This article will surprise a lot of people who read it. It’s not often that you see an article written about your cats safety. Perhaps dogs, but not cats. But, to begin with, the American Pet Products Association estimates that there are 94 million cat owners compared to 90 million dog owners in the United States. These are surprising numbers and that’s why I’ve written this article.
We are all living in the Houston area. There are a lot of swimming pools in the Houston area. That number is growing daily and is expected to continue to grow. So, if you are a cat owner, please be aware that swimming pools are a risk for those cats that you love.
Many cats don’t like water and will likely stay away from swimming pools. But, it will surprise many of you to learn that many cats do like water. Watch this video:
It’s estimated that nearly 5000 cats and dogs drown in residential swimming pools each year. But, that’s only an estimate because hard numbers are not kept on this statistic. Some experts believe this is a conservative number.
Keep Your Cat Out of the Pool Area
The best way to protect a cat from drowning in a residential pool is to prevent them from getting to the pool… install a removable mesh pool fence. Cats have a difficult time from climbing up these fences. A removable mesh pool fence is convenient and can be quickly installed. The mesh design is transparent giving you full view of your pool area.
Installing a mesh pool fence is no guarantee that your cat can’t find a way into your residential swimming pool. However, doing everything you can to keep them away from that unsafe water is highly recommended. Cats are small and will have a difficult time climbing out of that water… even if you have steps and have shown them where they are. If they have accidentally fallen into the water, they will swim the best they can until they have become exhausted and drown.
Learn Cat CPR for Added Protection
If it appears that your beloved cat has drowned, give your cat cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Here are the steps to do it:
1. Gently place the cat on its side.
2. Check for foreign objects in the cat's mouth – clear the mouth if necessary.
3. Keep the cat's mouth closed and breathe small breaths into the cat’s nose. You should see the cat’s chest rise and fall. Do this about 20 times per minute.
4. Place the palm of your hand across the cat’s chest, above where the heart would be. Now, place your other hand on top.
5. Push down about one inch – compressing the chest. Do this quickly – about 80 times per minute.
6. After you have compressed the chest about 30 times, breathe twice into the cat’s nose. Then, continue chest compressions. Repeat and continue.
7. Once your cat starts to breathe on its own, always seek your veteran’s attention.
Here is a short video you may want to watch on giving your cat CPR:
Choose Life Saver for Your Mesh Pool Fence
Life Saver Of Houston sells and installs the best mesh pool fence sold in the market. Life Saver has been on the market a long time and understands how important your cat, children, and other pets are. For a FREE QUOTE, give the owner of Life Saver Of Houston, his name is Wayne, give him a call. His telephone number is (832) 367-2377. Or, you can email him.