Les Amis des Animaux
From foster to forever home
From foster to forever home
We all want a safe and happy Christmas for ourselves and our pets so here are a few tips for the holiday season.
Mon beau sapin, mon beau sapin
We’re going to climb your branches
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree
Those cats are taking chances
The dogs will help
The baubles fall
But they don’t care
They’ll eat them all
Mon beau sapin, O Christmas tree
What chaos in the morning
Christmas trees
Cats love to climb trees! To avoid injury to your pets or their humans, make sure your tree is well secured.
Keep tree water covered – aluminum foil is a good option – as it can contain chemicals or bacteria.
Keep fragile decorations out of reach. If your cat can’t resist, consider only using cat-safe ornaments. However ingesting parts of ornaments or tree can cause GI obstruction. Tinsel, bows and string are particularly tempting.
Strings of lights are also very tempting since they sparkle but could present an electrocution or strangulation hazard.
Flowers and Holiday plants
Poinsettias are known for their toxicity to cats, but they tend to have only mildly toxic effects. Holly and mistletoe are more dangerous if ingested. Flowers such as lillies and amaryllis are especially dangerous.
Candles and fireplaces
What cat or kitten isn’t drawn to the warmth of a candle or fireplace? Always keep candles out of reach of your cat. Never leave candles or fireplaces burning unsupervised and use a a fire guard to prevent your cat from getting too close.
Human Food
A holiday treat is no bad thing but within reason! A little meat is fine but avoid letting them drink the gravy or eat leftover whipped cream. Cats can develop diarrhoea or vomiting after eating rich food.
Cats are unlikely to be interested in eating toxic foods like onions, chocolate and avocados. However, they may crave a dish that contains these ingredients.
Dressing up!
There’s no arguing that cats look adorable when they are dressed up in cute outfits. Unfortunately, your cat may not see things the same way. Many cats despise wearing clothing or accessories, especially on their heads, creating unnecessary stress and a potential strangulation hazard.
Noise
The holiday season can be filled with music and chatter. Cats are highly sensitive to noise and many are shy or nervous around strangers. Make sure you provide a safe, comfortable place for your cat to hide and make sure guests know the room is off-limits.
Cats as Gifts
At Les Amis we are all for finding wonderful homes for cats and kittens, but not as gifts at Christmas. Becoming a cat owner is a serious step and a big commitment. It can take time for a cat or kitten to settle in to their new home and the busy holiday season is not the ideal time. Why not wrap up a collar and put it under the tree with a note to the recipient that you will go together to adopt a cat after the holidays are over.
From all of us at Les Amis des Animaux, we wish you and your feline family the happiest and safest of holidays!
Subscribe to our newsletter to keep updated on our cat and dog rescues, adoption alerts and to learn how you can help neglected animals.