If your cat is anything like my two, she’s too curious for her own good. Isabel likes to jump on the counter while I’m unloading the dishwasher or putting groceries in the cupboard so she can be part of the action. There have been several times that I’ve accidentally closed her in the pantry and not realized it for an hour or two.
If your cat has a tendency to wriggle into places where she could get stuck or trapped, be sure to double check before closing doors or drawers, and to do so carefully. The other day I closed my dresser drawer and heard a weird sound when it wouldn’t close all the way. Yes, that would have been Zoe, who climbed behind the drawer when I wasn’t looking and got stuck in the back of the dresser. Good thing I didn’t slam it shut! She could have been hurt.
And Zoe likes to follow me into the closet in the morning while I’m getting dressed, and then she hides behind my wedding dress or the ironing board or something else that keeps her hidden. The other day when Jesse got home from work, he discovered that she’d been stuck in there for about 10 hours.
Short of keeping your cats, who are known for being little escape artists, confined to a specific area at all times, there’s not a whole lot you can do to keep them from getting into things. But be conscientious about keeping them from getting trapped in things.