As you know, cats are curious by nature. They like sparkly, shiny and crinkling things. What better time of the year to see all these in a short time and one place,Christmas! This time of year, your homes are decorated for the spirit and joy of this holiday. Tree’s are up, wreaths are hung and lights are twinkling. Before you get started decorating this year, try to think cat (pet) safety.
Cats like to play with anything laying around, and this time of year there many new things around that weren’t before and everything becomes an attraction to see, or a toy to toss. Christmas village people and little set ups are a great cat toy to fling under a couch or the fridge! Make sure you put them high enough or secure the pieces so that there are no choking hazards. (for your cats other pets and children!)
Tinsel,holly,fake plants with wire in them and glass bulbs are all concerns this time a year as well. Tinsel can become entwined in your cats intestines which can cause a blockage. Holly and Lilies, other plants that are toxic to cats are around this time of year. Fake plants that have bending wire in them can not only be ingested but if the wire pokes through, stepped on or god forbid and eye poked! And glass bulbs from the tree are dangerous because if they fall and break (thank you climbing cats in tree’s!) the glass can become in-bedded in those sweet kneading paws.
Another concern you may not think of is artificial snow spray, that you can use on windows and ledges, floors and counter tops. We all know cats like to lick things, and give them a taste or a try, and this snow spray is very toxic. Not just to cats but people kids dogs..so be sure if you use this spray it is far away from pets and small children.
And of course, the biggest issue of all.. the Christmas Tree. First thing to do when setting up your Christmas tree is to secure it to the wall. If you have cats, and you even find yourself questioning whether or not they’ll climb it, secure it. Making the base of the tree heavy is another good way to secure a tree from falling. If you have a real tree, make sure you buy one thats needles do not shed. (they all do of course but some tree’s do not as much), and fake tree’s “needles” also shed, so just watch the floor for those little plastic shreds. Hooks from ornaments can be misplaced if an ornaments falls or breaks, make sure you find all pieces before your clever cat (whose been eyeballing it since it fell) does. Christmas lights are of course a safety concern/issue, and there isn’t too much you can do, except protect the cord from the outlet to the tree with a little plastic tubing. Another option is to use battery powered lights, so there is no cord from tree to wall.
And last but not least a strong lemon spray around the base of your tree will help keep your cats, and dogs away from the tree, as well as putting pine cones around the base, as they are hard to walk on for a cat.