Thanksgiving With Cats

Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Cats are definitely something to be thankful for. Fluffy’s adorable face, funny antics, and cute quirks all help make her a wonderful pet. However, you may want to take some precautions to keep your kitty happy, healthy, and purring through the autumn holiday. Read on as an Oconomowoc, WI vet discusses Thanksgiving with kitties.

Some of our feline friends are very timid, and will hightail it for their favorite hiding spot as soon as the doorbell rings. If you have a scaredy-cat, put Fluffy in a quiet back room with her bedding, food, litterbox, and toys, and let her spend the day napping.

While some kitties are quite finicky, others will eat, well, pretty much anything. It’s fine to give your cat a special treat, but be sure to only offer safe, suitable foods. Never give your kitty anything that contains garlic, onions, scallions, or chives; chocolate; caffeine; alcohol; or xylitol. Meat on the bone is also a no-no, as are dairy products and raw meat, fish, and poultry. Fluffy can have a can of tuna, or some plain, cooked meat without the bones, skin, or fat.

Some kitties are quite fearless and sociable, and will spend the day hopping from lap to lap and making new friends. Of course, cats have a rule that directs them to immediately head for the person that is allergic to them. If you know or suspect that your guests have allergies, be sure to vacuum and dust thoroughly before the big day. Changing your air filters will also help.

We know, all of our feline friends tend to be rather drowsy in general. However, some cats—especially seniors and kittens—sleep even more than other furballs. If you’re having company, and your guests will be putting their coats on a spare bed, keep the door to that room closed. Otherwise, there’s a good chance that Fluffy will curl up for a nap on someone’s jacket!

There’s no counting the ways a playful kitty can get into trouble! Keep candles and potpourri burners in high, secure places, and keep potentially-dangerous items, like small or sharp objects, hard candies, and anything toxic, in secure spots Fluffy can’t reach.

Happy Thanksgiving! Please contact us, your Oconomowoc, WI animal clinic, for all of your kitty’s veterinary care needs.