It’s the holidays! This means you and your cats will have a lot of fun! Here are some safety tips to help keep your feline family healthy this holiday season. For holiday safety tips for cats, read on!
Your tree should not be a source of water for cats.
Stable water is great for bacteria populations to flourish, and can often contain fertilizers from the tree. It can cause digestive problems in cats if it is ingested. You can prevent this by placing plastic wrap or tinfoil on top of the tree’s water tank. Citrus scents can also be a deterrent for cats. Oranges and large orange peels may be used around the tree’s base to discourage them.
Cats love ornaments–especially the fragile ones.
It’s a good idea for your cat to get used to the holiday decorations for at least a few days before decorating it. You should place the more sturdy ornaments towards the bottom of your tree. Make sure you secure them to the branch. Any sentimental or fragile ornaments should be placed towards the top of your tree.
Keep the cat tree and the green tree separate.
We recommend that the tree be placed as far from furniture and perches as space permits (i.e. Launch pads) are best. Some people find it helpful to tie the tree to a ceiling or window sill to prevent it from falling over. However, cats love to play with wires and strings so be careful!
When you are away, unplug string light bulbs.
When you are away from work or at night, make sure to unplug all lights. Flickering/frayed wires must be thrown out immediately.
Tinsel? RUN!
Some cats love to play with angel hair, tinsel, or ribbon. It is difficult/impossible to get tiny strings out of cats’ throats due to the small barbs that are located on their tongues. This is evolutionary to keep prey from getting out of the mouth after they have been caught. This can lead to string/linear objects ingestion, which could be very serious.
Avoid Mistletoe. It’s poisonous.
You can enjoy holiday plants safely away from your feline friends. If ingested, poinsettias or holly can cause severe gastrointestinal upset. Even if you only consume a small amount, lilies or mistletoe could potentially cause life-threatening conditions.
