1. Put your clean cloths away- Both my cats, Pearl and Jade, enjoy snacking on tank top straps or any spaghetti strap for that matter. I have lost many tank tops and night gowns to their ravenous habit. Socks are also a favorite play thing, which they like to toss up and down the hall or hide under the bed. In a pinch a snack of sock can be substituted for a spaghetti strap.

2. Butter goes in a covered dish- I remember the days when I could leave butter out with no worries, but alas they are long past. Now if ever the butter is left uncovered, I must examine it to determine whether or not there are tongue and teeth prints on it.

3. A large area of the bed does not belong to you- Before we had cats, my husband and I had full possession of the bed. Now the cats commandeer a large portion each night so that they can sleep comfortably.

4. Scratching posts are a Godsend- Although I have two cats I am delighted to say that the only evidence of this is their hair. The do not scratch the furniture. They delight in their tall scratching post, which they not only scratch but also climb.

5. Sticky mouse traps are not for open areas- For a spell we had a mouse problem, which the cats did not solve, so some very sticky traps were put down all around the house. We’ve yet to catch a mouse in one, but we did catch a cat in one. Jade, always too curious, got her paw stuck to one and could not remove it herself. Really the whole thing was very funny but did point out the fact that the traps could not be in the open.

6. The scratches of an angry cat go very deep indeed- I don’t recommend giving a cat a bath unless absolutely necessary. Though they may be curious about water or enjoy licking out the shower, cats loath being bathed and will fight tooth and nail to escape as we learned when we had to give ours a flea bath.

Here are Five Ways to Make Your Home Safer for Your Pets.