Our top 10 holiday safety tips for cats

1
Our top 10 holiday safety tips for cats
2

• Its the most wonderful time of the yearlets
  make sure our cats agree! Because what is festive
  fun for us can be downright dangerous for the
  cats and kittens in our lives.
• Alley Cat Allies is here to help the whole family
  have happy holidays. These are our Top 10
  Holiday Cat Safety Tips. Read them all here.
• Important If you suspect your cat ingested a
  substance or food that could be poisonous to
  them, contact the Pet Poison Helpline immediately
  at 855-764-7661.
• Holiday foods belong on our plates, not in cats
  bowls
• Chocolates, candies, and alcohol of all kinds
  (yes, including your favorite eggnog) should be
  kept out of reach of cats and other animals.
  Additionally, cooked bones can splinter and cause
  lethal harm when ingested.
• In general, too much rich, fatty food can do
  damage to cats health and wellbeing. Check out
  your local pet store for animal-friendly holiday
  treats!

3
(No Transcript)
4

• Cat-proof your Christmas tree
• If not set up properly, a Christmas tree can come
  crashing down if a cat climbs onto it. Secure
  Christmas trees to a wall with hooks and fishing
  line to prevent a curious cat from knocking it
  over.

5

• Consider artificial holiday plants
• Favorites like poinsettias, holly, and mistletoe
  are poisonous to cats. Some live trees also sit
  in a bowl of water and fertilizer, and your cat
  could think that water is for them to drink!
• If you have a cat with a habit of gnawing on
  plants, consider artificial plants instead. There
  are plenty of artificial options for Christmas
  trees, wreaths, and more.

6

• Be mindful of decorations
• Ornaments seem like toys to cats, but may break
  easily in their paws and cause injury. If you
  know your cats like to bat at the ornaments on
  your Christmas tree, hang them higher and out of
  reach. Fake snow can be made of chemicals that
  can cause fatal liver damage in cats or risk a
  blockage if ingested. We recommend not decorating
  with it.

7

• Watch the gift wrappings, too
• Ribbons, tinsel, and confetti can be very
  dangerous to pets. If eaten, these items can
  become entangled in the digestive tract and
  require life-saving surgery. Make sure these
  items are out of reach of cats.

8

• Tape down those holiday lights
• Strings of lights can pose a hazard for cats
  getting tangled in the strings or burning
  themselves by chewing the wires. Look for options
  like LED lights instead. Tape down all lights so
  they arent dangling and tempting cats to play
  with them.

9

• Watch cats around open flames
• Cats can burn themselves on candles, or even
  knock them over and start a fire. If you choose
  to use real candles, make sure the candleholder
  is safe and sturdyor look into flameless
  candles. Make sure fireplaces are properly closed
  off.

10

• Keep cats calm during holiday festivities
• You love your guests, but your cats may become
  stressed out with so many people in their space!
  Add good food and drink, and many households
  during the holidays can become quite loud.
• Give your cats a quiet space to escape , and
  close them in if necessary. Make sure the room
  has litter, food, and water, as well as a few of
  their favorite things. Choose a room cats already
  enjoy hanging out in.

11

• If youre traveling, keep cats at home
• If youre traveling, consider having a cat sitter
  check in on your cats rather than bringing them
  with you or having them boarded. Cats will be far
  less stressed if they stay in their own home, and
  youll avoid any dangerous mishaps or escapes
  that could occur on the road or in the airport.

12

• Microchip your cats
• If your cat slips out the door and becomes lost
  when guests arrive, packages are delivered, or
  carolers stop by, a microchip can help ensure she
  can return home. Learn more at alleycat.org/Microc
  hipsSaveLives.
• From all of us at Alley Cat Allies Have a very
  happy holiday!

13
(No Transcript)