Fire Safety and Your Cat: What You Need to Know
In the event of a fire you want to ensure that your family is able to quickly and safely evacuate. But what about the four-legged members of your family? There are a few things that you can do to ensure that your cat remains safe if your home was ever to be affected by fire. You can also take steps to make sure that your cat's natural curiosity is not responsible for the fire! So when it comes to fire safety and your feline, what do you need to know?
Cats and Flames
Be wary about leaving your cat unattended around open flames. A curious cat can quite easily knock a candle over, causing a fire. If such a thing was to happen, you can generally extinguish these small fires yourself to prevent widespread damage. Regardless of whether you have a cat, it's important to ensure that your home has fire extinguishers and a fire blanket. Make sure that you regularly have your extinguishers serviced by a fire extinguishers services company, as per the manufacturer's instructions. This gives you the resources to take care of any of your cat's fire-based mishaps.
The Great Escape
If you've installed a cat flap, your cat will be able to make their own way to safety. Remember that your cat will probably be spooked by the fire, and this might cause them to run. Ensure that your cat has been microchipped so that they can quickly be returned to you if the worst was to happen.
Leaving in a Hurry
Keep your cat carrier by the front or back door. This allows you to quickly secure your cat if you need to evacuate. It's not enough to simply pick your cat up and leave since your cat can quite easily escape once you've left your home if they're scared by the flames. The carrier is necessary to restrain your cat and keep them safe.
An Important Notification
If you were away from home when a fire broke out, you need to ensure that firefighters know to rescue your cat. Most pet shops will sell notification stickers which can be placed on a window at the front of your home. You might also want to get them from an animal charity shop so that a portion of the proceeds will go to animals less fortunate than your own. These stickers simply state that there are animals inside so that firefighters know to look for them.
With a few basic precautions, you can do everything that you can to make sure that your precious puss stays safe if the worst was to happen.