What is it?
Christmas time is the time of year where we lavishly decorate our homes with twinkling lights and coloured decorations. Our centrepiece is a wonderful scented fir tree, which we cover with spangle balls and tempting chocolates. All these things help to make our homes feel cosy and warm and traditionally seasonal. Unfortunately we are not the only ones attracted by the tinsel and the light, our cats with their highly inquisitiveness are also going to take particular interest in all our Christmas excess and sparkle. But lurking within those Christmas celebrations are hidden dangers for our furry friends.
So with our pet cats in mind, we should decorate our homes this Christmas with care and put in place precautions to keep them safe. Things to consider are:
Holly, Mistletoe and Poinsettias - these are all plants that we traditionally like to bring into our homes during the Christmas period. Unfortunately all these plants are toxic to cats and if eaten can cause serious illness. So always ensure that these plants are not accessible to your cats, place them on high shelves or drape them over centre light fittings. But if you have a cat that is very agile and inquisitive it may be safest not to bring these plants into the house.
Christmas trees - It is practically impossible to stop your cat from exploring this new and interesting item. The only thing you can do is to make sure that it as safe as absolutely possible and that the cat is not allowed access to it alone. A few measures to take are:
Have a tree that does not shed its needles too quickly if at all. Some fir trees don't shed, while others have particularly spike needles that are perfect for getting in soft paws and worse still being eaten.
Make sure the tree is firmly secured and will not tip over.
Place breakable decorations further up the tree and not in the lower branches where they become new play things for your cat.
Spray some strong smelling liquid onto the and around the base of the tree. Diluted Lemon juice is good and will help to deter kitty coming too close.
Tinsel and other Christmas decorations - Always place decorations especially tinsel out of the cats reach. It is just too tempting for your cat and if swallowed cat cause blockages.
Artificial snow - this is toxic to cats, so should be avoided if possible. If you must have it, make sure your cat is not left alone in a room with it, especially at nighttime.
Another danger to look out for during the Christmas period is visitors or family members giving chocolates to your cat. They may think they are giving them a treat but actually they are poisoning them. Chocolate contains methylxanthines and theobromines, which are very toxic for both cats and dogs; it over stimulates their nervous system and cardiovascular system. Always keep chocolates covered up and out of reach of your pets, also let guests know about the dangers.
Symptoms of eating chocolate are vomiting, hyperactivity, diarrhoea, agitation and frequent urination. If you suspect that your cat has eaten some chocolate and is showing some signs of illness they should be taken to the vets immediately. In the worse case scenario, death can occur and all from eating a few charismas chocolates. So extra special care should be taken to keep such goodies away from our pets.
Amongst al the celebrates and visitors it is easy for your cat to begin to feel a little neglected and even scared, especially if there is a lot of noise and unexpected people in the house. Always try to find some time during all the Christmas day mayhem to pay them some attention. It is also a good idea to put aside a separate room for your cat to retreat to if you are expecting a lot of guests. Place in the room somewhere warm for them to sleep, a few of their favourite toys and make sure they have a clean litter tray and some water available. So if your cat decided that it is all too much for them they can be placed in this room and be kept safe and comfortable until things return to normal.
We might like Christmas and all it's fuss and glitter, but your cat may not feel the same way especially if we don't pay particular attention to their needs during this time.
More cat health and cat care tips can be found at our site http://www.our-happy-cat.com A feline friendly community full of helpful advice and fun things to do to make sure you have a happy cat and a happy you.
Copyright 2007 Kate Tilmouth
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kate_Tilmouth
Bringing home a kitten is a great addition to any family. But don't forget these following items, food dish with a design that fits your cat's fashion, and of course the litter box. Food would also be helpful. If you have all of these items you're all set for the kitten to come into your home.
Maybe not after all. In the beginning your kitty explored all over the house, consumed way too much food, and has been using his litter box with no accidents at all. Recently, however, you've realized your kitten is starting to have problems that you had not anticipated before.
Maybe there are a few more items that you want to take into account when overcoming these unwanted cat problems. Believe me; many other have already come across the necessity of some basic tips on kitten training to better the behavior of their new kitten.
So how do you go about kitten training when every time you turn around kitten is jumping off the walls, attacking your feet and hands, jumping on the countertops and tables to use as a wrestling arena, and that new furniture you just bought is now well on its way to being shredded in two.
Relax. Many a pet owner has been appalled to find that his or her sweet little kitten has turned into a fearsome beast! You can handle this, and your initial step will be to pick up a few necessary items. The first is a scratching post. Don't spend lavishly on a fancy one, since an ordinary one from your neighborhood pet store or department store will be just fine.
What if the monster kitten is still destroying furniture? When you catch him, rub his paws up and down the scratching post, using the same motion he used on the sofa. When done, make sure you praise him for using the post! Repeat this process as many times as needed until your new family member uses his post- and not the furniture- to sharpen those claws!
If you want to be able to keep your kitty in line, fill an aluminum can with rocks and put tape over the front. The next time you see your kitten doing something he shouldn't be doing, shake the can vigorously. The loud sound will scare him and he will develop an association between the scary sound and doing something wrong.
And a final note in kitten training is how to deal with the age old issue of kitten bites. Whenever you catch your kitten becoming unruly with your hands or feet give him a toy to replace your skin with. Any standard kitten toy will do such as a fur mouse or jingle bell ball.
Okay. You now know the essential elements of kitten training. Remember to let your kitten know how much you love him or her. Praise your pet for good behavior. Use positive reinforcement to create a strong bond with your cat for years to come. Your kitten and you, both, will be happier. Your pet will give you hours of enjoyment and will show you unconditional love.
About the Author
Bringing home a kitten is a great addition to any family. But don't forget these following items: a food dish, food, water bowl, and of course the litter box. When trying to correct cat problems, there are a few more things you should consider doing.
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Maybe not after all. In the beginning your kitty explored all over the house, consumed way too much food, and has been using his litter box with no accidents at all. Recently, however, you've realized your kitten is starting to have problems that you had not anticipated before.
Maybe there are a few more items that you want to take into account when overcoming these unwanted cat problems. Believe me; many other have already come across the necessity of some basic tips on kitten training to better the behavior of their new kitten.
So how do you go about kitten training when every time you turn around kitten is jumping off the walls, attacking your feet and hands, jumping on the countertops and tables to use as a wrestling arena, and that new furniture you just bought is now well on its way to being shredded in two.
Relax. Many a pet owner has been appalled to find that his or her sweet little kitten has turned into a fearsome beast! You can handle this, and your initial step will be to pick up a few necessary items. The first is a scratching post. Don't spend lavishly on a fancy one, since an ordinary one from your neighborhood pet store or department store will be just fine.
What if the monster kitten is still destroying furniture? When you catch him, rub his paws up and down the scratching post, using the same motion he used on the sofa. When done, make sure you praise him for using the post! Repeat this process as many times as needed until your new family member uses his post- and not the furniture- to sharpen those claws!
If you want to be able to keep your kitty in line, fill an aluminum can with rocks and put tape over the front. The next time you see your kitten doing something he shouldn't be doing, shake the can vigorously. The loud sound will scare him and he will develop an association between the scary sound and doing something wrong.
And a final note in kitten training is how to deal with the age old issue of kitten bites. Whenever you catch your kitten becoming unruly with your hands or feet give him a toy to replace your skin with. Any standard kitten toy will do such as a fur mouse or jingle bell ball.
Okay. You now know the essential elements of kitten training. Remember to let your kitten know how much you love him or her. Praise your pet for good behavior. Use positive reinforcement to create a strong bond with your cat for years to come. Your kitten and you, both, will be happier. Your pet will give you hours of enjoyment and will show you unconditional love.
About the Author
Bringing home a kitten is a great addition to any family. But don't forget these following items: a food dish, food, water bowl, and of course the litter box. When trying to correct cat problems, there are a few more things you should consider doing.
standby waiting for the time to hunt!
I'm the king and you are the servant..!!!
Funny.. Funny.. Funny..
There comes a time when parents decide to make their home a safer place for baby. Problem is that you have another baby, a cat. I find cat owners are very devoted to their 4 pawed friends.Ok heres the problem. You have a cat. Its no longer able to jump a baby gate. Either too old , to fat or too complacent. ( In most cases they can squeeze under even though they don't look like they could. I have a 18 pound cat that can. ) Now what am I going to do ? Unfortunately there is no good answer. If you set your gate high enough for your cat, your toddler can slip under it and get caught or worse. Maybe a hole in the gate. Nope that didn't work either. My kid gets his head stuck in it. Wait I found a company that has a patented gate with a small pet door in it. After reading about the gate I realized they were very specific .This is for pets only! So what options are there. Now you need to decide what are your priorities. Your child or your cat. This is the reality of it. There are no options other than to restrict the area your cat is in, or take a risk with your child. I once owned 28 cats at one time. I can sympothize I am definately a cat lover. I have tried to design a gate for cats. I am convinced a 4" round hole would work. Where as a 4" square hole wouldn't. So if I make a gate with a 4 inch round hole in it heres my new problem. It gives your little guy or girl something to stand on and get over the gate. So unfortunately I am in a situation of saying I still have no answer. Will continue to try and find a answer.
Mark W Saincome For further information visit my web site http://www.dmtoddlersafety.com or
About the Author
I have been a babyproofer for 15 years presently 2007 and have made it my mission to save little lives . Bringing professionalism into the baby proofing industry.
Sleeping or drunk!