With all the hustle and bustle of holiday preparations and the excitement it brings, it also can bring a lot of stress to our cats. The holiday season brings many changes in their environment - from the decorations and lights, to increased house guests and noise - our cats can easily get ignored and frightened. While some of our precious felines are used to the everyday activities that the holidays bring, other cats may get over stimulated with all the festivities. Stressed and anxious cats may start to display undesirable behaviors such as:
scratching furniture,
house soiling,
vocalizing,
aggression
or hiding away.
But, It doesn’t have to be this way!
No one wants to deal with an emergency vet visit especially during the holidays, so I’ve prepared a list of a few things to keep in mind to help cat proof your holidays to avoid a holiday emergency.
How to avoid a Holiday Cat-tastrophe!!
Plants:
Cats love to chew, lick and claw at plants. Period.
Poinsettias, holly and mistletoes can be very toxic to cats if ingested, so consider swapping real plants for fake ones during the holidays. If you suspect that your pet has ingested a toxic plant, please take the following steps to ensure you are prioritizing your cat’s health:
identify which plant,
how much was ingested,
contact your regular veterinarian to inform them
and watch for any vomiting/diarrhea.
Some plants can be a GI irritant while others can affect your cat’s organs and cause damage which can become fatal.
Lights/wires:
All the twinkling Christmas lights can capture a curious kitten’s attention and they will love to play around with the dangling cords. Try a natural bitter spray like bitter apple to coat the wires so that your cats will leave them alone and not chew them, thus reducing the risk of getting a serious shock!
Ribbons/tinsel:
Ribbons, bows and tinsel may look like a nice addition to presents and on your Christmas tree, but they can be a major hazard to our pets. If they are ingested it can get wrapped around your cat's internal organs and intestines causing a blockage and could result in a medical emergency.
Houseguests:
The holidays can get quite busy and chaotic at times with lots of family and friends visiting. Make sure to give your cats a safe space they can go to in the home to get away from all the noise and business. Set up a room where they can come and go as they please for some quiet time away from the crowds of people.
Christmas Trees/Glass Ornaments:
Cats and Christmas trees sometimes don't go together as well as we would like. Some cats will see the Christmas tree as a big cat post just for them, playing with all the dangling ornaments and climbing through the branches. Glass ornaments can fall and break posing a hazard for tiny kitty toe beans. Make sure that your tree is also anchored well, as a mischievous kitty can easily knock it over and could injure themselves in the process.
If you have a real tree, make sure to sweep up any needles that may fall as they can be sharp and cause issues if ingested by pets, as well keep tree water covered so that pets can't drink from it and get sick.
Candles:
Flickering candles can attract the attention of curious kittens, they may burn themselves or knock them over causing a bigger disaster. Try using battery operated lights to help keep everyone safe.
Food:
The holiday celebrations also bring lots of yummy food to feast on. Remember to keep your pets in a separate room so that they cannot steal or sneak anything off counters or tables. Alcohol and chocolate is very toxic to cats and can make them quite ill, sometimes can be fatal.
How to include your pet in the holidays:
Include them in family photos, if they don't get stressed out by being held for the photos.
Include them in the presents, buy them some new mice, treats or other toys that they enjoy.
Spend some special time aside from all the festivities to bond with them if they enjoy the attention.
Take kitty shopping by enjoying a nice cup of hot cocoa, sit back in your cozy pj’s and invite your cats to join you in your lap while you do some online shopping.
