Cat Care – Tinkerbell and Christmas Pet Precautions

Todays guest cat is Tinkerbell. She is a five year old girl that started life as a farm kitten. Her mum Lenore says she is quiet until the treats come out. Tinkerbell is generally an indoor cat, however likes to go outside and stays close to the house. Tinkerbell is setting a striking pose under the Christmas tree. What a beautiful cat. This takes us to our next topic for today.

Christmas Pet Precautions

We saw Tinkerbell lounging under the tree we must remember that the Christmas tree is dangerous to cats. With real trees the oils produced by fir trees can be irritating to your pets mouth and stomach and the needles can be a choking hazard as well as obstructing and puncturing the intestines. The water for keeping your tree from drying out is toxic from bacteria and fertilizers.

Artificial trees offer their own threats. Aluminum needles can be ingested with the obvious problems. I have seen my own kittens try to eat these off the floor. We did not put out a tree last year because Ariel and Esther could not leave the tree alone. Anything that hangs off the tree is a toy to be pulled or chewed for those two. Garlands were appealing to them.

Any tree should have a sturdy base so that it is hard to pull over. If your 20 pound cat wants in the tree I don’t know what will work. It will be necessary to monitor the electrical cords in case somebody wants to chew them.

Cats and dogs will chew plants for roughage. As we decorate the house for this holiday season we should be aware of some of the toxic plants that can cause mild discomfort and even fatalities. Here is a short list.

The Poinsettia

This plant has a sap that is irritating to the mouth and esophagus. If your cat or dog eats the leaves it can lead to vomiting. If the store has used a pesticide on the plant it can be lethal to your pet.

Holly, Mistletoe, Daffodils, Lilies and Amaryllis.

This list of plants is extremely dangerous to pets. These plants should be kept out of the house. Even small amounts can cause death.

The Easter or Christmas Cactus

This plant is not toxic, however the fibrous nature of the plant can cause stomach irritation and vomiting.

If you are bringing any plant into the house a Google search should be done to discern the toxicity hazard to your pets.

Christmas Cooking

Everybody loves the smells in the house this time of year. What a nose fest for your cat. They will try to eat and lick everything.  This means that aluminum foils, meat wrappings and plastic can be eaten by your cat with disastrous consequences. Meat soaked string can be ingested requiring an emergency surgical procedure.

Cats and dogs should not be given bones of any kind. Cooked poultry bones will splinter and pierce your kitties insides. Other foods to avoid for your pets are chocolate, tea, coffee, grapes and raisins. Uncooked yeast dough can be fatal.

As you prepare your house for this holiday season pet proof your home so you can have a good holiday and not be spending your time at the vet worrying over an emergency surgical procedure.

Have fun this Christmas. Keep the stress low if possible. This means its probably not a good time to give someone a pet. Pets need routine and care that might be hard to do at this busy time. Plan a pet gift ahead of time with everyone involved so they can prepared for a new family member. How long is Cat Care? Its forever.

What is the most common cause of home fires at this time of year? It is poor electrical cords and unattended cooking. Have a Merry Christmas and be safe.

That’s my story for today. Hug a kitty and do something green for the environment. Please leave a comment below.

Trevor