Thursday, October 20, 2011

Halloween Safety Tips for Cats

Halloween is just around the corner. Amidst all the trick-or-treating, visiting haunted houses, decorating, and throwing parties, we must remember to keep our furry friends safe. These tips should help you do just that.

Keep Candy Out of Reach: While tasty, candy can hurt your kitty in many different ways. For instance, chocolate is toxic for cats and can cause vomiting, increased body temperature, diarrhea, low blood pressure, high heart rate, rapid breathing, and seizures. In advanced cases of chocolate poisoning, cats can also experience coma, heart failure, and weakness, according to PetMD.

Cats can also choke on lollipop sticks or get them lodged in their digestive systems, causing an intestinal blockage. Candy wrappers can also get lodged in your pet's digestive tract. Thus, it is a good idea to keep Halloween candy out of kitty's reach or keep it in a secure, locked cabinet.

Keep Kitty Indoors: Another Halloween safety tip for cats is to keep your furry friends inside. Some individuals tend to think that black cats are evil and may try to hurt cats who are outdoors on Halloween. Additionally, if you are giving out candy to trick-or-treaters, your kitty will have ample opportunity to escape throughout the night. If it's possible, keep your pet indoors in a separate room away from the front door to prevent him or her from escaping when you are distracted handing out candy to trick-or-treaters. If this is not possible, you may want to consider boarding your pet for the night at a local boarding facility or your cat's vet office.

Safe Decorations: It is important to remember that your kitty may be curious about the wires and cords some Halloween decorations require. Kittens, especially, may try to chew on such wires, which can lead to burns and dangerous electrical shocks. Thus, I strongly encourage you to keep electrical wires and cords out of your cat's reach. If this is not possible, protect your kitty by enclosing electrical cords in electrical cord covers/protectors or spraying them with Bitter Apple, a taste cats find very unpleasant.

Kitty Costumes: Please do not dress your cat in costume for Halloween unless you know that he or she loves being dressed up. Dressing up a kitty who does not enjoy it will only stress him or her. The ASPCA warns that if you do put your cat in a costume, ensure that it does not impede your pet's movement, his or her ability to breathe or meow, or interfere with hearing or seeing. Also, ensure that the costume is not unsafe or annoying for your kitty. The ASPCA recommends trying the costume on your feline before Halloween night to make sure it does not distress your furry friend and to ensure that he or she is not allergic to it. Finally, make sure that the costume does not contain any small or dangling parts or anything that can be chewed off and choked on.

Jack-O-Lanterns: Pumpkins are definitely festive for this time of year. However, if you put a candle in your pumpkin, keep a close eye on your furry friend. Some kitties are interested and curious about fire and may get too close to it. Other cats might knock over jack-o-lanterns and start a fire. For the safety of your pet and your home, please use a lot of caution if you have jack-o-lanterns in your home during the Halloween season.

Keep your feline safe this October by utilizing these Halloween safety tips for cats. I hope you all have an enjoyable and safe Halloween this year.

Sources:

ASPCA: Halloween Safety Tips

CatChannel: Halloween Safety Tips for Cats

2 comments:

  1. Great tips. This time of year, it's really important to be extra careful.

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  2. Thank you for the safety tips! Kitties get interested in all the decorations and food so we have to be very careful.

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