Halloween can be very stressful for your cat who may be startled by all of the unfamiliar sights and sounds, and who may also face additional dangers. With this in mind, the team at the Republic of Cats have shared their top tips for keeping your cat safe and happy during the spooky season.
The leaves have turned crunchy, pumpkin spice lattes are back, fall has most definitely fallen which means the spooky season is fast approaching. A holiday favourite of many, Halloween seems to be bigger and better every year, but did you ever stop to consider how your epic haunted house transformation could potentially put your feline friend in danger?
We’ve got together a few tips to be sure that your floofs stay safe and unspooked this hallow’s eve, despite their witchy ways.
- Like a cat to a flame
Carving pumpkins is the season staple of fun, getting competitive over designs and displaying them in windows is a tradition we humans love to get involved with. But do consider your kitten before lighting your lantern. Cats can be easily drawn in and distracted by the flicker of a flame, those small fluffy pyromaniacs. Unless you’re there for full supervision, how about finding LED paw friendly alternatives to eliminate the risk of an indoor bonfire, any singed whiskers and a less than impressed puss. Keep that pumpkin glowing in a cat safe way.
- Hide and seek
Despite being the witch’s number one companion of choice, most cats are easily spooked when it comes to strangers, loud noises and all things ghoulish. So the combination of small strangers knocking on your door throughout the night in a variety of terrifying costumes, provides you with the ultimate cocktail of chaos to scare your cat. Providing safe spaces for your cat to hide is essential for keeping them calm and away from the undead ringing at your door. Get ahead of the game in getting your cat used to any new cosy and quiet nook, the old faithful cardboard box is perfect for this. Maybe even include something that smells like their favourite human to snuggle for ultimate zen. And finally, why not whack on some calming kitten music if your housemate is of a particularly nervous disposition.
- Cat proofing
Ahh cats and decorations, sometimes we question whether it’s even worth it when remembering how many times we’ve had to scrape the Christmas tree and all its baubles off the floor for the fifth time in the run up to Christmas. But of course it is! We just need to be better at cat-proofing. Our four legged friends are famous for being curious, and just can’t resist snooping around/climbing up/tearing down anything that isn’t too familiar. Keep everything as out of reach as possible, quite the task we know. And be sure to check your decorations are cat safe. Often strings and similar materials can cause problems for your cat if ingested, so make sure they’re not munching on any faux-cobwebs when you’re not looking.
- Keep the treats out of reach
Be it trick or treat, best to keep it out of reach. As most pet owners will know, chocolate is a no no for our favourite fur friends, so be sure to store your bag of goodies safely away from creeping paws. If your curious kitten does manage to get hold of anything they shouldn’t, always call your vet for the best advice on what to do next.
- Chip your chums
It is a legal requirement to make sure your pets are microchipped in the UK. Keeping on top of your details is essential, especially over the winter months where the days are shorter for your housemate to slink away under the cover of darkness. On halloween it’s even easier for your cat to become spooked by unruly ghoulies and bolt without thinking. Halloween and bonfire night fall so closely together, so add in some premature fireworks from your next door neighbour and your cat could get quite the scare. Do your best to keep them safely indoors where possible and all of your microchip details up to date, giving them the best possible chance to get home should they decide to dart.
- Furball fancy dress, yes or no?
We have to be honest, cats in costumes tickle us – as long as those cats are consenting! Most cats truly will not enjoy being dressed up, a great shame for us human types but we must respect their choices. Forcing your feline into a pair of bat wings may just be the final straw and cause unnecessary stress for your kitten, just for the sake of a cute insta pic. However if you’re one of the lucky ones with a laidback little lion who will go along with anything for a Dreamie, we’re all for it.
We hope these handy tips help keep your kitten calm over halloween, and both cats and humans alike can enjoy spook season and all the festivities that go with it.
