The Christmas season is a time of joy and celebration. Many of us decorate our homes with garland, holly, pretty plants and of course Christmas trees. All of these things are irresistible for cats and kittens. Cats are interested in anything that twinkles or moves. Things such as curly ribbon, blinking lights and tinsel moving in the breeze attract the interest of any kitty. With all the hustle and bustle of the season we tend to be distracted by the shopping, decorating, wrapping and frequent visitors and sometimes fail to pay close enough attention to our cat.
Cats find all of this intriguing and enjoy the extra attention they get from the visitors, they are also attracted to the tinsel that sways with the slightest air movement and those lovely poinsettias that we have on display for the season. Tasting the poinsettia plant can make your kitty very ill. The sap of the plant can cause irritation of the mouth and digestive tract. Ingesting large amounts of this plant could be deadly. If your cat has ingested the plant, you should contact your vet immediately.
Tinsel adorns most Christmas trees, it's tempting to bat and swat if you're a cat and of course once wrapped on the paws cats tend to remove it with their mouths and possibly swallow this finely sliced foil. Once lodged in the intestines of your cat, he or she may require surgery to remove it from their stomach. Avoid the use of tinsel if you have a resident kitty.
Kittens have a tendency to chew on Christmas tree light cords, if you have a kitten maybe forego those twinkling lights this year. Even if the tree lights are not on, with the cord plugged into the wall there's still harmful voltage present. Kittens have sharp teeth that can penetrate the cord(s) causing electrical shock and even death.
Christmas tree balls are often made from very fragile glass. The slightest breeze will make them sway when hanging on the tree. Kitty takes a swipe at that nice swaying ball and the next thing you know it hits the floor and breaks! Cats are rarely satisfied after breaking the ornament, they have to try to bat the pieces, usually lodging a fragment in their paw. Of course they try to lick it off, ingesting the tiny piece of glass. Glass when ingested will require a veterinarian immediately.
Ever notice how your cat loves to help you wrap gifts? How about that ribbon that curls? They just love it don't they? Truth be known, curling ribbon can be just as deadly to your feline friend as tinsel, as it reacts in a similar manner when ingested.
While your fur baby is probably having a swell time playing with these things, the twinkling lights, poinsettias, curling ribbon or Christmas tree balls are not cat toys. If you have them in your home for the Holiday, please, please be sure that your cat is amused with cat toys and not the decorations that are on display.
At CatToysForLess.com we are all about keeping your cat healthy and happy. If this article has helped to save one cat from harm this Holiday season, the time spent to write this will have been well worth it. Don't forget the cat toy gifts for under the tree and please keep your feline friend safe during this season to be jolly.
