Holiday 2011
Holiday Safety
As the cold weather approaches, so does the holiday season. Both the weather and the holidays present some unique dangers for cats. We mention some of these every year, but for this newsletter, we'll explore them in greater depth.
Ornaments and Tinsel
The festivities of the holidays bring decorations, presents, food, and guests into our homes. Take a minute to see these from your pet's viewpoint and you'll be able to keep your kitty safer. Holiday decorations look pretty, but they may attract unwanted feline attention. The Christmas tree deserves special mention for several reasons. First of all, some cats (and children!) like to climb trees, so make sure your tree is secured to the wall or otherwise made tip-proof. The ornaments on lower branches can appear to your cat to be toys dangling in front of his face, just waiting to be played with. It's best to place large, unbreakable ornaments on the bottom branches so that your cat cannot swallow them and can play with them without hurting himself. Ornaments that break, such as glass balls, can be ingested by cats and the sharp edges can cause serious illness. Place these ornaments high on the tree and promptly clean up any breakages. Tinsel is frequently attractive to cats, and can become tangled in the intestines. Refrain from adding fertilizer or preservatives to the water of your tree, since cats frequently try to drink from the base of the tree. Tree water is often stagnant water, so stomach upset is possible if your cat drinks from the base.
Lights, Cords and Ribbons
Holiday decorations of concern include lights and their cords, since many cats will try to play with them. Breakage of the light or cord can lead to electrical shocks. Cords should be covered or fastened securely so that cats are less likely to bother them. Liquid potpourri, which adds a festive fragrance to your home, can be very irritating to the skin and mouth of cats if they spill it on themselves. When opening presents, remember to carefully gather up ribbons and place them out of reach of your cat. Ribbons, like tinsel, can become tangled in intestines if eaten and can quickly become life-threatening.
We don't recommend that you cancel your holiday decorating, but instead be conscious of what your cat may get into, so that you can place danger items out of reach. Young cats are especially susceptible to holiday dangers because of their boundless energy and relentless curiosity. If you have a kitten or young adult cat in the house, you may consider leaving certain decorations in storage this year, and bringing them out again when your cat is a little more sedate.
What To Do If …
If you observe your cat eating an inappropriate object, we recommend giving a large dose of a hairball remedy, such as Laxatone or Petromalt. "Large" means one to two fingerlengths of the product. This may help to lubricate the object and assist its passage through the intestines. If your cat vomits repeatedly and cannot bring up the object, if he loses his appetite, or if he becomes lethargic or withdrawn, please call our office immediately. Intestinal obstruction can be fatal if left untreated.
Plants and Flowers
Plants and flower arrangements frequently come into the household over the holidays. Lilies are of particular concern, because they can cause a sudden onset of kidney failure in cats. We recommend that all lilies are kept strictly out of a cat's reach due to their potentially fatal effects. Poinsettias, holly, and mistletoe can cause stomach upset and oral irritation, but generally do not cause serious toxicity. Any new houseplant received as a gift may attract unwanted attention from the cat, so look for chewed leaves if your cat vomits. Many houseplants can be toxic to cats, but usually cats do not ingest them in large enough doses to cause disease. It's a good idea to at least know the names of all of your houseplants, so that we can look up their side effects if your cat is acting ill.Plants and Flowers
Food
Food and parties are a major component of holiday festivities. Most cats are not inclined to steal food from the table, but a buffet table laid out with delicacies such as turkey or ham may prove irresistible to your cat. Most holiday foods will only cause vomiting and diarrhea simply because of over-indulgence, but you should call us if vomiting persists longer than 24 hours, or if diarrhea persists more than 2-3 days. Dark chocolate and baking chocolate and cocoa are dangerous to all animals, although usually cats show no interest in these treats. Call us if your cat eats chocolate and keep these ingredients out of reach, just to be on the safe side. Finally, remember that cats have good noses! If you wrap up some treats to give to your kitty as a holiday present, he may sniff them out and open them early. This can lead to ingestion of wrapping paper or food packaging material if your cat is in too much oaf hurry! Keep kitty gifts securely hidden until the big day.
Stress
Holiday parties can cause significant upheaval in the household. Most cats hate change, loud noises, and strange people, so don't be surprised if your kitty keeps to himself while strangers are in the house. Provide him with a safe place to hide if your guests become overwhelming. It is important that even strictly indoor cats wear some ID, either a collar with tags or a microchip, because well-meaning guests may accidentally let a cat out of the house. Your cat may be more likely to slip out the door if he is seeking some peace and quiet!
Antifreeze
For outdoor cats, the cold weather can bring some dangers that you should be aware of. Antifreeze is highly toxic to cats, even in very small doses. Clean up any antifreeze spills quickly and keep bottles out of reach of cats. If your cat acts "drunk" or disoriented, please call us immediately. Antifreeze toxicity is treatable in its early stages, but quickly progresses to irreversible kidney failure. Ice-melting products can be irritating to cats' feet and can irritate the mouth when they are groomed. It is a good idea to wipe off your cat's feet when he comes back in the house, to get chunks of salt out of his toes before he grooms them out. Cats frequently seek out warm spots to hide, so check underneath your car for hiding cats before moving it, and make sure that cats have not hidden in sheds or garages while the door was left open. Finally, coyotes and foxes, which pose a serious year-round danger to cats, are increasing in numbers in our area. PLEASE do not leave your cats outside overnight and supervise their outdoor activities whenever possible.
Copyright © The Cat Doctor of Bedford, PC
www.catdoctors.com
As the cold weather approaches, so does the holiday season. Both the weather and the holidays present some unique dangers for cats. We mention some of these every year, but for this newsletter, we'll explore them in greater depth.
Ornaments and Tinsel
The festivities of the holidays bring decorations, presents, food, and guests into our homes. Take a minute to see these from your pet's viewpoint and you'll be able to keep your kitty safer. Holiday decorations look pretty, but they may attract unwanted feline attention. The Christmas tree deserves special mention for several reasons. First of all, some cats (and children!) like to climb trees, so make sure your tree is secured to the wall or otherwise made tip-proof. The ornaments on lower branches can appear to your cat to be toys dangling in front of his face, just waiting to be played with. It's best to place large, unbreakable ornaments on the bottom branches so that your cat cannot swallow them and can play with them without hurting himself. Ornaments that break, such as glass balls, can be ingested by cats and the sharp edges can cause serious illness. Place these ornaments high on the tree and promptly clean up any breakages. Tinsel is frequently attractive to cats, and can become tangled in the intestines. Refrain from adding fertilizer or preservatives to the water of your tree, since cats frequently try to drink from the base of the tree. Tree water is often stagnant water, so stomach upset is possible if your cat drinks from the base.
Lights, Cords and Ribbons
Holiday decorations of concern include lights and their cords, since many cats will try to play with them. Breakage of the light or cord can lead to electrical shocks. Cords should be covered or fastened securely so that cats are less likely to bother them. Liquid potpourri, which adds a festive fragrance to your home, can be very irritating to the skin and mouth of cats if they spill it on themselves. When opening presents, remember to carefully gather up ribbons and place them out of reach of your cat. Ribbons, like tinsel, can become tangled in intestines if eaten and can quickly become life-threatening.
We don't recommend that you cancel your holiday decorating, but instead be conscious of what your cat may get into, so that you can place danger items out of reach. Young cats are especially susceptible to holiday dangers because of their boundless energy and relentless curiosity. If you have a kitten or young adult cat in the house, you may consider leaving certain decorations in storage this year, and bringing them out again when your cat is a little more sedate.
What To Do If …
If you observe your cat eating an inappropriate object, we recommend giving a large dose of a hairball remedy, such as Laxatone or Petromalt. "Large" means one to two fingerlengths of the product. This may help to lubricate the object and assist its passage through the intestines. If your cat vomits repeatedly and cannot bring up the object, if he loses his appetite, or if he becomes lethargic or withdrawn, please call our office immediately. Intestinal obstruction can be fatal if left untreated.
Plants and Flowers
Plants and flower arrangements frequently come into the household over the holidays. Lilies are of particular concern, because they can cause a sudden onset of kidney failure in cats. We recommend that all lilies are kept strictly out of a cat's reach due to their potentially fatal effects. Poinsettias, holly, and mistletoe can cause stomach upset and oral irritation, but generally do not cause serious toxicity. Any new houseplant received as a gift may attract unwanted attention from the cat, so look for chewed leaves if your cat vomits. Many houseplants can be toxic to cats, but usually cats do not ingest them in large enough doses to cause disease. It's a good idea to at least know the names of all of your houseplants, so that we can look up their side effects if your cat is acting ill.Plants and Flowers
Food
Food and parties are a major component of holiday festivities. Most cats are not inclined to steal food from the table, but a buffet table laid out with delicacies such as turkey or ham may prove irresistible to your cat. Most holiday foods will only cause vomiting and diarrhea simply because of over-indulgence, but you should call us if vomiting persists longer than 24 hours, or if diarrhea persists more than 2-3 days. Dark chocolate and baking chocolate and cocoa are dangerous to all animals, although usually cats show no interest in these treats. Call us if your cat eats chocolate and keep these ingredients out of reach, just to be on the safe side. Finally, remember that cats have good noses! If you wrap up some treats to give to your kitty as a holiday present, he may sniff them out and open them early. This can lead to ingestion of wrapping paper or food packaging material if your cat is in too much oaf hurry! Keep kitty gifts securely hidden until the big day.
Stress
Holiday parties can cause significant upheaval in the household. Most cats hate change, loud noises, and strange people, so don't be surprised if your kitty keeps to himself while strangers are in the house. Provide him with a safe place to hide if your guests become overwhelming. It is important that even strictly indoor cats wear some ID, either a collar with tags or a microchip, because well-meaning guests may accidentally let a cat out of the house. Your cat may be more likely to slip out the door if he is seeking some peace and quiet!
Antifreeze
For outdoor cats, the cold weather can bring some dangers that you should be aware of. Antifreeze is highly toxic to cats, even in very small doses. Clean up any antifreeze spills quickly and keep bottles out of reach of cats. If your cat acts "drunk" or disoriented, please call us immediately. Antifreeze toxicity is treatable in its early stages, but quickly progresses to irreversible kidney failure. Ice-melting products can be irritating to cats' feet and can irritate the mouth when they are groomed. It is a good idea to wipe off your cat's feet when he comes back in the house, to get chunks of salt out of his toes before he grooms them out. Cats frequently seek out warm spots to hide, so check underneath your car for hiding cats before moving it, and make sure that cats have not hidden in sheds or garages while the door was left open. Finally, coyotes and foxes, which pose a serious year-round danger to cats, are increasing in numbers in our area. PLEASE do not leave your cats outside overnight and supervise their outdoor activities whenever possible.
Copyright © The Cat Doctor of Bedford, PC
www.catdoctors.com