Halloween is over, October is behind us, winter is quickly approaching, and the holiday season is right around the corner. That can only mean one thing: decorations, delicious food, family get-together, and holiday traditions.
But while we swap our haunted house for a cornucopia—and soon a Christmas tree—let’s keep our furry friends’ health and safety in our thoughts.
After all, cat hazards come in bunches during the holidays. And the last thing we want to endure this Thanksgiving or Christmas is a tragedy. So let’s do whatever possible to avoid that!
Preventing Cat Hazards This Holiday Season
In an earlier post, we talked about some of the most common household hazards for cats. That list included certain house plants, cords, strings, cables, wires, chemicals, and some human foods.
Those hazards still apply during the holiday season, but there are also a host of new hazards unique to the holiday season that could pose a threat to your furry friends.
Chocolate, candy, holiday decorations, Christmas trees, candles, festive plants, large groups of people, and the list goes on.
To ensure you and your family have a safe winter, let’s take a deeper look at some of the most common holiday hazards for cats, and how you can avoid tragedy this year.
1. Chocolate & Other Halloween Candy
While the Halloween decorations are being put in the attic, Halloween candy will likely stick around for another month or so, especially as stores put leftover candy on sale.
With that said, let’s use this as a reminder that chocolate contains a chemical compound called theobromine, which is toxic to both cats and dogs.
Candies high in sugar and Xylitol, an artificial sweetener that’s found in a lot of different types of candy, can also cause health issues if ingested by a cat.
And if that’s not concerning enough, some candy, as well as candy wrappers, can be a choking hazard for cats.
2. Holiday Decorations
Anytime you introduce something new to the house, your cat will likely spend hours observing, analyzing, and investigating it.
Most cats will spend hours observing, analyzing, and investigating anything new that gets introduced to the house; after all, they’re known for their curiosity.
But sometimes, that nosiness can get them in trouble. And holiday decorations are often a major culprit during the winter season. Lights and ribbons are the biggest issue here. Since they often look like yarn or string to a cat, it doesn’t take long before they’re chewing through the lights and trying to hang from them.
Chewing through lights could result in your cat electrocuting themselves, which can cause harm.
Other things, such as artificial snow, can be toxic if ingested, while some objects, like pieces to a miniature village, can be a choking hazard if swallowed.
3. Christmas Tree
Whether you use a real or fake tree this Christmas, it’s important cat owners know the dangers that come with it.
Decorations like tinsel, ribbons, string, and small ornaments can be choking hazards if swallowed. And those sharp hooks can harm your cat if they fall on the floor.
If you use a real fir, spruce, or pine tree, the needles are all mildly toxic to cats if ingested. Even the water in the tree stand can contain sap, pesticides, or preservatives, which are toxic to a cat.
And let’s not forget about how much our furry friends like to climb. If they feel compelled to do so on your sparkly, jingly Christmas tree, that can quickly lead to disaster.
While this shouldn’t stop you from having a tree, I recommend keeping an eye on what your cat is doing when near the tree. If they start to nibble, climb, or play, intervene immediately.
4. Candles & Essential Oils
If you’re like me, then you love burning a good fall, or winter, themed candle to help set the mood while we hibernate indoors for the holidays.
The biggest concern here is the fire hazard, which is very common if cats have access to the candle. The flickering flame draws their attention, but we all know what happens if they get too close.
And while most wax melts aren’t entirely toxic to cats, it’s best to keep these away from cats, as well.
If possible, place your candles, melts, and essential oils in places your cat can’t reach or climb to. And make sure you get in the habit of blowing candles out whenever you leave a room unattended.
5. Festive Plants
There are more than 400 plants identified as toxic to cats, and some of those plants are commonly seen during the holidays.
For example, poinsettias are commonly used with Christmas decorations, but are mildly toxic to cats. Not only that, but the milky white sap inside a poinsettia can irritate your cat’s mouth, skin, and stomach.
The spiny needles from the Holly plant can lead to injury, while consuming the berries of a mistletoe plant can lead to an upset stomach in most cats—American mistletoes are less toxic than European ones.
Other festive plants that are at least somewhat toxic to a cat include lilies, azaleas, Christmas trees, amaryllis flowers, and yew.
If you plan on introducing these plants into your home this holiday season, make sure you keep them far away from your cat! Or you can always replace them with pet-friendly plants!
6. Human Food
Some of the most hazardous foods for cats, aside from chocolate, include grapes, raisins, onions, avocados, garlic, meat bones, milk and dairy products, chives, and alcohol.
With that said, you’ll want to keep your cat away from seasoned turkey meat, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato casserole, green bean casserole, corn, pumpkin pie, and eggnog.
High-fat foods, such as ice cream or meat like roast beef or lamb chops, are also dangerous for a cat to eat. You’ll also want to make sure they don’t ingest any wooden skewers, or the string used to tie roasts.
And always make sure you secure food on your countertops and avoid leaving uncovered food unattended in any room in the house. Your cat’s curiosity will kick in eventually.
If you want to give them a tasty treat this holiday season, try a pet-friendly fruit snack!
7. Large Groups of People
While some cats are social butterflies when company comes over, other cats get extremely anxious and nervous once people start piling into the house.
If that sounds like your cat, be mindful of them this holiday season and make sure you give them a safe space whenever people come over to avoid cat anxiety.
Dedicate a room in the house to just them, and fill it up with their favorite things—food, water, toys, blankets, litter box, and some of your dirty clothes to keep your scent nearby.
Place a sign on the door to make sure your guests know not to go in there. And make regular visits to give your cat pets let them know you’re close and it’ll all be over soon.
