Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Thinking About The Cats


Click on the link to http://www.mickeyspetsupplies.com/ Cat section. All of our cat pet supplies are hand picked for the best quality pet products at the lowest prices! A new shipment of cat wands from Go Cat! including the most popular Sparkler cat wand are now in.

Cat Christmas Safety:
Cat World Article
Plants
Holly, mistletoe, poinsettias are all popular plants to have in the home at Christmas, especially in the northern hemisphere. These plants are toxic to cats so should be placed where your cat can't get to them. Please see our page on common household toxins for an extensive list on toxic & non toxic plants.
Visitors
Some cats love the attention of visitors, others find strangers in their house stressful. Christmas is often a busy time with visitors coming & going. Be mindful of your cat's feelings & give the cat the option of somewhere quiet to escape to should the need arise, this is particularly important if your friends & relatives have young children.
Xmas ribbons/wrap
Rbbons etc., pose the same problem as tinsel, if eaten, it may lead to intestinal blockages. It's important to ensure all ribbons/wrap etc., are safely disposed of.
Food/Sweets/Chocolate
Many cat owners enjoy giving their cat the occasional treat of "human" food & generally this doesn't harm the cat. However, it is important to remember that some foods which are fine for humans to eat can be toxic to cats. The odd sliver of chicken or turkey (off the bone) is fine, however it really isn't a good idea to give them large quantities of such food as this can lead to gastrointestinal problems. Never give your cat cooked chicken or turkey bones, these bones can splinter & can become lodged in your cat's throat or puncture the intestines & stomach. Chocolate is toxic to cats, the darker the chocolate, the more toxic. Chocolate contains both caffeine & theobromine, which are both toxic. If you suspect your cat has eaten chocolate watch for signs of restlessness & vomiting, if in doubt, see your vet.
Cats will often scavenge for food in the garbage so be aware that if you've covered your turkey with foil & thrown it in the bin, your cat may drag it out & chew on it which could make the cat sick. Cooked turkey bones will also attract your cat. Be aware of this & if possible, take your food scraps etc., to your outside bin.
Christmas Tree/Decorations
The only fool proof way to keep your cat away from your Christmas tree is to put the tree in a room the cat can't access. Unfortunately, this is often not practical. So the next best solution is to make the tree as safe as possible. Real Christmas trees are more dangerous to cats than fake plastic ones. Pine needles can puncture internal organs if eaten, they are also toxic to cats. If you do have a real tree, make sure the drink stand has plenty of water to prevent the tree drying out & losing needles. It is important that your cat isn't able to get to this water & drink it as it could result in poisoning. Ensure the tree has a good solid base so it won't easily be knocked over by your cat. Try not to have the tree near furniture & or shelves which the cats could use to jump onto the tree. Be careful with tinsel, if you must have it on your tree, place it at the top of the tree where the cat is less likely to be able to get at it. Tinsel can be caught around the base or move down to the intestines & stomach & cause a blockage, which will result in emergency (and costly) surgery to remove it. A safer alternative are the strands of beads. Ornaments should be securely attached to the tree to prevent them being knocked off. Also place delicate ornaments up high where they're less likely to be knocked off & broken. When there is nobody around, unplug Christmas lights, you may want to try applying a cat repellent such as bitter apple to the lights to deter your cat from chewing the wires, obviously if this was to happen it could cause a fatal electric shock. Artificial snow is toxic to cats, so is best avoided. Candles are especially popular over the Christmas holiday period, be careful to make sure your cat can't get close to lit candles. Please note, your cat isn't a novelty item & it's dangerous to try & decorate your cat with ribbons etc.

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