Cats and Christmas

There are a number of things you should take into account when you start to get into the festive spirit for Christmas and other times of year when there may be changes within the house that cause your cat to get excited. If you have a cat that has been around for a while she may not over react, but if you have a kitten then all of the new decorations and unusual glittery things such as Christmas trees will be in danger of being played with to destruction.

If you have put up a Christmas tree in your home and spent hours decorating it, the last thing you need is for your cat or kitten to destroy it in seconds by playing with the decorations or even trying to climb to the top of it to play with the angel! Make sure your tree is as stable as possible on its base. It needs to be much heavier at the bottom that it is at the top so that even if your cat makes it to the top it won't topple over.

One useful tip to try and keep your cat away from the tree is to spray it with lemon scented freshener as cats don't really like the stuff and will tend to steer clear.

Try not to use breakable ornaments on your tree as the little shards that they break into are dangerous, especially for cats and children. Also, don't use those little detachable hook things for hanging your tree decorations as they easily fall off and will prove to be very dangerous if they are swallowed.

Be carefull if you use candles around the home too as cats can be very inquisitive and have even been known to burn their noses when trying to figure out what the flame is for. Also, a careless cat could easily knock over a candle with its tail causing untold damage. The last thing you need at Christmas is to be spending hours with the vet rather than hours in front of the TV with a drink in your hand.

You may need to spend a little more time than ususal grooming and playing with your cat as changes to the environment by way of decorations and constant visitors to your home can cause anxiety in some cats. One thing that you can do to help is to ensure that the litter tray, food and water are in a quiet area away from where visitors are likely to be. This will mean that your cat has somewhere to go for some privacy if she doesn't feel like joining in with the festivities.

DOn't be tempted to feed your cat differently at Christmas. Just becuase you have great turkey meat and other good food around doesn't mean you should change your cats feeding habits. Most of the food you have prepared for Christmas is likely to be much to rich for your cat and could easily lead to an upset stomach. It's a good idea to ensure any visitors to your home are asked not to feed your cat too.

And finally, remember that it is never a good idea to give a kitten or a puppy as a Christmas present as all too often they end up being thrown out onto the street and left to fend for themselves. A cat is an addition to your family and is a long term commitment and should be treated as such