As festivities ramp up, things can get confusing, or overwhelming for the furbabies in your home. More people, different smells, plants/trees, lots of food, kids, noise…can all contribute to setting your cats usual routine off balance, plus lots of the things we LOVE at this time of year, are actually not so good for our kitties, so here are our top tips for a happy cat and a cat safe Christmas this year:

The Christmas Tree

If youve got a cat who loves to climb, who wants to chase the baubles, who desperatley wants to make friends with the fairy at the top - the christmas tree can become a bit of a nighmare - or rather keeping the cat off/out of it can!

1. Keep the cat out the room the tree is in or put your tree up in a no go zone already established for the cat.

2. Put a guard around the tree to protect it and prevent the cat from climbing, or at least put the tree up away from places the cat can jump onto it from - avoid launch zones!

3. Try foil around the base - cats tend to dislike the feel of it, so will steer clear.

   If all else fails, give in and let the cat attack - just make sure you choose decorations that wont harm them if chewed, that you have the hoover on hand for any spills and mess when the whole thing is knocked down and DONT shout at your cat if they do pull the tree over. They really dont do this to disrupt your decorations, but because, you know, its fun to climb trees!

   Remember Pine needles can be mildly toxic, so it really is a good idea to keep your eyes on the tree and on the cat to ensure nothing is injested, and the cat is well…which leads us to the next topic - xmas foods

Festive Food

Yes, the things we love to indulge in at this time of year can unfortunately be very bad for our cats, so keep festive treats out of reach of those curious cats:

STRESS

Its a big one all round - hence the big title here! Your cats can feel as stressed and anxious as the best of us around Christmas time. With the changes to their environment - ie the decorations and the new smells, then the changes in people - more people, different people, children etc, plus the chaos, the fireworks, the wrapping paper everywhere… you get the picture. If its different for us, if can enduce the tiniest amount of stress for us, think how it makes the cat feel.

What do you want to do when it all gets too much? Retreat. Same for your cat. Give them the space away from the hustle. Make sure there is a safe space, a room or an area they are are not bothered. Where they can curl up in the warm and snuggle down while the smell of mulled wine and roast potatoes drifts around them, but they are well out the way of the the kids and the carnage! You could try under a bed / on top of a wardrobe for example, but make sure if you move their regular sleeping spot you take the regular blankets etc too so they have their familiar smell and comforts with them too. Litter trays should be in a safe space too to avoid any accidents

On the subject of more people - how about you give your guests cat treats when they arrive? This way if your kitty is curious it might encourage a positive experiecne and interaction. Guests can approach gently and slowly with hand outstretched holding the treat. This will be less threatening for the cat meeting someone new and perhaps even rewarding for your guest to feed the cat some treats!

Any tips youd like to share? There are so many other things we coudl mention - but it would be great to hear your tips for keeping your cats safe at Christmas time. Message us via the button here, or leave a comment below. We look forward to hearing from you.