Prowling Around the Christmas Tree… Have a happy holiday!
Christmas can be an exciting time for your feline friend, but all the bright lights, presents and enticing new foods can be a danger to your cat.
Tinsel and other Christmas decorations can dangle temptingly and are exciting for cats to play with. However, chewing on lights can lead to electrical burns in the mouth, tinsel, if swallowed, can lead to obstruction of the guts which can be very dangerous and glass baubles can shatter and cause cuts. Make sure you keep cables tidy and try to keep tinsel and ribbons to higher branches, away from playful paws.
Climbing the Christmas tree can prove very exciting for your cat, but it they fall out or knock the tree over they can injure themselves, so make sure your tree is secure with a heavy base. Keep any water in the pot inaccessible, as a lot of Christmas tree feeds contain toxic chemicals.
Other items of Christmas greenery can also be highly toxic to cats. Holly, ivy, mistletoe and poinsettia can all cause vomiting, diarrhoea and abdominal pain if they are eaten. Lilies in particular are extremely toxic even if only a small amount is eaten as they rapidly cause renal failure.
Whilst we humans enjoy indulging in a wide variety of foods at Christmas time, many of these can be very harmful for your fuzzy felines: Chocolate treats, raisins and sultanas in Christmas puddings and mince pies; onions in gravy; stuffing and artificial sweeteners can all be toxic. Cooked bones and nuts if swallowed can potentially cause damage or obstruction to the intestines.
Having a lot of visitors to us can be fun but the noise and bustle they produce can be stressful for your feline friend. Keeping their food, water and litter tray in a quiet area that they can easily access, as well as making sure they have comfortable beds in high places can help reduce this stress.
We wish you and your cats a very happy and safe Christmas! Enjoy the time you spend together this holiday. If you have any worries, there is a 24 hour service available. Call us on 01865 24300 if you have any questions.
Need to see a vet in Oxford?
If your cat is ill, or you are concerned that they are just not quite right, then book to see one of our cat-specialist vets. If you’re not registered with us, then you can register here or give us a ring on 01865 243000.
