If you have a pet, or are planning on getting a pet, there are a few things you might want to think about. It’s especially important to make sure that your home a safe place for them – and also so that they don’t destroy everything within reach. Here are five tips on pet proofing your home:

Wooden floors
If you have a carpet, and plan on letting your dog or cat inside – good luck. You’re lovely rug will soon become a mass of animal hair, bits of food, and quite possibly urine. If you can afford it, get a wooden or lino floor. If not, invest in some mats you don’t care about – they may not be pretty, but at least you can take them up when people visit and still have a clean carpet underneath.

Scratching post
Cats need to sharpen their claws, and if they’re mostly inside they’re going to do it on your sofa, if you don’t give them an alternative. A scratching post is definitely worth it.

Hide the valuables
Dogs are known to eat things they really shouldn’t eat, and cats jump all over everything and knock things down. If you have things that are really precious, hide them. Hide them FAR away.

Child proof
They may not have opposable thumps, but this doesn’t always stop pets from breaking into presses and drawers. It’s a good idea to lock any presses that have poisonous substances, just incase.

Safety checks
Cats hang out in the weirdest places – always keep your washing machine closed, and check he’s not taking a nap in there before turning it on. Shut the door behind the dog when the pizza delivery guy comes, so he doesn’t bolt out and down the road. Don’t leave any low hanging cords (such as venetian blind cords) hanging down for your pet to get caught up in either. These kind of safety checks will make sure you have your new best friend around for many years to come.