How to have a merry and peaceful cat Christmas

Decorating the Christmas tree and wrapping gifts is often worse with cats than with children. There are cat temptations everywhere - flashing lights, jingle bells, mistletoe, ribbons and wrapping paper. How can you make sure you all get through Christmas unharmed?

I'm lucky my cat doesn't care much for the Christmas tree or its ornaments. This could be because I always buy a compact tree and it wouldn't be the best idea for the cat to jump on it, but I can imagine many households struggling with this. Perhaps the greatest danger is the tree toppling over. You should therefore secure it properly, ideally set ir in a corner and attach it with hooks to the wall. Don't hang ornaments that your cat could swallow on the tree. If you don't want to have baubles lying all over the room, squeeze the hooks around the branches thoroughly. And don't let your cat drink from the container in which the tree is standing, as it may contain fertilizers and pesticides.

Watch the ribbons when packing gifts, which your cat will surely assist you with. You'd be surprised at the size of ribbon a cat can swallow. The same goes for Scotch tape, which they like to chew on. All packaging materials should therefore be put away immediately after their use and should not be left unattended.

Almost every household has at least one burning candle during the Christmas holidays, at least on the Advent wreath. Most cats are sensible and wouldn't voluntarily jump into fire, however, an accident may occur in the heat of a game or hunting. Some kittens may also be too curious. It's therefore important to keep any open fire out of their reach.

Mistletoe and poinsettias are other common symbols of Christmas. Both of these plants are toxic to cats, so keep them out of their reach. You should also keep all Christmas goodies away from curious noses. The main dangers are onions, nuts, sugar, chocolate, cocoa, coffee and salt. You should also watch out for fish bones, and if you want to share the carp with your cat, it must be thoroughly deboned or blended. You should cook the fish in water or steam instead of frying it, and you can offer your cat high-quality treats instead of cookies.

How do you celebrate Christmas with your cats? Is your Christmas peaceful, or do you have to constantly watch them? Do you have any tips for preventing accidents?

Related articles

How to Help a Dog with Arthritis

Arthritis ranks among the most frequent diseases of the joints in dogs. It is accompanied by pain and limitations for physical activity. And because it cannot be cured I’ll give you some tips how to make the life of your buddy with arthritis easier.

Obesity in Cats

Nowadays even our pets are subject to diseases of civilization. Obesity is no good for them as well as for people. Do you know how to tell if your cat is obese and what are its causes and consequences?

Anaplasmosis – Hidden Threat

The season of ticks is back again and so it is the right time to start protecting our pets. These parasites also bring anaplasmosis except from borreliosis. And the fact that this disease is not generally know does not undermine its serious impacts on...

The Secrets of Cats’ Whiskers

The whiskers on cats’ face are probably too noticeable to ignore them. But do you know all the places where cat’s whiskers with sense of touch are? And do you know how this comprehensive tactile body functions?

How Assistance Dogs Help Children Read

As you might know, the assistance dogs help people with various physical or mental disabilities nowadays. But there is a program in the US and in other countries which helps children to improve their reading and communication skills.

Why to Use Grain-Free Dog Food?

We are all try to give our dog companions the best, from health care to the leisure activities. Nutrition is no exception to that and it is prone to modern trends similar to those of regular human food. Reducing or opting out the grain from the diet is...

How to Work It Out When Your Dog Has to Rest

Whether it has undergone castration or any other surgery, your dog needs to rest more after it. But this can sometimes seem almost impossible. To “force” your beloved pet to rest is not easy, indeed. A few tips how to handle this situation follow.

How to administer a pill to a cat

If you have one of the furry furring balls at home, maybe you know, in what kind of devil some of them are capable of turning into, if you need to give them a pill. If your cat belongs precisely among those, in which it’s almost a superhuman task, I...