Christmas Decorating for the Cat Owner

If you have a cat, or cats, in your household, then you already know that decorating your house for Christmas presents certain challenges. If you're a new cat owner, then you need to know some restrictions.

First of all, all pet owners need to know which plants are poisonous to pets. Around Christmas, people love to hang mistletoe around and place Poinsettia plants indoors and out. So, which, if any, of these plants are toxic to our pets? The answer is American mistletoe (phoradendron serotinum). This plant, if eaten in sufficient quantities, can cause stomachache and even seizures or death in pets. But Poinsettia plants are not toxic. They were once reported as being very toxic to humans and pets, but studies have shown that if the leaves are eaten, it might only cause a mild stomach upset. Of course, people and pets can be more sensitive, making their reactions different, but as a rule, Poinsettia plants are safe to have around.

Next comes decorating with tinsel, garland, ornaments and candles. For anyone who's had a cat eat tinsel, the experience isn't worth repeating. I once pulled a twelve inch strand of tinsel from my cat's mouth. Gross. Cats like to chew on most anything, so a good rule of thumb is to keep all decorations out of the cat's reach. Not easy since cats climb, jump and generally skulk around without us knowing.

So, do the best you can to keep tinsel and garland, or anything else that might be appealing to your feline. When decorating your Christmas tree, artificial or real, don't put anything on the lower branches, especially if you value your ornaments. Some cats will climb up into the tree, so beware of that. If you want to put lights on your tree, make sure to tuck the cords within the branches so the cat won't easily see them and chew on them. Electrocuting your cat will ruin Christmas.

If you have glass ornaments, definitely place them higher up in the tree and put any plastic or non-breakable ornaments lower down. My cats think that all round and shiny ornaments are play things and try diligently to get them off the tree so they can bat them around the house. I've tried to secure the ornaments so this won't happen, but my cats are much smarter than me and manage to get them off anyway.

If you like candles, common sense will tell you not to leave them unattended. But if you have curious felines around the house, be extra cautious. I have one cat who, even after twelve years, still hasn't learned that candles can burn. He's singed his whiskers more times than I can count. So, with a little care, both you and your cat can enjoy Christmas. By the way, what does Christmas and a cat in the desert have in common? Sandy Claws!