This post originally ran in December of 2009. With Christmas right around the corner I thought it was worth a second look.....
Fa-la-la-la-la what a joyous time of year this is for those who celebrate Christmas but if the right safety measures aren't followed in reference to your cat it can turn into the "Nightmare Before Christmas" or the nightmare during Christmas. Save yourself an emergency trip to the vet by following some simple guidelines and make it a "Merry Christmas" for your main meower(s)!!!
THE TREE-there are thousands upon thousands of pet related Christmas tree injuries every year. Even cats who gazed with disinterest at the tree years earlier and may not have ever bothered the tree in the past can suddenly take a liking to it and a potential disaster can occur. Be sure your tree is secured (to the wall or ceiling) away from furniture. (Cats love to jump from furniture onto the tree) you also do not want your tree to become a climbing post (especially for kittens). Make sure that the tree is close to an electrical outlet so that cords do not have to run a far distance in the room. My first husband was Catholic so I used to put up a tree for him. My Angel Bobo was about 2 at the time. He thought the tree was a giant Pinata and spent his day while I was at work shaking the tree until all of the ornaments dropped, he thought he hit a cat toy cornucopia!! (I witnessed him doing this one day when I was home from work and it explained why every day that I came home, the tree was sprawled on the floor in it's nakedness. Thankfully he never ingested anything that could have hurt him.
DO NOT USE TINSEL. Cats love to eat tinsel and it cannot be passed if ingested. Hello emergency room.
DO NOT USE HOOKS ON YOUR ORNAMENTS-replace the ornament hooks with a loop of thin ribbon or thin yarn tied in a knot. If an ornament falls from the tree with a hook on it the hook can get caught in your curious kitty's mouth or can be swallowed.....you are not trying to catch a cat fish.
BULBS THAT ARE SAFER FOR PETS-should be plastic or wood. (However there is no safe ornament for pets. DO NOT TRIM THE LOWER TREE BRANCHES....obvious reasons......too close for a curious cat. Try using large velvet ribbons on your tree that are not only attractive but safe.
DO NOT PUT WRAPPED GIFTS UNDER THE TREE PRIOR TO CHRISTMAS. Cats don't understand that they aren't opened til Christmas Day. They can ingest paper, string, and all the bling on the boxes....bring gifts out at the last minute.
SWEEP UP FALLEN PINE NEEDLES-If a cat eats these they can cause vomiting and gastric irritation. Do not allow your pet access to the tree water as a forest drinking bowl. Keep tree lights OFF when you are out. They are a fire hazard.
SPRAY THE TREE WITH BITTER APPLE-for the curious kitty who just cannot leave the tree alone.
NEVER, EVER LEAVE A KITTEN IN A ROOM WITH THE TREE UNSUPERVISED.
May you and your cat(s) have a Merry, and Calamity-Free Christmas.......you will save yourself huge emergency vet bills and allow your vet to enjoy their holiday as well by following the above tips!!
52 comments:
Thanks, Caren.
There are great tips for having a safe Christmas for both humans and pets. What we have to do is just to pay a little extra care on what we put on the trees, around the trees and make sure everything is pet friendly and safe.
Just as you said in your post, 'have a Merry, and Calamity-Free Christmas'.
The Cat is so cute with the together with the pine tree furniture.
Those are very good Christmas Safety Tips. Thanks!
@Priscilla you are welcome and thank you! Yes the same tips apply to doggies!!!
Can't wait to see YOUR Christmas posts! xoxo
@Solid Pine Furniture...you are more than welcome to send some of that Solid Pine Furniture MY WAY!!!! HAAAAAAAAA!!
@The Paw Relations thank you!! You are most welcome! ((((hugs)))
Caren, thank you for visiting my blog. After looking at your I think Mommy will enjoy reading all the helpful tips! I am a christmas tree undecorator too but luckily for Mom I don't ever try to eat anything just play with them!
Excellent post Caren - we need to be reminded of these dangers every year.
Thanks for your Christmas tree safety advice - how do these kitties think up their ingenious routes into the trees - we are sure they have degrees in "tree destruction"!!
@Erika and Blair, you are welcome and thanks so much for stopping by mine as well! Cody and I think you will love it here!
You are smart not to try and eat anything from the tree...playing with the items is fine! :)
@Mario thank you sooo much and thanks for stopping by! I agree! We have to keep our kitties (and doggies!) safe! xoxo
@Hannah and Lucy you are most welcome! I agree that they have "degrees in tree destruction", they get them after they each trade the handbook they are given! MOL!
I can't even use the fake greenery; Timmy tried to eat some of it when he was a kitten.
There have been years that I've passed on a tree, partly because of the fur kids and partly for other reasons. The past few I HAVE had a tree, though, and this year is the first that it's been ignored, for the most part. It's tied to a ceiling plant hook, though, just in case. And has nothing breakable on it, no hooks, no garland, no tinsel. Lots of craft-y ornaments and bows, though. :-)
Such great tips, should be required reading!
@mom2acat, my Bobo was the same. Anything "green" he chomped on! :)
@Kea YAY! I wish years ago I had tried the ceiling plant hook, that is genius!!
You are a smart woman! I love "crafty" looking trees they exude warmth!
@Brian thank you!! (((hugs)))
Thank yous Caren! These is great tips. Me remembers one Chritmas me had tinsil hanging ut my butt! My Mommy laughed and wes not had tinsil since! These is good tips and mes is making Mommy and Daddy read them.
Love Penelope (CatFromHell)
I never knew bitter apple works for cats... I always used for my dog....
Great cat site !
Hello! How are You?!
The second and third photos are very beautiful!
Great tips Caren!
Everyone should read this!
purrin
xoxox
These are great things to think about if you have curious kitten around the tree! I especially didn't know about the pine needles - I mean I always clean them up and luckily none of my kitties have ever tried tasting them but they do sniff around!!
Thanks! Take care
x
Caren, what a great blog! Mommy even learned a few things that she had not taken into consideration. This was a great service to all we kitties and our mommies and daddies. Fanks you.
xoxox
Great tips, especially for new kittens!
Hmmmm....people say curiosity kills the cat, right? So, humans! Take heed! Thanks for the tips Aunty Caren. purrrr.....meow!
Thank you for your great tips, as always. May all the cats out there have a happy and healthy holiday!
~Heather
@Penelope (Cat From Hell) OMC you had me laughing (sorry!!!!) when you mentioned the tinsel hanging out of your butt!! OMC that is sooo funny!
Joking aside though thankfully it came through, it could have wrapped around your tummy internally and really hurt you! I am glad you liked the tips!
@Hilary, yep it does work for cats...better than it works for my dog!!! lol. Instead of my dog using his mouth (when bitter apple is out) he just uses his paws!
@blessings goddess THANK YOU!! Glad you could stop by!
@Amin, thank you! I am doing well and hope you are too! Glad you enjoyed the photos!
@Abby thanks so much and I am glad you found them to be helpful :)
@old kitty, glad to help! Yes pine needles can be very, very bad!
@Admiral Hestorb I am so glad that you enjoyed the post and that you learned some things! I love learning things too and when I looked up things I was surprised by some of them myself! It is very impawtant for all the kitties/doggies to be safe though!
@Stacey and Ellie, thank you! Yes! We have to keep those new kitties safe!
@Cat In Sydney, soooo true!! You are welcome!
@Trupanion/Heather, awww you are most welcome and thank YOU!!!! All of us kitties at Cat Chat wish YOU the happiest of holidays as well!
My human has no idea how the kitties of her childhood survived Christmas, with all the breakable tree ornaments, hanging hooks and tinsel! Or how some of those now-heirloom ornaments survived, for that matter! I am glad we are safer now.
Thanks for all the tips! We resisted from putting up a tree this year because of my two new kittens.
@Sparkle, loved your comment! That reminds me of all the warnings issued for human children nowadays (lead, certain toys, etc) that those of us that are old (like me!) grew up with and we all survived quite well! I am glad the kitties are safer now though too! :)
@Feline Frenzzy, you still have time if you change your mind. Might be a good time for the kitties to learn! :)
My Human does not haz a tree, just a little metal curlicue one that I am not the least bit interested in. I am a weird kitty that way--I hardly ever put my nose where it doesn't belong and I don't break stuff either. She should clone me.
Hello...Case in point, I guess theese is why my Human won't lets me have a Christmas tree...
PS: Thanks for your congrats Caren & Cody!
Thank you for coming by my blog with your words of encouragement about my weight watchers journey :) I appreciate it!
I'm now following you
www.mommyoftwolittlemonkeys.com
Amanda
Good advice for all kitty lovers out there! I remember staying at a friends house once. I was sleeping on the fold-out lounge in the lounge room, and was woken up that night by a loud crashing,and scratching. the cat had tipped over the tree, and then had to extricate itself from under it. lol..
@Spitty you ARE a good kitty! My Cody is a little bit like you...he doesn't get into as many things as other kitties do either!!!
You are a GOOD kitty!
@Cloon, you are most welcome and I am glad you stopped by! Have a great day!
@Amanda I am so happy you stopped by!! I love that you are doing WW and if you have anything you want to share or questions (I am in it like you, not a leader or anything) just ask! I am more than happy to help and listen! xoxo
@Alittlesprite I am sorry but the way you told the story it is FUNNY! As long as the cat was ok I think it is sooooooo funny! xoxo
It was hilarious. As it was my cat and she was a bit of a silly thing... she was fine, allbeit a little embarrassed..:)She looked at me as if to say.."I MEANT to do that you know..."
Much fun and you can't imagine how that is happen. Well, that is definitely an adventure and is jealous.
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