Stopping Trash Raiding and Sink Drain Mischief: Lids and Locks
๐จ Check first
Risk of emergency surgery: Trash cans and kitchen sink drains are full of things soaked in smells cats find delicious: bamboo skewers from grilled meat, fried chicken bones (cooked chicken bones split lengthwise into sharp pieces that pierce the stomach and intestines), fish bones, plastic wrap and bags with meat juices on them, and desiccant packets from snacks. If a cat digs these out and swallows them, it can mean life-threatening abdominal surgery.
๐ The answer in 3 seconds
- To feline noses, trash cans containing fish bones or meat packages represent treasure troves; once a cat tips a bin over and enjoys a reward, they use their wits to open lids repeatedly.
- The most reliable solution is to replace every trash can in the house (especially in the kitchen and washroom) with one that has a lock, a foot pedal, or sits inside a cabinet with a door, so a cat can never open it with its paws or by ramming it.
- Do not keep a sink-corner scrap basket, and put a heavy stainless steel cover (or an upside-down colander with a weight on it) over the drain so the cat physically cannot get its nose in.
๐ Flowchart
- Step 1Do not throw kitchen food scraps, meat wrap, bamboo skewers, or empty lickable treat pouches straight into an ordinary trash can. First put them in an odor-proof bag (or double plastic bags tied tightly), then throw them into a heavy trash can with a locking lid (or one inside the cabinet under the sink).
- Step 2Washroom trash (used cotton swabs, dental floss, and clumps of hair are the dangerous items cats swallow most often) should also go in a small lidded container, or be kept in the storage behind the bathroom mirror.
- Step 3Remove the sink-corner scrap basket (seal food scraps in a plastic bag and throw them out each time), and put a stainless steel cover your cat cannot push aside with its paws over the drain basket.
โญ Step-by-step fix
Step 1 ยท What you can do at home right now
Do not throw kitchen food scraps, meat wrap, bamboo skewers, or empty lickable treat pouches straight into an ordinary trash can. First put them in an odor-proof bag (or double plastic bags tied tightly), then throw them into a heavy trash can with a locking lid (or one inside the cabinet under the sink).
Step 2
Washroom trash (used cotton swabs, dental floss, and clumps of hair are the dangerous items cats swallow most often) should also go in a small lidded container, or be kept in the storage behind the bathroom mirror.
Step 3
Remove the sink-corner scrap basket (seal food scraps in a plastic bag and throw them out each time), and put a stainless steel cover your cat cannot push aside with its paws over the drain basket.
โ Never do this
- Throwing sashimi trays, grilled fish bones, or empty lickable treat pouches straight into a trash can with a light swing lid or no lid (accidents where a cat cuts its tongue licking the sharp edge of an empty pouch, or swallows the whole pouch, are common).
- Dragging cats to trash cans to scold them after raids occur (failing to connect punishment with the act, causing them instead to raid stealthily during late nights when owners sleep).
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