Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center & Urgent Care

Halloween is an entertaining and exciting time of the year, but it does come with a few potential dangers for our kitties. Follow these tips to help protect your lovable feline and ensure that Halloween is spooktacularly fun as well as safe!

It is unfortunate that Halloween can be an especially dangerous time of year for outdoor cats. Many cats, especially black cats, go missing or end up harmed due to cruel Halloween pranks. If possible, supervise any outdoor time your cat has, or better yet, do your best to keep them indoors the week leading up to and the night of Halloween. Cats are used to getting their way: they enjoy being outside and may make a fuss about being kept inside, but it is truly for their own safety. One night of dealing with an unhappy cat is worth their well-being and your peace of mind!

Curiosity is a classic cat personality trait. Be extremely careful and vigilant when using candles this time of year. Your cat may be interested in the flame and end up burning themselves. The other danger is that your cat can easily knock a candle over when you are not looking – a definite fire hazard. There are battery-operated alternatives to candles for lighting pumpkins, and decorative Halloween candles can look just as creepy without being lit.

Keep other Halloween decorations, such as spider webs and crepe paper, up high and out of reach from your cat. Be aware of how high your cat can jump and what household surfaces are accessible to them. Cats can become entangled in decorations and cause injury to themselves.

Keep candy and candy wrappers out of harm’s way. Some candy contains toxic ingredients such as xylitol, and candy wrappers can cause intestinal obstructions if ingested. Not all cats are interested in candy or eating wrappers, but if you have a cat with a taste for treats, make sure to take the proper precautions to keep them safe.

Halloween night means lots of household activity with frequent knocking, doorbell ringing, and strange people’s voices. This can cause anxiety and stress for many cats. Combine this with the constant opening and closing of the front door, and you have the potential for a nervous or curious cat to bolt. You can do a few things to ensure your cat’s safety and comfort. Set up a safe room with their food, water, litter box, and comfy bed that is away from all the activity. Keep the door closed and tell guests and children not to enter the room. You can also set up a cat barrier by using a baby gate in an entryway to keep your cat away from the front door (as long as they can’t jump over it!). Make sure your cat has a collar with current ID on it and that they are microchipped.

Many cats do not tolerate costumes well, and it is usually best to let them be. You know your cat best – if they are okay with a costume, be sure to use something that is pet-safe, non-toxic, non-flammable, and does not restrict their movements. Never leave your cat unsupervised in their costume.

What are your Halloween cat safety tips?

Tags: Halloween, pet safety, cats