According to the National Pet Owners Survey by the American Pet Products Association, almost 70 percent of households in the country own a minimum of one pet. That’s about 85 million households needing potential plumbing services that their pets may cause.

While we love our precious pets, plumbing issues caused by them are never fun. As a responsible pet owner, you have most likely taken the steps necessary to pet-proof your home. However, you may not have considered how your pets can put a strain on your home’s plumbing.

Pet Proofing Your Home

Owning a pet entails a lot of responsibilities. This ensures that you and your pet will have a safe and comfortable home.

When it comes to pet proofing a home, many of us unfortunately overlook plumbing care and maintenance. Often, a plumbing issue has already worsened before we can remedy it.

Here are some quick plumbing do’s and don’ts’s when pet proofing your home.

Do: Use a drain strainer. This handy device will catch all pet hair and dander before they end up clogging your shower drain. Many of us think that because pet hair is shorter than human hair, they can’t clog our sink or shower drain.

However, that cannot be further than the truth. Over time, pet hair will start to accumulate. Next thing you know, you have a clogged drain. You can easily prevent this plumbing frustration by using drain strainers.

Do: Protect your pipes. Some dogs will often chew on plumbing pipes. Make sure that you protect your under-the-sink pipes by keeping the cabinets locked. You can also take it a step further by applying chewing deterrent to your pipes.

As the name suggests, this item will prevent your dogs from chewing on the pipes. To absolutely make sure that your dogs stay away from pipes, give them enough chew toys to keep them busy.

Don’t: Flush cat litter down the toilet. We will further explain this down below. Cat litter will cause clogging. It’s also toxic, so it shouldn’t mix with septic tanks.

Don’t: Let your pets drink toilet water. The chemicals you use for cleaning your toilet bowl is toxic. Make sure to keep your toilet cover closed at all times. On top of that, keep your pet’s water bowls filled at all times.

Homeowners don’t really talk about plumbing safety and pet care. However, those issues may significantly affect one another. Your pets can interact and reach your pipes and drains in unpredictable ways. Once you neglect or procrastinate on certain problems, then you may require costly and stressful plumbing services.

To prevent any plumbing damages and to protect your pets from plumbing-related accidents, follow these helpful tips for pet owners.

Don’t Flush Cat Litter Down the Toilet

There are some brands of cat litter that advertise themselves as flushable. However, it’s best never to flush cat litter down the toilet – whether it can be flushed or not. The first time you flush it down may not cause any significant damage to your toilet.

However, if you do it two or three more times, it can build up. This will then eventually clog your toilet. It can also impact your plumbing system, which may need expensive plumbing services and repair.

Other than clogged drainage, cat feces contain deadly parasites. Your local water treatment systems may not be designed to get rid of these organisms.

You may dispose of cat litter using the following methods:

Put it in a plastic bag then put that bag inside another one. This can contain another and help prevent spreading bacteria. Once it’s double-bagged, throw it in your outdoor garbage can.

If the cat litter is biodegradable, then you can spread it around your plants or garden. However, if you have a vegetable garden, don’t ever use it on there.

Keep Toilet Lids Shut

Always remind everyone in your household to keep the lid of the toilet shut. This house policy should be implemented permanently. It’s not a good sight to discover your pet dog or cat drinking from the toilet bowl. Aside from the unpleasantness, it can cause them to get sick.

Always Leave Water for Your Pet

However, there may be times that someone in your household forgets to close the toilet lid; things like that may happen. A precaution you may take to steer your pet dog or cat away from drinking from the toilet bowl is to always leave water out for them. Place their water bowls where they can easily find and access them.

Bathe Your Pets Outdoors

Of course, the better option is to bathe your pets outdoors. However, if this isn’t possible and you have to use the bathtub, always make sure that the drain stopper or strainer is in place. Pet hair can cause clogged drains, especially if you have a pet that sheds excessively.

Before bathing your pet, it’s a good idea to brush his fur thoroughly. Brushing may also get rid of any burrs, dirt, or other things that you wouldn’t want down your drain. After bath time, make sure that you thoroughly wipe down the bottom and side of the tub to gather any remaining hair.

Keep an Eye Out When Your Pets Dig in the Backyard

If your pet dog is quite the excavator, always keep an eye on what he is up to. Your sewer or water line may be placed a little less and not more than two feet below the surface of the ground.

If your dog is an excited and frequent digger, then he may get to the water or sewer line and damage it.

Keep a constant watch on what your pet dog is up to in the yard. This will help avoid any plumbing services caused by your pet.

Final Thoughts

We hope you find this information useful. If you keep these tips in mind, then your pet care and safety, along with your plumbing system may get on harmoniously. And if ever you need any plumbing services, hopefully, it won’t be because of your unsuspecting pet.