12 Nays of Christmas!
TOP TIPS
Christmas is on its way and
the arrival of trees, guests
and fancy food will all have
an impact on your cat.
Cats Protection suggests
the following tips to make
sure your pet’s festive season
is a safe and happy one
Twelve gifts a-giving
Make sure that any toys you buy your
cat for Christmas are feline-friendly.
Choose ones with embroidered
features as opposed to plastic and glass
ones which can come off. If you get
your cat edible gifts, only buy special
pet treats.
Eleven things a-choking
Avoid using tinsel and ‘angel hair’ as
these can get stuck in cats’ throats.
If your tree is real, vacuum around it
frequently – as well as being a choking
hazard, pine needles can hurt cats’ feet
and cause infections.
Ten cords a-shocking
Electrical cords for fairy lights could be
mistaken for toys or prey, so keep them
covered up to avoid disaster.
Nine candles burning
They look pretty, but a fire won’t! Keep
them out of your cat’s reach to avoid
them being knocked over or causing
him an injury.
Eight gifts a-miaowing
Never give cats as presents unless this
has already been agreed with the
recipient. It goes without saying that
cats are a commitment beyond the
festive season and are not to be treated
as novelty gifts.
Several toxic plants
A number of festive plants are
potentially fatal to cats, including
mistletoe, holly, ivy and Christmas
roses so choose carefully and keep
them out of the reach of moggies.
For more information on which plants
may be harmful to your cat visit the
International Cat Care website at
Six baubles swinging
Your cat may well be tempted to biff
dangling decorations, so it’s best
to avoid glass baubles as they could
shatter.
Five dressed-up cats
Do not be tempted to dress your cat
up. You may think it makes him look
‘cute’, but he’ll only feel stressed and
demeaned.
Four calling guests
Having friends and relatives to visit is
part and parcel of the Christmas period,
but your cat may not wish to join in
with the festivities. Ensure that he has
a quiet room to himself with his food,
water and litter tray easily accessible.
Tree water hazards
If you have a real tree, the base should
be a no-go area for puss. The water
may contain preservatives applied to
the tree that are poisonous to cats.
Cover up the base so he can’t get at it.
Two turkey bones
You may be tempted to share some
tasty morsels with puss, but restrict this
to a small amount of boneless turkey
for his Christmas dinner. Some rich
foods – like chocolate – are toxic to cats
and should definitely be off the menu.
A kitten stuck up a tree
To kittens in particular, the Christmas
tree is a toy-toting gift in itself.
Discourage your feline friend from
climbing it, but also ensure that its
base is as sturdy as possible in case he
sneaks off on a festive mountaineering
adventure!
This was Taken from 'The Cat' magazine Winter 2013. Illustration: Russ Hudda
