Cat Christmas Chaos!

Christmas is a fun time of year, especially for cats who like to test their skill and 9 lives in the home. Here are some tips for you and your adventurous cat to keep safe during the festive season!

Cats can see holiday decorations as their new toys. Some of these decorations can be made from glass. They can be easily breakable by your curious cat, which could cause harm or injury to both cats and the humans that live with them! To reduce this risk, we suggest securing the glass decorations to your tree, for example, using wire.

Some decorations such as tinsel and lametta if ingested can cause a blockage in your cat’s digestive tract, which cannot be detected on Xray, we advise not using tinsel or lametta if this is something your cat enjoys playing with.

Whether your tree is real or fake, there are always risks surrounding them to be aware of. The pine needles of a real tree, when ingested, can cause gastrointestinal issues such as blockages and/or potential perforation. In these cases, urgent medical attention is required. This issue can also arise with artificial trees.

Additionally, if the tree has white tips or ‘fake snow’ on it, this could cause wheezing and asthma when inhaled by your cat. We suggest trying to keep your cat away from your tree (if possible!) and if it's real, to consider vacuuming daily.

Cats are mischievous and can often get caught up in and have the occasional chew on the tree lights. This has the potential to cause serious harm through strangulation and electrocution. We suggest taping loose wires to the floor/walls and getting a plug that automatically turns off the lights (electric) while unsupervised.

Poinsettia, mistletoe, and ivy are all mildly toxic to cats. The symptoms to look out for are drooling, vomiting and diarrhoea but these usually will resolve on their own. If the symptoms have not subsided within a couple of days, seek medical advice.

Lilies are especially toxic to cats and can cause more severe reactions such as convulsions and in some circumstances can be detrimental, if your cat has come into contact with a lily we strongly advise that you seek veterinary advice.

We suggest keeping all of these plants out of reach of your cat, and where possible avoid having lilies in your home at all.

Batteries (especially cell batteries) are more likely to be ingested around the festive season, with all the toys and appliances requiring them. This can cause chemical burns and/or heavy metal poisoning. We suggest making sure that all toys requiring them are supervised and not leaving batteries anywhere easily accessible by your cat. If your cat has ingested a battery you must seek immediate veterinary attention.

With more candles around at this time, be sure to put them where your cat can’t burn their little noses or paws, or brush their fur against them. As nimble as they think they are, they can also be clumsy and could knock them over. This could cause a potential fire in your home. We suggest keeping these out of reach and only lighting them when they can be supervised.

Surprisingly, snow globes are also one to look out for. They contain antifreeze (also known as ethylene glycol) and even in small amounts can be fatal to cats. We suggest making sure that these are out of reach to curb their curiosity.

There are often a lot more tasty treats around at this time, for example, mince pies and Christmas pudding. Both of these contain raisins which are highly toxic to dogs and research shows that they can also be toxic to cats. Similarly, bones that have been cooked, can splinter more easily causing obstruction or perforation which is potentially life-threatening. We suggest making sure these aren’t left unattended and making sure you dispose of leftovers (if there are any!) straight away.

We know that turkey sandwiches are a popular option for leftover meat from the festive period, however, when it gets too old for you to finish, it is also too old for your furry companions to finish. Much like this would for us, this can cause upset tummies.

Reflective collars make a great present for your cat, making them much more visible on dark winter nights.

As well as getting themselves into trouble, cats can also get stressed around the holiday season. We recommend using a Feliway pheromone diffuser to help ease their anxiety, providing your cat with a bubble of calm. Pheromone plugins are naturally appealing to their noses.

Wishing you and your cat a healthy and happy holiday!

If you have any concerns about your cat, please contact us by calling 02084594729.