% of 16-24-year-olds said they replace damaged items every two to five months, whereas only 6% of over 55s replace items this frequently.

Actions speak louder than purrs, so we wanted to know what pet owners are doing to keep their humble abode looking (and smelling) its best.

While almost a quarter (24%) said they’re taking no measures, other pet owners are getting creative.

Across the generations, older people appear less likely to proactively pet-proof their home. For example, 36% of adults aged 55-plus said they’ve taken no pet-proofing steps, compared to 10% of 25-34-year-olds.

Regionally, 36% of North East pet owners haven’t taken any measures to pet-proof their home – the highest among all regions. Newcastle (also 36%), Edinburgh (33%) and Norwich (33%) were the cities where people were most likely to have taken no action.

To keep your pet safe:

• Avoid poisonous plants like ivy and lilies. Move plants or flowers to a higher level if you’re unsure.
• Ensure cleaning products are out of reach and locked away.
• Safeguard outbuildings with cat flaps so they don’t get stuck.
• Keep bins covered and keep poisonous foods out of reach.
• For cats, keep rope/ string based toys out of reach when not playing.
• Use a child-gate or dog-gate to keep your pets away while you’re cooking.
• Keep vapes, medication and e-liquid bottles shut in a secure container, out of reach.

To protect your furniture:

• Introduce scratching posts to protect your sofa.
• Invest in covers for chairs and sofas.
• Invest in chew toys so they don’t chew table legs etc.
• Consider training pets not to go on furniture.
• Use safe scents such as lavender or citrus to deter cats from scratching.
• Groom pets regularly to keep excess pet hair under control.
• Loop your curtains so they can’t be clawed (but avoid tie-back cords).
• Use clean litter trays for cats. Give puppies regular toilet breaks.