Keeping Kitty Safe: Know The Biggest Holiday Hazards for Your Festive Feline

With the holiday season in full swing, celebrations are underway, decorations fill your home, and friends and family are coming to town. The holidays truly bring joy, light, and laughter like no other time of year.

However, pet owners need to be mindful that the holidays are not as enjoyable for their fur babies. In particular, cats are especially at risk during the holidays. Knowing what those risks are and how to minimize them is crucial to ensure your kitty’s safety. No one wants to fret over an emergency trip to the vet, especially in the middle of a holiday gathering.

The Biggest Injury Risks Cats Face During The Holidays

The holidays are a time to reflect, celebrate, and ring in a new year. However, this time of year is also when vets see an increase in cat visits due to injuries. But why is there such an influx of appointments, some of them emergency, for cats this time of year?

According to Mike Bradley, DVM, a Detroit-based veterinarian, there are a host of reasons cats are more prone to injury during the holidays. Fortunately, there are ways cat owners can prevent injuries if they pay a bit of attention to their fur babies.

“The biggest types of cat injuries are escapes leading to injury and cats being frightened by houseguests, and company, Dr. Bradley tells A-Z Animals. “This leads to stress and inappropriate urination, behavior flare-ups, etc.”

Dr. Bradley, who has 10 years of experience as a veterinarian, continues, saying, “Foreign body ingestion leading to GI issues, typically string, tinsel, or other holiday decorations, also leads to injury.”

Unlike dogs, however, Dr. Bradley says, “cats are less prone to eat inappropriate things or to eat garbage, bones, or other food.” Despite this, people should “still be mindful not to leave things unattended.”

How Cat Owners Can Help Mitigate Risks to Cats During the Holidays

Lights, food, and decorations abound during the holiday season. While beautiful to look at and enjoy, many of these lovely things can pose unintended dangers to cats. Fortunately, there are steps cat owners can take to mitigate risks to their fur babies so that a trip to the veterinarian does not occur.

“Minimize loose strings and tinsel the cats can get into,” Dr. Bradley explains to A-Z Animals, “and be very mindful of security [tree, etc.].”

In addition to these recommendations, other ways to keep cats safe include:

• Not using glass ornaments on the tree
• Keeping ornaments out of the reach of cats
• Cover water for the tree to keep cats from drinking it
• Remove toxic plants like mistletoe, holly, and poinsettias from the house

Another recommendation that not many think of, according to Dr. Bradley, concerns young children. Some kids may never have been around a cat before. Therefore, expectations need to be set straight away to keep both cats and kids safe.

“If children are coming to the holidays,” Dr. Bradley says, “make sure they can handle pets appropriately and don’t antagonize.”

While these are all ways to reduce the risk of cats getting hurt during the holidays, it is not only physical harm that cat guardians should consider. Kitties may also experience high levels of stress during this chaotic time.

Are Holidays Stressful for Cats?

The holidays are a time of joy and celebration. However, with all the changes and movement occurring in a household, it can be a stressful time for cats. With changes to their daily routines, more people coming and going, and decorations and lights altering their home environment, some cats are unable to relax until the holidays are over.

According to Dr. Bradley, “owners should be mindful of the type of pet that they have.” This is because certain cat breeds tend to be more easily stressed than others. Some of the cats that are prone to stress include:

• Siamese
• Burmese
• Russian Blue
• Bengal
• Ragdoll

Regardless of breed, some cats are just more prone to stress than others. Provide a safe and quiet location that your kitty can escape to throughout the holiday hustle and bustle.

“Minimize time [exposed to holiday activities or decorations],” Dr. Bradley tells A-Z Animals. “Allow the cat a safe space in the basement or some other location, with easy access to food, water, and litter to minimize stress.”

It is not always easy to determine if a cat is stressed. However, signs are likely noticeable. Signs of stress in cats include:

• Going outside of the litter box
• Excessive grooming
• Changes in eating patterns
• Aggressive behavior towards pets or people
• Changes in sleeping patterns
• Hiding

If any of these signs are present, follow Dr. Bradley’s advice. Once the holidays are over and stress subsides, cats should return to their old selves in short order.

How To Keep Cats Out of the Christmas Tree

As the holiday season transitions from Thanksgiving to Christmas, one of the first decorative items we set up is the Christmas tree. For us, the tree is a festive symbol of the season. For cats, the tree is a rarely seen giant climbing structure and scratching post.

For those of us with Christmas tree-obsessed cats, we know our felines’ eyes light up the moment they see it. Some adjustments may need to be made to keep your cat (and your tree) safe and sound.

“This is a hard one. I’ve seen the extreme of putting a cage around a tree…excessive, but it works,” Dr. Bradley explains. “If cats are really into the tree, perhaps a fake tree, or a more metallic/artistic tree is a better option at this time in the family’s life.”

With plenty of realistic artificial trees on the market today, this may not be a bad option for those with a tree-climbing-prone cat. The tree looks real but does not smell real, which may help deter your cat.

Also, by placing ornaments higher in the tree, the temptation to bat at them is minimized. The Christmas tree may just become another item in the house, rather than a novel pine-scented toy. This would make the holiday season more relaxing for all.

Additionally, place any sentimental holiday items in a location that cats cannot reach. If your cat is still in a curious kitten stage, it may be worth keeping precious items packed away for a year or two. This may be enough time for the cat’s curiosity about the holidays to pass, allowing for a peaceful holiday season.

Keeping Cats Safe from the Menorah

Christmas is not the only December holiday that poses dangers to cats, and the reflective flame(s) of a Menorah may be difficult for your cat to resist. Steps may need to be taken to cat-proof portions of Hanukkah.

Some recommendations to keep cats away from the Menorah include:

• Place it out of reach of cats
• Ensure the Menorah is on a stable surface to keep it from tipping over
• Never leave lit candles unattended
• Consider battery operated candles if cats are seriously fixated on flames

In rare circumstances, houses have caught fire after cats knocked over holiday candles, whether those on a Menorah or simply a scented, decorative variety. To play it extra safe, cats should be sequestered in a room or monitored every time candles are lit. Doing this will both keep cats safe and allow the festivities to continue unincumbered.

What Can You Do When Cats Are Overly Curious During the Holidays?

During the holidays, all the commotion may make some cats overly curious about what is happening in the home. Consequently, every time cat parents turn around, their fluffy friend is into a different sort of trouble.

If your feline is making the holiday season a headache, there are ways to help them be their best kitty selves.

“It is hard to prevent cats from getting into things,” Dr. Bradley tells A-Z Animals. “Ideally, the cats don’t get on counters. But people with nosy cats really have to be mindful of where they store items, and not to leave things in obvious locations.”

For those with cats allowed on counters (or those of us with cats that seem to end up there regardless), remove anything non-essential from the countertops. Then, use items that deter cats from wanting to be on the counter in the first place. This includes:

Of course, none of these strategies will work for truly determined cats. In order to avoid a sick cat or an emergency vet trip, do not leave any food or small objects on the counter for your willful feline to eat.