So another Christmas Holiday Season is here! As I write this post, Christmas Day is only a week away. While Christmas is a special time for most of us, it can be a dangerous time for our cats, if we don’t take the time and care to make them safe.
Its fairly easy to find a few website which go into some detail about the dangers the holiday season can bring for our cats, many of us don’t have the time to go look for those sites. However, never fear, I have done the searching for you and will now share them with you and have found 4 great websites that will give you a “pawthera” of valuable information. I am adding their links in the following paragraphs. Sorry in advance if this content, below, is a bit disturbing. It’s certainly NOT my intention for that to occur but this topic cannot be discussed without the genuine warnings we all need to heed to keep our beloved cats safe and alive this Christmas!
One of the most dangerous Holiday trimmings are the tree lights. I have read stories about cats getting tangled in the lights on the floor and in the tree. This entanglement can sometimes lead to a cat getting strangled or have its blood circulation restricted by the light string tight around a limb. Unfortunately some cats have died from this. I also MUST metion that since cats like to bite and chew stuff, electric lights that are “live” can most certainly electrocute them and burn them. But this will NOT happen to our cats as we will all help them to never get entangled in the lights! This article (click here for new tab) goes into more detail. ALSO, see this article (click here for new tab) for a great graphic and more important info!
Another big danger for our precious cats are the holiday plants that folks usually have around the house this time of the year. One common culprit are Poinsettia plants. They are poisonous to cats! Yet, they are not the worst. Any kind of lillies and amaryllis are especially dangerous, and mistetoe and holly! These are a “must-keep-away” from our cats! Seriously! This article (click here for new tab) goes into more detail. ALSO, see this article (click here for new tab) for a great graphic and more important info!
Many cat lovers and owners are unaware of how our human food can be dangerous and toxic to cats! I was unaware of many of these until I researched it! I am so glad I did! While most cats are not interested in eating toxic foods like onions, chocolate, and avocados, they may crave a dish that contains these ingredients. Also, your cat can develop vomiting or diarrhea after consuming rich, fatty foods. High sodium foods can cause health problems as well. Dairy products may cause diarrhea. Were you aware that vets estimate that about half of cats are lactose intolerant? This article (click here for new tab) goes into more detail. ALSO, see this article (click here for new tab) for a great graphic and more important info! ALSO, though not a food, potpourri can cause serious gastrointestinal problems which can last several days even after the material has passed through!
While many of us may be tempted to dress up our cats for Christmas (see my last post with 50-plus Christmas cats here), we must consider that before we start dressing up our cats this holiday season, make sure we are not creating unnecessary stress. The holiday season can be hectic enough for our cat. Why make things worse by torturing her with those reindeer antlers? This article (click here for new tab) goes into more detail. ALSO, see this article (click here for new tab) for a great graphic and more important info!
There are other dangers for our cats during the holidays (and most any time) that we should consider. Some are as follows.
- Ensure your cat has several safe and comfortable places to hide and get away from the noise and hustle and bustle. Advise visitors not to approach the cat if it is in its bed, but only to stroke the cat if it initiates contact.
- Ensure there is always an open door to allow the cat to get away from any noisy parties or dinners to a quieter part of the home.
- Consider plugging in a ‘Feliway’ diffuser into the room the cats spends most time several days before the festivities begin.
- If visitors are sleeping in one of the rooms the cat usually uses, for example, for sleeping, eating or toileting, be sure to provide the required resources (beds, food or litter tray) in other quieter parts of the house.
- If the cat is particularly sound sensitive, avoid crackers and party poppers.
- If a dog is visiting it may be helpful to restrict its access to the cats retreat areas using for example baby gates on the stairs.
See more on the above in this article here (click here for new tab).
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