Are you ready for the holidays? Or are you just getting started with seasonal preparations and festivities? No matter which camp you fall into, it’s probably safe to say that your feline pal will be dialing her frisky settings up to 11 this month. Kitties can make the purrfect final touch of coziness to that holiday scene, but they also sometimes wreak adorable havoc at this time of year. A Saginaw, MI vet offers some holiday kittyproofing tips in this article.

Keeping Fluffy Out Of The Tree

Don’t be surprised if your pet tries to scale or even topple the tree. This annual kitty tradition may be cute, but it’s also kind of dangerous. While there’s no foolproof way to keep your frisky feline away from the tree, we do have some tricks up our sleeves. First and foremost: try to put the tree in a corner. If you can, keep it away from things that your furball can jump off, such as sofas or chairs. Keep Fluffy in mind as you’re decorating. Only put a few non-breakable objects on the bottom part of the tree. Most of the decorations should be on the top half, well out of paws’ reach. Bribery is also a good tactic. Give your playful pet some of her things early, and tire her out with fun play sessions every night.

Other Decorations

Kitties really can’t help but investigate things, and they often love batting things around. Fluffy may very well knock anything small off coffee tables and countertops. Keep anything small or sharp out of paws’ reach. Anything ropy or stringy is also very dangerous. That includes things like wires and cords, ribbon, tinsel, string lights, and popcorn strands. Not only do these pose a strangling and entanglement hazard, but they can cause serious—and potentially fatal—internal injuries if swallowed. Ask your vet for more information.

Plants

While some of our furry friends don’t show much interest in plants, others can’t resist nibbling on them. That can be especially hazardous at this time of year, as many of those seasonal plants are toxic to Fluffy. Peace lilies, for instance, are deadly to our feline pals. Even drinking a little bit of the water can potentially be fatal. Other dangerous plants include holly, ivy, and mistletoe, as well as anything that is decorated with ribbons, bows, or small items. Check the ASPCA site here for more info.

Happy Holidays! Please contact us, your Saginaw, MI pet hospital, for all your cat’s veterinary care needs.