Holiday Hazards for Cats
Although it is considered “the most wonderful time of the year” the holiday season presents an amazingly wide array of risks and challenges to a cat (and most other household pets too). Not only is there an overwhelming amount of new food brought into the home (most of which can harm an animal), there are plants, decorations, and the hazards of a wide-open front door as well.
A savvy pet owner is one who creates a very simple list of the things that could harm their cat or cats throughout the entire holiday season. For example, before the season really kicks in, they should assess the areas of the home that can present the most threats and then make an easily seen list for themselves and their guests about the things that must not be left in easy reach.
For instance, a look at the kitchen would show that the cat should not be able to gain access to things like chocolate, salt, alcoholic beverages (something like eggnog would be very tempting), yeasty dough, and even such things as coffee grounds. All of these foods will cause far more than just a bit of digestive upset and could lead to death. If your cats frequently walk on kitchen counters or tables it is going to mean extra vigilance to prevent them from ingesting harmful foods, and simple awareness of what these are is the best prevention.
Of course, cats don’t only eat things in the kitchen and are notorious for killing off houseplants too. This can be very dangerous during the holidays thanks to the appearance of poinsettias, mistletoe, lilies, and holly leaves. Each of these plants is known to cause serious digestive trouble and can even lead to kidney failure and death.
One of the biggest holiday dangers is the Christmas tree and other decorations. Cats can chew on electrical cords and get severely injured (or even killed), they can swallow tinsel which harms their intestines, and they will drink the water in the cut tree holder which is a breeding ground for toxins and poisons as well.
How does someone combat such a list of problems? Again, it is knowing where the trouble will appear that helps to overcome it. It is entirely unnecessary to use any sort of tinsel that a cat (or dog) can eat; checking all cords for any damage and trying to tuck them beneath rugs is a great solution; and installing some extra window screening over the water in tree holder is a simple answer.
Lastly, it is a good idea to make a weather-proof sign by the front door that indicates the need for guests to be aware of the cat and to prevent any house pets from gaining access to the outdoors.
