Dangers during Christmas for your cat
Gift laces
Christmas gift strings can be fun for a cat to play with and eat. Kittens especially like to play with these, but it can be dangerous for your cat. If your cat ingests gift strings, they can get stuck in the throat and intestines, which can cause serious injuries. It is therefore important to dispose of gift strings immediately and keep your cat away from them. Glitter on the tree can have the same harmful effect as gift strings. So avoid decorating with glitter, or keep an eye on your cat.
Christmas lights
Christmas lights involve electric cords and bulbs, which can be harmful to your cat if it plays or bites on them. Ingesting electricity can be life-threatening for your cat. So make sure cords and lights are out of reach of your cat.
Live lights
Live lights can be exciting for a curious cat. It's easy for a cat to knock over candles with its tail, which can cause something to catch fire and, in the worst case, the cat's fur. So make sure candles are out of reach of your cat.
Suet balls for birds
Giving birds suet balls during the winter is a good idea, but make sure your cat doesn't eat them. The suet balls contain a lot of fat and are dangerous for your cat to eat. If your cat ingests too much fat, it can lead to inflammation of the pancreas. To prevent your cat from eating the bird food, hang the suet balls high up where your cat cannot reach them. Also be aware that the mesh surrounding the food can get caught in your cat's throat, stomach and intestines.
The Christmas tree
A common feature of Christmas is the Christmas tree. Cats often find Christmas trees exciting to climb, which means you need to cat-proof the tree. Make sure the tree is stable so it doesn't topple over and decorate with plastic balls and other items that your cat can't hurt or ingest. Cats like to drink water from the base of the Christmas tree, so it's important to water only with clean water and not add any fertiliser.
Did you know that Christmas food and our most common Christmas flowers can be poisonous to your cat? Read more about Christmas food here and about Christmas flowers here.
