Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat General => General Cat Chat => Topic started by: Tiggy's Mum on March 28, 2007, 13:29:35 PM
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I've been looking around my house thinking that, although it was perfectly safe for Tiggy, there are lots of areas that I can see my new babies getting themselves into trouble.
First on my list is to try and sort out the jumble of wires behind the TV, it's not really suitable for a cable tidy as the scart leads are those really thick ones and there's so many different wires coming from the various bits of equipment that there's no way they would fit anyway. It's an LCD one with a stand so it's not like I could make the area inaccesible like you could with the old style box TV's by just blocking access to it. Any ideas for making the area safe? I was thinking cover it with material but then thought that may attract them to play in that area :innocent:
Because I've got far too much time on my hands I've taken a pic so you can see what I mean about the area and hopefully come up with ideas :shy:
(http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n102/tigs78/Babies003Small.jpg)
(http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n102/tigs78/Babies005Small.jpg)
I've got a wooden bed so will need to get some big shelving type wood to put accross the sides and end to make under the bed a no go zone while they are little, there's lots of junk important things in tubs under there and I don't fancy trying to squeeze under to get them out!
Any other areas that I may have forgotten that anyone has had problems with their cats/kittens getting into mischief?
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jeez helen i didnt consider so much when i was pregnant :rofl:
as for the wires it is a hazzard isnt it..we have a large lcd and it sits on a tv cabinet (i'll have a look to see if tv appears on any pics LOL) that mostly keeps cody out altho he can and has been down behind it but he's not chewed wires luckly,
Im not sure about the bed thing...prob a good idea coz we have a wooden bed with stacks of junk under it and booger lugs goes in and hides just out of reach of ive got to eventually poke and prod with the long stick to open the loft hatch :rofl: (which he i hasten to add finds most amusing)
i suppose you should make sure toilet lid is down (i didnt tho) and be extra careful about worktops and cookers..i dont think cats should be on worktops at all for lots of reasons, however cody disagrees entirely on that one :evillaugh: i cant think of much else, do you have a coal fire ?? probably not but if you did then get a good firegaurd etc.
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jeez helen i didnt consider so much when i was pregnant :rofl:
I asked for the time off to settle them in as Maternity leave! My boss thought I was mad but it has now been confirmed :evillaugh:
I'm not fussed about them being on worktops as there is always Dettol Anti-bacterial spray :innocent: Tiggy wasn't really allowed on them when she was younger but she always did, all it took was a stern voice saying 'Tiggy' and she would sheepishly jump down. She hadn't been on the worktops for years though as her little legs couldn't manage the jump anymore. I'm not going to invite them onto the worktops but if they do get up there they'll be told to get down but it's not the end of the world in my opinion
Cooker is a gas hob with a metal grate thing on, hadn't thought of that - might try and get something to cover the dials on the hob up as if they knock them they could turn the gas on :scared: Toilet lid - good thinking hadn't thought of that and I'm terrible for leaving it up. No fire to worry about, just radiators.
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i knew you wouldnt mind them on the tops but they dont know the difference about standing on them or the cooker was my reasoning for mentioning it (cody is a booger for walking over the cooker) oh and he also likes to hide ontop of the wall units waiting to ambush some poor suspecting soul...namely ME !! :evillaugh:
i meant to say watch what ya do with yer cables as if they are too tightly packed etc the over heat and are a fire risk..my fireman uncle dont like those cable tidy things anyway :scared:
Here i found a pic of my telly, as i said cody can still get to cables if he wants but atleast they arent in his face just tempting him to play with them.
[attachment deleted by admin]
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oh should have said, like my toilet roll hanging obsession i also cannot bare to see loads a cables which is why i have a cabinet :rofl: :rofl:
Its all i can do to allow the kettle to stay out on the worktop and see that cable all the time :rofl:
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Tbh all of mine (even manic mosi) haven't bothered with cables so you may be ok there. When I got Jaffa I painted some of that stuff to stop you biting your nails on cables in case they chewed them. Don't know if that was sensible or whether it could have been toxic to cats (but I'm guessing if it's ok for people to chew it's ok for cats!). don't know whether that worked or whether he just wasn't interested. You could get some proper cat repellent spray. I have a huge tangle of cables behind my tv and they both walk around there but never attempt to chew them. Same with my computer.
As far as general cat proofing goes - get down on your hands and knees and pretend to be a kitten :rofl: I was in a similar situation when I got Mosi as I'd got used to having older cats around and had to have a rethink before I brought Mosi home.
I suggested to my boss I took maternity/adoption leave when I got Mosi but she wasn't having it!
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Hmmn, I might have to look into getting a different TV stand then if no-one can think up a bright idea for me! That one cost £100 (for a bit of metal and glass - ridiculous!) so don't really want to replace it if possible.
I'm like you with the cable thing, I hate how it looks but as cable tidy is not a solution I just have to put up with it and cringe whenever I see it. I did try taping them all to the spine of the TV stand but it didn't work and I just got very angry leaning over the back of the TV for about an hour! BTW, completely agree about the loo roll thing, the hanging side needs to be flat against the wall!
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You could get some proper cat repellent spray. I have a huge tangle of cables behind my tv and they both walk around there but never attempt to chew them. Same with my computer.
Good idea, I'll obviously avoid spraying the plug area but do you think spraying a liquid onto wires will be safe?
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Helen,
I stopped using dettol antibacterial spray as it says on the back to make sure animals don't walk on it - especially cats :-: - I checked the Tesco version and it says the same. I now use bleach but rinse it afterwards and then dry it with paper towel to be on the safe side. Willow gets into everything so I have to make sure I don't leave the oven open. Same goes for the dishwasher, washing machine etc etc ;D
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All my cables are just loose at back of tv and the cats have never touched them really even when they chase each other behind there. You can buy sprays to stop parrots chewing their feathers (Bitter Beak) so you could always spray some of that onto the cables if you are worried, you can get it from PAH.
Watch they can't get stuck behind the fridge, washing machine, tumble dryer, down the back of the cooker etc.
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Ohhhhh ....well mine used to and still do love to go behind the cabinet and chew the wires ..i ended up buying some plasctic tubes and feeding them through the wires so they could not chew at them.
You will also probably be wise to invest in some wall scratches mine developed a real love of scratching walls ...?
Yep gas hobs is another one i bought some worktop savers and put them on top but a tea towel could be just as good !...
Make sure that they can hide though ..( i am sure that you know that) ..
Errrrm you would think that i would be able to think of more things considering that i have had over 6 kittens in the last so many years !!!
Feel free to email me if you need any more help i'll try my best..
So excited for you :)
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Helen,
I stopped using dettol antibacterial spray as it says on the back to make sure animals don't walk on it - especially cats :-: - I checked the Tesco version and it says the same. I now use bleach but rinse it afterwards and then dry it with paper towel to be on the safe side. Willow gets into everything so I have to make sure I don't leave the oven open. Same goes for the dishwasher, washing machine etc etc ;D
Thanks Mark, I just checked on the back of mine and it doesn't say anything about pets. The one I use is 'Dettol Anti-bacterial surface cleanser' doesn't mention pets on the back, it says it is safe to use on a baby's highchair and that there is no need to rinse 'Leaves no smell or taint and is safe to use where food is prepared'. It's the one where in the advert she cleans the highchair try and then the baby eats from the tray. Do you think it's the same one? Bit worried now.
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Crikey i must be unfortunate i have had smashed pictures, wires chewed, mats weed on lol ..
Saying that i would not change my gorgeous little monkeys for the world
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i never thought about repellant spray or nail bite stuff..good idea.
as for disenfectants...ive never worried about what i use and never ever have a problem with me cats regardless if its flash excel , zoflora, bleach, dettol etc etc of course they are always diluted but i use that newish dettol stuff to wash my kitchen floor and its fine (doesnt go cloudy tho
littlebobo, cody isnt as bad as that but he does get around shall we say :evillaugh:
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Maybe Dettol have changed the formulation?
It was the clear one - I stopped using it because of the warning and because willow always jumps up when I am cleaning. I checked the Tesco one only yesterday and it has the warning still.
Great if Dettol is OK to use now as I never know what to use. I was using kitchen cleaner with bleach but willow can't get to it fast enough so stopped.
Curious now
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You could always use Virkon or F10 to wash floors, worktops etc otherwise.
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I never thought to look at the back of the dettol bottle, I'll have to go back to vinagar & water (I'm allergic to most cleaners anyway).
Anything breakable or that comes apart move it upwards or box it up. Friend of ours just got two kittens and they've figured out how to climb a 7 foot tall book case and knocked a glass vase off the top.
They also figured out how to get into drawers & doors (including the fridge).
Also warn anyone who may come over, my in laws almost lost our Lirael a few times by not paying attention when they opened the door as they were not used to cats.
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When I got the girls I didn't worry about the wires behind the tv and to be honest they never showed any interest in chewing them, they just like to climb through the shelves were the DVD player and sky box sit (they still do). The worst place they go to was under the kitchen units (behind the kick boards) we've got a whole wear we're going to put a dishwasher (still waiting for father in law to buy it). Now the bin lives in the whole - but the girls now use it as their bolt whole and still go under the units even now. We remembered to bloke the side of the fridge and washing machine. I know what you mean about Gas hobs, I still worry now that they're going to walk on them whilst the rings are hot so I cover them with saucepan lids. I also turn the extractor fan on high - they hate it and always run away hehe. Remember to keep walldrobe doors shut - another favourite place to cause mayhem
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I have got some virkon tabs so I'll try that ;D
If you use a lot is disinfectant, they work out really cheap. 50 tablets was about £11.00 and each tab let makes up 500ml of solution - it has to be used up in 5 days or so - it fades to let you know when it is unusable.
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, I still worry now that they're going to walk on them whilst the rings are hot so I cover them with saucepan lids. I also turn the extractor fan on high - they hate it and always run away hehe. Remember to keep walldrobe doors shut - another favourite place to cause mayhem
Great idea. Willow is always running across the hobs - I have tried upside-down dinner plates too :evillaugh:
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Another thing I used was tabasco sauce - just 'paint' it on the cables. If they chew that they'll get more than they bargained for :rofl: I also put paprika in plant pots, although over the years I've just not bothered with plants (not really got green fingers) except for cat grass.
Use blu tak to hold down ornaments (or just get ones that don't break) and make sure your curtains/blinds are securely fastened :rofl: Oh it's all coming back to me! I must say that Jaffa and Magpie were very good and just spent their kitten days chasing each other around. Some accidental damage but they weren't really naughty. Mosi on the other hand... well, he still swings from the curtains 8)
I think I've used dettol wipes in the past - don't recall whether they said anything about pets. Tbh I just don't bother much now. I let them go onto the work tops as I don't put food directly on them and my chopping boards are stored sideways so safe from feline intervention.
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Agree with all the hints so far but be aware that just when you think you have hidden anything they could get into mischief with they will find something else that you have forgotten about. On Monday night Hobbes went on the windowsill in the living room and then jumped down with something in his mouth. I went to take it off him and found a drawing pin! Couldn't work out where he had got it from but on further investigation I found a china trinket box that I'd obviously put some bits in at one point and the little menace had knocked the lid off and taken one of the drawing pins out. I'd also found an old brooch on the floor when I got in from work which must have come from the same place. I was paranoid and watching him for the rest of the night in case he had swallowed anything! Just make sure things aren't left dangling and they aren't easy for them to get to.
Hobbes has been really good and not bothered with wires etc, he does go on the worktops but has avoided the cooker since I shouted a loud no at him when he tried it. I use an anti bacterial cleaner from Marks and Spencer, it's really good and is made of entirely natural stuff so nothing to upset either animal or human tummies. It has a lovely smell too and it's not that expensive - £1.99 for a biggish spray bottle and it lasts ages. I do often come down to find he has opened my curtains for me cos he's been swinging on them :rofl: and he has this habit of just hurling himself off things and he can jump very long distances - heart in mouth time!!
All in all though you just have to have eyes in the back of your head :rofl:
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does tobasco sauce not stink ??
speaking of house hold ingredients, my aunt said she used cymen (sp?) pepper on the carpet where one of her cats went to pee..she said he never did it again :evillaugh:
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I never had a kitten but learnt that adult Kocka when I mentioned vets could get into extraodinary small places and I couldnt find her more than once.
Look for any gap thats is bigger than an inch! block it up so they cant squeeze through , into, under :rofl:
My cats have never bothered with my trailing wires and they all go on one end of working top.
I am sure they are gonna be wonderful and you will have so much fun, sleeplesss nights and great pictures :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
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Any up-to date piccies of the gorgeous two-some Helen? ;D ;D
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Foil will stop them soiling as they dont like the feel of it or the noise i think ..but lots of simple solution in case as well ..
As for the Dettol wipes i had heard that although mine are not really bothered ..saying that i let them get away with all sorts they own the house lol !!
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does tobasco sauce not stink ??
Only if you pour the whole bottle on the cables!
Mosi loves foil. He eats it given the chance. I only found that out when he vomited up some foil so now no foil around Mosi (except tightly scrunched up balls which he doesn't attempt to eat).
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Well as the potential new mum of a 6month old kitten I think I need to heed these. However, my job and background can help here a bit.
Cable Tidies: they only overheat if too tightly packed. If wires can still move freely inside the tidy after you close it, then they are ok. Also make sure wires are not frayed, or damaged in any way. Scarts are too thick for them to chew through, so don't worry about those. You are more at risk of fire with wires that are tangled than if they are in a loose tidy.
Spraying anything on cables. Some of the liquids mentioned may corrode through the plastic/rubber dependent on the amount you use. So best bet, don't put anything on them.
However, if in doubt, don't use cable tidies. There are pretty decorative fire guards around now, maybe buy a couple and put one on each side..that will keep them out of it for a bit.
Don't cover wires with anything at all that is flammable, like fabric or even cardboard. I've seen horrific pictures in my training of the worst fires caused by things like this usually domestic fires.
Good advice about fire guard around the fire place, I swear by mine! :rofl:
Lexy can get under the kitchen cupboards...there is a TINY access point but she squeezes through that. If your cats go missing, pull back the kick boards..you're bound to find one of them there.
Dettol: I have all the sprays, but only use them on countertops as Lexy can't get up there. I use Ecover Spray for other areas. Dettol is still made with Phenol from what I last read. If they've changed it, which I hope they have, I will be one happy bunny.
Now having imparted my sage ( :rofl: ) advice...how the bloomin heck am I going to kitten proof my house against Stella? Please tell me, a Bengly!!!
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MMm yes ruth like permies evidently you will have your hands full..i suppose i am lucky having been at home to supervise. Alot of it with cody has been "discipline" and he's slowly getting the message on some respects so it does get abit better.
oh and watch yer lcd helen as cody likes to balance on top of them pretending to wind surf i think :rofl:
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Now having imparted my sage ( :rofl: ) advice...how the bloomin heck am I going to kitten proof my house against Stella? Please tell me, a Bengly!!!
Woah - hold it right there! Lets rewind a bit. You're getting a new kitten? A bengal? Teresa's Estelle? If so, why don't I know?! Cmon - spill the beans missus and tell all!
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Now having imparted my sage ( :rofl: ) advice...how the bloomin heck am I going to kitten proof my house against Stella? Please tell me, a Bengly!!!
Woah - hold it right there! Lets rewind a bit. You're getting a new kitten? A bengal? Teresa's Estelle? If so, why don't I know?! Cmon - spill the beans missus and tell all!
Hee hee, I won't hijack this thread so have a look here:
http://www.chaptanservices.com/purrs/index.php?topic=3065.0
Sorry Helen. hee hee!
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Thanks everyone for all your tips, apart from KB who has scuppered all the good ideas with safety advice - safety schmafety :rofl:
Just checked the Dettol ingredients at this website http://www.rbeuroinfo.com/ Anyone with a degree in chemistry to analyse the results (I'm ashamed to say I actually did A level chemistry but it means nothing to me :shy:) Are the ingredients good / bad / indifferent?
Dettol
Dettol Anti-Bacterial Surface Cleanser, Trigger
Date Information Posted: 08-10-2005
The list below displays the product ingredients in descending order, with those containing the highest quantities appearing first.
Note: This is the latest formulation present on the market. It may not exactly match the product label. If your require further information or, if the information does not correspond with the product you bought, please contact our Consumer Services hotline found on the back label of your product.
Ingredients:
Aqua
C12-14 Sec-Pareth-X
Decyl Glucoside
Benzalkonium Chloride
Sodium Bicarbonate
Parfum
Sodium Carbonate
Tetrasodium EDTA
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Sadly lists of ingredients do not tell the whole story said a pharmicist from Boots when asking about things in bath stuff. I have probs with my skin.
I think it better to read the info the product maker puts on label and some dettols have safe for pet on. Unless it says this I would assume that it is not safe.
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Sadly lists of ingredients do not tell the whole story said a pharmicist from Boots when asking about things in bath stuff. I have probs with my skin.
I think it better to read the info the product maker puts on label and some dettols have safe for pet on. Unless it says this I would assume that it is not safe.
I see what you're saying Gill and I would never want to endanger my new furry babies but this particular product is advertised as being compltely safe for babies to eat off the surfaces after it has been used. When Mark read the packaging before it said not safe for pets but now it doesn't mention them apart from the obligatory 'Keep out of reach of children and pets'.
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Just because something is safe for babies it doesnt necesarily make it safe for cats ie c h o c o l a t e .
I would be tempted to ring Dettols customer care and ask them ;D
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Yeah, good point... I think i'll give them a call tomorrow. Anyway, I have to be in work for 7am :Crazy: so really need to get off here and into bed!
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Hee hee. Made you look! ;)
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Hi Helen
I shall be adopting Widget at the same time as you get your two wee bundles :evillaugh: :evillaugh:
With Rascal I had a dog crate in the lounge which I converted in to a kitten pen. Rascal was allowed out when we were there but when we were out I knew she was safe. Also at night I didn't have the worry of her sneaking in to places I had forgot to block off :evillaugh: :evillaugh:
Also it got her used to all the noises, i.e. hoover, tv, washing machine, my daughter's friends lol etc, in the safety of her own wee house :)
Can't wait to hear all about the new arrivals and see all their pics :Luv: :Luv:
We should start a new Mum's Thread :rofl: :rofl:
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Helen I also reckon the wires will probably be OK but if you're worried, get a good long length of wide material - bandage or something - in a neutral colour and just bandage the whole lot up in a bundle. Either that or make it a sleeping-bag - square of material with some kind of fastener down one side to make a roll and a draw-string at each end that you can pull tight and tie to kitten-proof the lot in one go.
My little monkeys found a way to squeeze down the side of the washing machine (a tiny gap!) and then sit at the back of it and meow at me for help... I reckon just use some wodges of material or bits of foam or something to block up any gaps like that up.
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Tilly didn't bother with wires either, in fact she was pretty good all round, she did try and get into the dishwasher once but that was about it! Good point about noises - Tilly hates the hoover - doesn't say much for my domestic godess skills!!
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My little monkeys found a way to squeeze down the side of the washing machine (a tiny gap!) and then sit at the back of it and meow at me for help... I reckon just use some wodges of material or bits of foam or something to block up any gaps like that up.
I used rolled up tea towels down the side of the fridge/freezer to keep curious kits out
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I've used cardboard at the top of the stairs because in my old house the bannister has big gaps in it and foster kittens lived in my bedroom upstairs so I couldn't bear the thought of them falling through. They were only allowed to get outside the room when I was there anyway, but just in case. I have a door on the kitchen which is left open all day but the cats are locked out at night and unless it is their food time, they don't really bother coming in. They have learnt that hanging around gets them nothing although occasionally one will try their luck :)
None of mine bothered with wires when they were kittens. Even Freddy, officially the naughtiest kitten ever, didn't chew them. He did shred curtains, window blinds, pooed in plant pots, learnt how to use the catflap aged 11 weeks, learnt how to open the catfood cupboard and open pouches, knocked and smashed countless things from every surface imaginable and generally learnt how to be top cat over my other 2 within days. :rofl:
He has calmed down somewhat since then though, although if something crashes in another room - I know which cat is to blame :evillaugh:
I found having Maddy & Paddy as kittens together so much easier because they spent so much time playflighting and chasing that things like wires, curtains, ornaments and counter tops took a much lower priority.
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Forgot about the banisters.........I also used cardboard - I taped it to the wood so they couldn't move it
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I would be tempted to ring Dettols customer care and ask them ;D
I just wanted to say thanks to Helen for recommending the dettol spray as i havent been able to spot one without the pets warning.
I went to ASDA last night and looked at a couple of the Dettol sprays, one of the surface cleaners had the pets warning but the 3 in one cleaner doesnt have the warning, so I assume it is okay? (they seem to have to warn if its harmful dont they?) I bought it anyway ;D although i'd be interested what the customer care line said :)
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I emailed Dettol the other day about this as the boys are getting bigger now and it won't be long before they can jump high enough to get on the worksurfaces. Here's the reply I got:
"Thank you for your email regarding Dettol Antibacterial Surface Cleanser
This product is safe to use around pets as long as the surface is completely
dry before before the animal is allowed to walk on it.
Kind Regards
Dettol"
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Does anyone know if ecover products are cat safe? I always rinse well/dry after using but would be interested to know :-:
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MM I use Ecover spray to clean Lexy's place mat for her food and the floor around her (since she's a messy eater) and she gets on ok with it.
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Thanks Ruth ;D
I was thinking more of longterm use causing problems, like Dettol, its trace residues building up in the cats body that slowly gets them.
Il email them to find out and report back when i hear
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I've been using it for ayear twice a day, and vet is ok with it (I checked). As its all plant based I would "assume" its ok but would be interested to read anything they send you.
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It's amazing the things they get into, isn't it?
I went into panic mode last night when I realised I hadn't seen Daisy for an hour or two. After looking every place I thought she could possibly be, I pulled out my sock drawer and she was tucked up fast asleep in there. There's a space underneath to put shoes and she must've gone up the back of the drawer.