If you’re a pet owner, then you probably know how destructive their little teeth and persistent chewing can be. Puppies and rodents seem to chew on anything they can get their chompers on and you’ve probably already lost a few shoes to their destructive habit. However, chewing is not only dangerous for your possessions—it can actually be deadly for your pet when the items in question are electrical power cords.
If an electrical cable gets damaged, your pet can be electrocuted. Some injured animals end up with pulmonary edemas, high blood pressure and cataracts, while others don’t survive the shock. So, if you want to keep your pet and your possessions safe, here’s how pet-proofing your home from cables is the smart thing to do.
Prevent your pet from reaching the cables
This is a temporary solution, but it can work perfectly until you handle your cables. Put a pet or baby gate to keep your pets from reaching certain areas or lock your pet in their crate when you’re not home to supervise them.
Protect your cables
Today, you can also find cord wraps that will protect your cables from sharp teeth. Spiral wraps or wire loom tubing is cheap and effective in most cases. If you have pets with small yet very sharp teeth, consider getting a metallic braided sleeving for your cords from your local electronics shop.
Make cords gross for your pets
Another practical way to keep your cords and pets safe is to use deterrent spray. These make all sprayed items taste bitter and put dogs off from chewing said items. A bottle of deterrent costs less than $20 in Australia, so you can easily afford it. However, make sure to keep an eye on your pet and see how they react to the spray.
Some pets don’t care about the taste at all and continue with their bad habit. If you know your pet is very stubborn, make sure to have an electrician from Northern Beaches ready to come and inspect your cables. They can also offer great solutions to your damage and help you find the best way to fix your problems.
Hide the cords
One great option to keep your cables safe is to get them out of reach for your pets. For instance, you can hide cables behind your TV stand, sofa or any other furniture pieces. If you have big dogs, creating a barrier between them and the cord will keep them permanently off your property. However, smaller pets like cats or ferrets can squeeze into very tiny spaces, so this method might not be good for you. Running cables under carpets is also a great solution, but watch out for trips!
Lift them up
Pets are mostly attracted to dangling cables or cables on the ground, so make sure to lift your cords and keep them fixed to the wall. There are practical cord clips for walls or you can opt for wire ties to attach cords to desk legs or shelves.
Run your cables through the walls
If you have drywall, you can easily run your cables through your walls and keep them completely safe from all sorts of damage. And the best thing is that you only need to drill a few holes, fish your cable and you’re done—no additional damage to your walls or disturbance to your daily life. You can also thread your cables through your basement or attic.
Remove access cord
Excess cord is bad for various reasons: it attracts pets, can be a strangulation hazard for little chewers and poses a trip hazard for humans. So, make sure to take your excess cable and get it under control with a cord winder. And don’t just stop with your cables. You can also handle other loose cords like those on window treatments that can attract your pets and become wrapped around their necks.
Unplug
This is not a permanent solution either, but it can be used in extreme situations in order to protect your pet. If you unplug your cables, it will not prevent your pet from chewing, but it will prevent electric shocks and any injury to your naughty four-legged friend.
Who says pets and cords can’t co-exist? If you provide good protection for your cables and do a few things to keep your pets distracted and busy (regular exercise and chew toys), you can easily enjoy all your electronics without any issues.
