It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The festive smells, shimmering lights, and jolly decorations are enough to get anyone in the Christmas spirit, even your feline friends.
As you get your home ready to celebrate this most joyous season, it’s important to keep the basics of cat holiday safety in mind to ensure your beloved pets stay out of harm’s way and can enjoy the festivities with you and your family.
Here are some safety tips I’ve learned over the years that will help keep your cats safe all season long.
Nala’s Tips for Cat Holiday Safety
Place Tinsel Out of Paw’s Reach
The sparkly appearance of tinsel makes it a popular holiday decoration, and to your cats, an irresistible toy. However, these stringy adornments pose a major hazard to cats.
If your furry friend gets carried away and swallows pieces of tinsel, they can easily cause intestinal obstructions that will require surgery to fix. While decking your halls with tinsel, make sure your cat won’t be able to reach any part of it or opt for safer options like thick cloth ribbons or paper bows.
Be Cautious With Candles and Fireplaces
Lighting colorful candles and getting cozy around the fireplace are holiday season staples, but if you’re a cat pawrent, you’ll want to use extra caution.
Some cats are drawn to the magical dance of flames and singe themselves after getting too close while others accidentally knock a candle over during all of the yuletide excitement.
It’s a good idea to keep lit candles in places your cats can’t reach, use a fireplace shield in front of your hearth, and above all, NEVER leave your pets and an active flame unsupervised. In fact, these are good rules of thumb when using candles or the fireplace any time of year.
Keep a Close Eye on the Christmas Tree
Oh Christmas Tree, how lovely are your branches…for climbing! Some cats can’t resist an interesting new climbing spot, and it doesn’t get much more intriguing than a lovely tree filled with dangling ornaments and sparkling lights.
If your cat attempts to summit your tree, it could topple over and result in injury to themselves or others. If you notice your furry friend taking interest in climbing the tree, you might want to consider keeping them out of the room you’ve placed it in. You could also move your tree to an area your cat won’t have access to.
Another thing to keep in mind about live Christmas trees is that the water they stand in is filled with chemicals, pesticides, and fertilizers that are toxic to pets. To keep your curious cat from taste-testing the Christmas tree water, try covering the base with aluminum foil.
Hide Electrical Cords
Many of your Christmas lights and other lovely decorations require an electrical outlet to truly shine, meaning there will likely be an excessive amount of electrical cords lying around. This can unintentionally create a cat playground, at least from your fur baby’s perspective.
If they play or chew on plugged-in cords, it could result in them getting burned or electrocuted. To prevent this from happening, hang lights high enough that your cat can’t reach them and secure any loose cords so they don’t tempt your little buddy.
Avoid Poisonous Plants
There is plenty of beautiful Christmas foliage you can use to brighten up your home during the holidays, but not all of them are safe for pets. Here are the flowers and plants that are known to be toxic and dangerous to cats:
- Poinsettias
- Holly
- Mistletoe
- Amaryllis
- Lillies
If you use any of these plants during the holidays, make absolutely certain your furry friend can’t get to them. I’m sure the last place you want to be during such a wonderful time of year is at the emergency vet.
You could also replace these flowers with feline-safe options like:
- Christmas cactus
- Phalaenopsis orchid
- African violet
Don't Share Your Food
There are many wonderful and healthy foods you can share with your four-legged companions, but you might want to check the list of ingredients twice during the holidays.
Many of your favorite holiday foods contain items that are toxic to cats including chocolate, raisins, cinnamon, onions, and garlic. Dairy products can also upset our tummies, so be mindful when setting out the milk and cookies for Santa.
Instead of sharing snacks from your own plate, you can let your precious feline know what a good boy or girl they’ve been this year by rewarding them with delicious and nutritious treats formulated just for them. Love, Nala’s mousse treats are creamy, whipped to purrfection, and taste-tested and approved by me!
Happy Holidays From My Family to Yours!
My pawrents, fur siblings, and I wish you and yours a warm holiday season filled with comfort and joy
We’d love to have you join us in the new year for all of the exciting things we have planned! Be sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest news, new flavors, and more. We can’t wait to share our journey towards better nutrition for all cats with you.
Love, Nala
