Holiday Safety For Your Kitten
Easter
Do not bring Easter Lilies into your home – ever! They are extremely toxic to cats. If ingested, your cat can die
within 24 hours. Sometimes your vet can reverse the effects of the toxin if your cat is rushed to a vet and put on
intravenous fluids for 48 hours. For more information, go to:
http://www.aspca.org/Pet-care/poison-control/Plants/easter_lily.aspx.
Halloween
With many people coming to your door, you may not be able to keep an eye on your kitten’s every move. Close your kitten into a quiet room with a favorite toy where he/she will not be stressed by the many voices and strangers, nor will he/she be tempted to escape out the front door. Your kitten will be safer and calmer through this evening’s mischief.
Keep candy away from your kitten.
Your SPCA cat must be kept indoors at all times. However, if someone you know has an indoor/outdoor cat, make sure they keep him/her indoors on this frightful night. Cats can be the target of inhumane acts, and Halloween, in particular, makes cats a target. Black and solid white cats are prime targets for groups practicing animal sacrifice.
Thanksgiving
Don’t feed your kitten rich holiday treats which may upset your kitten’s tummy or digestion, with unpleasant results from both you and your kitten.
Christmas
If you are having a holiday party, close your kitten into a quiet room
with a favorite toy where he/she will not be stressed by strange
sights and sounds. Guests may not be as careful when coming and
going as you are. Having a kitten disappear outside at Christmas is
a sure way to invite the Grinch for the holidays.
If possible, put your Christmas tree in a room that your kitten does not have access to. If this isn’t possible, follow the guidelines below:
- Don’t use tinsel or foil garland if you have a kitten in the house, or if your kitten likes to eat everything it finds. Just as string and thread pose dangers to your kitten, tinsel can tear up your kitten’s intestine if ingested.
- Make sure your kitten can’t get to the water under your live Christmas tree. The sap from the tree, and the additives often added to the water to preserve the tree, can make your kitten ill.
- Securely anchor your Christmas tree. Your kitten may try to climb up the tree, toppling your work of art in the process. Consider putting an eye bolt in the ceiling and tying the tree to it.
- You may want to use unbreakable ornaments during the rambunctious first 2 years of a cat’s life. The glitter of dangling glass ornaments is irresistible to a kitten.