7 Household Items Dangerous to Cats

Summer has a list of 7 household items that are dangerous to cats.

Even the most careful human can mess up occasionally. Most of you are aware that the following household items are dangerous to cats. This is just a reminder to never leave them sitting around, not even for a moment. We kitties can get ourselves in trouble as soon you turn your head in the other direction! (Something else you no doubt are already aware of.)

So many other worthy posts and articles focus on toxic and poisonous items, so I’m only mentioning the non-poisonous things. This list is by no means comprehensive.

String Things
This include items like yarn, thread, interactive cat toys, and dental floss. They can cause havoc in your cat’s intestines and cause a life threatening emergency. If you are a crafty person, keep your yarn and thread (and needles!) in a box or bag that your cat can’t get into.
Interactive cat toys — the ones on a pole and string that your cat enjoys so much — should be put away in a secure drawer when you are not playing with your cat.

Never toss your dental floss in a non-lidded trash can. In fact, if you have cats (and dogs too), all your trash cans should have lids because we kitties love digging around in them! When we’ve stayed somewhere that doesn’t have lidded trash cans, my human wads up her dental floss after using it and flushes it down the toilet.
Rubber Band Things
This includes plain old rubber bands, of course, but also items like hair ties and hair bands. Anything containing elastic. These can also be dangerous if swallowed. My human doesn’t even keep rubber bands in the house. I’ve shown no interest in hair ties, so she just keeps them put away in her makeup drawer, which I’ve never shown an interest in. If I was intrigued by her hair ties, they would be locked away somewhere.
Plastic Bags and Wrapping
I think a lot of you already know to keep plastic bags away from your cat. He could possibly suffocate if he got tangled in one, and if the handle got caught around his neck, at the very least it might cause him to panic. At worst, it could cause him to strangle himself. But also remember to toss plastic wrapping in a lidded trash bin. That’s another suffocation, choking or blockage danger. Don’t even leave it on the counter for a second. My human bought some “fancy cheese” (her term for it, not mine!), and when she tore off the wrapping, it went in the trash immediately. If she’d left it on the counter and walked way, I would have been on it in no time!
Tin Foil
Wadded up tin foil is not a toy! No matter what your cat says. If chewed on and pieces swallowed, it could be a choking or strangling hazard. It’s also another item that can cause intestinal damage.
Mothballs and Dryer Sheets
I said I wouldn’t include items that were poisonous, but these two are worth a mention in any list of dangerous household items. Sometimes people forget about these, and mothballs can actually kill a cat. Mothballs have been suggested as a wildlife and stray cat deterrents — never, ever use these!
As for those fabric softener sheets, at the very least they can cause skin irritations — or they can cause pulmonary edema and kidney issues. My human uses wool balls (affiliate link) to stop static cling on her clothes, and they work well.
Small Plastic Kids’ Toys
I know it’s a pain for parents to pick up after their kids, but some of those small plastic toys can be dangerous to your cat if chewed up and swallowed! I know this sounds like more of a dog thing, but kids aren’t the cleanest beings around. If they play with their toys while having a snack, their fingers may leave those toys with an enticing smell that will attract a kitty.
Electrical Cords
Kittens and some cats can’t resist chewing on these things, risking electrocution, or at the very least ruining the cord. There are bunches of electric cord covers arounds — there is no excuse not to pick up a few.