How to Prevent Your Cat from Becoming Trapped
The following information points out safety hazards in the home as well as areas where cats can accidentally become trapped. Many feline owners don’t think of these potentially dangerous locations until it’s too late. I didn’t, and hopefully my experiences will help others prevent problems and keep their cats safe. Consider these areas cats can become trapped in the home, and take the necessary steps to prevent your beloved pet from becoming a sad statistic.
Prevent Him From Being Trapped in Furniture
Some people would never consider furniture a hazard to their pet, but furniture with doors and drawers can prove to be deadly. Cats can become trapped or injured in chests of drawers or within cabinets, and it’s important to pay attention to the location of your pet before they’re closed to prevent injury. Cats are quick, and they’re sneaky little creatures. One moment they’re snoozing on your favorite chair, and the next minute they’ve put themselves in a potentially dangerous situation.
My sister told me a story about her cat becoming trapped, and since the kitty wasn’t hurt it was quite humorous, but her story could have ended differently. Her cat Athena hopped into an open drawer while she was putting clothes away, and while she was out of sight my sister attempted to close that drawer, and it wouldn’t close. The cat didn’t make a sound. Instead, the cat moved into another drawer. Each time my sister opened and tried to shut a drawer, another drawer wouldn’t close. She couldn’t imagine what was happening, and it seemed like a funny situation – until she heard Athena meow.
My sister’s cat had worked her way down all of the drawers in an attempt to escape, and she became trapped in the bottom. At first my sister was unable to remove the bottom drawer because of a catch, and she prayed for help from God to release this helpless creature. She had to remove the drawer so the cat could escape, and after praying for help, the drawer was finally free along with the cat.
The cat was uninjured, but this true story could have ended very differently. Athena could have suffered serious injuries from the closing drawers, or if my sister was successful in closing all of the drawers, her cat could have been trapped indefinitely. Imagine what would happen if the drawers had been closed and my sister went to work or left for the day or even the weekend assuming the cat was somewhere in the house. Prevent problems before they start, and check drawers and compartments carefully before trying to close them.
Prevent Him From Being Trapped in the Dryer
Cats love warmth, and the warmth of an open dryer is an invitation for disaster. When your back is turned the cat could jump in, and a cat trapped in a running more often than not has a deadly outcome. Prevent problems by always being aware of the location of your cat when loading the dryer, and carefully look inside before starting it. You might think you’d hear your cat tumbling around in the dryer, but for the safety of your pet, don’t make this assumption, especially if your cat is still a kitten. This happened to someone I know, and she was devastated.
Prevent Entrapment in Closets
I’ve locked my cats in the closet on more than one occasion, and they both respond differently when trapped. My younger cat makes himself comfortable and takes a nap, but my calico cat tries to dig her way out and injures herself in the process. Closets aren’t usually deadly, unless you’ll be gone for days, but cats can become injured when trapped and panicked.
On one occasion my calico cat was trapped for a short time in my bedroom closet. I would have eventually noticed, especially if she meowed, but instead of meowing or taking a nap she tried to remedy the problem herself. My calico cat ended up with a bloody and swollen nose, and the carpeting under the door was permanently damaged after she tried to dig her way out. These days I always make sure my cats aren’t trapped in the closet before closing the door. Prevent your cat from becoming trapped by taking the time to look around in the closet before closing the door.
Prevent Your Pet From Becoming Trapped in Open Areas Next to Walls
My washer and dryer are in a kitchen closet, and just a few days ago while working on an article, I heard what sounded like my cat tumbling in the dryer. I couldn’t imagine how my cat could be tumbling in the dryer since I hadn’t turned it on, but within seconds I ran to the kitchen and flung open the door. My cat wasn’t in the empty dryer, but he was next to the dryer, and he was tightly wedged next to the wall.
I immediately reached down to pull him out since he was tightly trapped and becoming more tightly wedged as he struggled, but I couldn’t reach him. My arms were too short. Even though I have cervical spinal stenosis and I don’t have a lot of strength in my upper body, I used all the strength I had to move the washer and dryer away from the wall. I had to rescue the cat I love, and I had to use all of my strength and do it fast to prevent his death. I prayed out loud for help from God to give me the strength I needed to save my cat and prevent him from suffering a devastating injury.
I was able to move the washer and dryer several inches, but it wasn’t enough for him to be able to free himself, so I ran to get a chair. I stood on the chair, and reached down to grab the nape of his neck. I didn’t want to pick him up in this manner, but I didn’t have any other option. I gathered as much of the loose skin on his neck and shoulders as I possibly could, and I pulled him up just like a mother cat would pick up her young.
My cat didn’t struggle. Instead he pulled up his back legs and assumed the position that allowed me to lift him out of the area where he was trapped. His breathing was labored, and his heart was beating very hard and fast. Reality hit as I held him close and stroked his fur back into place. I truly believe if I hadn’t been home, or if I had been busy elsewhere in the house, my cat would have died of suffocation between the wall and the dryer. This was a potentially dangerous situation, and I was given another chance to prevent future problems.
Consider my experience, and take a few moments right now to look around your home to prevent your cat from becoming trapped, injured, or even killed. If you find places where your cat might become trapped, take the necessary measures that will prevent this from happening. Make sure your washer and dryer or other appliances are either close enough to the wall or far enough away to prevent entrapment. My cat and I were lucky this time, but I suffered excruciating neck pain which kept me offline and incapacitated for a couple of days. However, I’ve permanently moved my washer and dryer in an effort to prevent him from ever becoming trapped again.
