6 Christmas Safety Tips for Cat Owners

Keep your cats in mind as you decorate, celebrate, feast, and dash about town this holiday season.
Melvin Pena | Dec 12th 2014

SOURCE: http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/christmas-holiday-safety-tips-cat-trees-decorations-candles-allergies 

Many cat owners will attest that simply moving a chair entices their cats to climb on it immediately. Maybe the cats are just testing out a new vantage point; perhaps they’re asserting that everything in your home belongs to them. During the Christmas season, people adorn their homes with a variety of new things. Plants, colorful decorations, unusual foods — all of these present a series of irresistible temptations for our cats.

While you’re out practicing with your handbell choir, joining friends at holiday parties, or fighting crowds at the mall for the perfect gift, your cats and kittens are getting into their usual feline mischief in the winter wonderland that is your home. We’ve compiled some of the most common yuletide dangers in and around the home for cat owners. Safety first this Christmas season means keeping your cat, your home, and visitors in mind.

1. Cats and Christmas decorations

The major distractions to cats are the wealth of new decorations we roll out right after Thanksgiving. Your cat has the best part of a month to paw at, chew on, pull down, and get tangled up in everything, including the Christmas tree. Whether your tree is artificial or real, secure it firmly — put it in a corner and anchor it to hooks in the wall if needs must — so that the whole thing doesn’t fall over during one of your cat’s climbing expeditions.

If you keep a fresh-cut tree in water, or use chemicals to maintain the tree’s freshness, cover the fluid reservoir so the cat isn’t tempted to drink her way to an upset stomach or poisoning. Avoid low-hanging tree ornaments and tinsel that might intrigue your cat’s wandering claws, as well as scented garlands or edible popcorn strings. I would suggest displaying them out of a cat’s reach, but Is anything really ever completely out of a cat’s reach?

Holiday-themed plants and flowers, such as the poinsettia and the Christmas lily (or any lily, for that matter), are poisonous to cats. Ask your vet or search for a pet-poison helpline on the web if you’re in doubt.

2. Candles and fireplace hazards

Because a cat is a wily and adventurous beast, it’s critical to be wary of lighting a fireplace or candles during the Christmas holidays. A sturdy screen for the fireplace will keep cats from getting to close and potentially singeing their fur. Where candles are concerned, it might be better to leave them in storage. Hanging decorations in the vicinity of lit candles is tempting fate if you live with cats. If you must have fire of any kind, always extinguish flames before leaving home.

3. Kitchen safety during the holidays

Preparing a Christmas feast often means tending to three or four recipes at once, and a cluttered kitchen can be a minefield of dangers for your cats. If your attention is divided, try keeping cats out of the kitchen. When you’re not looking, they may be tempted to leap upon the table or counter, licking raw meats or completed meal items. If the cat is around as you cook or bake, maintain a line of sight with any sharp utensils or fragile dishware.

READ MORE: http://www.catster.com/lifestyle/christmas-holiday-safety-tips-cat-trees-decorations-candles-allergies