Halloween Safety for Cats Halloween is a wonderful opportunity for kids (and many adults) to engage in fun and frivolity, but for cats it is filled with dangers—some of them extreme. This article shows you how to make the holiday delightful, not frightful for your cat. Background: Why is Halloween Scary for Cats? Throughout history, Western culture has had a love-hate relationship with cats, especially black cats. Although the ancient Egyptians revered cats, our culture has maintained various unpleasant superstitions about them. Starting in the Middle Ages, certain groups associated cats with witchcraft and evil and actually believed that witches could turn themselves into cats. Far too often, misguided ideas about cats have led to the violent persecution of both cats and people who cared for them. For instance, in the 16th and 17th centuries, tens of thousands of cats, and humans accused of being witches, were cruelly put to death. Today, although cats are the most popular pet in the United States and other Western countries, mean-spirited anti-cat bias still persists, sometimes with disturbing echoes from the past. Unfortunately, some unstable people who have been exposed to callous or hateful attitudes toward cats use Halloween as an excuse to capture cats and viciously abuse them. Because Halloween season seems to spark violence against cats in general and black cats in particular, many shelters refuse to allow adoption of black cats during the month of October. Unfortunately, this does not protect cats who are normally outside during Halloween from would-be sadists and other miscreants. Felines face additional dangers from Halloween that typically do not occur with other holidays. On Halloween night, there are great numbers of people outside, including children who may be quite rowdy on this occasion. Teens and adults attending or returning home from Halloween parties may be emboldened by the role-playing and faux-satanic nature of the event—and possibly alcohol—to commit acts of cruelty toward cats that otherwise might never cross their minds (or at least be stifled by common sense). Keep in mind that Halloween parties may take place throughout October and even early November. Combine all these dangers with increased traffic, noise, and shouting, and the great outdoors can turn into a very frightening, unsafe place for a cat. Create a Safe Haven for Your Cat So to keep your cat safe, all you have to do is keep your feline inside, right? Actually, not letting your cat out on and around Halloween is your first priority, but it's not enough. All the trick-or-treaters ringing your doorbell over and over and yelling every time the door opens may scare the wits out of the bravest cat. Here's what you need to do to help ensure your cat's safety and comfort on Halloween: •If your cat is an indoor-outdoor cat, start keeping your cat indoors the weekend and several days before Halloween night because many communities celebrate Halloween before the traditional day on October 31st. It may also take several days for your cat to get used to staying indoors, and you may have to deal with a lot of yowling at the door and several attempts to sneak out. It's better to know how to handle this behavior beforehand. •Secure your cat—whether your cat is an indoor or outdoor feline—in a comfy room with everything he or she will need on the night of trick-or-treat: litter box, favorite nap cushion, food, water, and toys (Check out these Halloween toys for your cat). While you're at it, toss in a perch, one or more scratching pads or posts—and maybe some catnip (although some cats are over-stimulated by catnip). Make sure your cat has a place to hide, as well; space under the bed usually suffices —though you may want to dust there first. •Give your cat something to distract her from all the nerve-wracking noise going on in and outside the house. Try an entertaining cat video or some soothing music if that appeals to your cat. Spray a little Feliway® in selected spots to help alleviate some of your cat's stress. (Feliway is a synthetic product that simulates the action of a special cat pheromone, a chemical marking agent, to induce relaxation in cats.) Most importantly, visit your cat frequently in her room and be reassuring and affectionate so she won't feel she's being punished. If kitty's in the mood for playing, see if you can spare a couple of minutes here and there to engage her. There's nothing like stalking and pouncing on a toy mouse to take the edge off. You may also want to leave kitty with a treat on one or two of your visits. •As tempting as it may be, don't allow your kids to parade their Halloween costumes in front of your cat. Cats do get frightened when their human companions look different than usual. Although it may seem funny to see your cat's reaction to your kids' masks, it can truly be terrifying to the cat. And please don't dress your cat up in a costume; cats balk at being constrained in human clothes. (But if you do want to get your cat in the act in a happy way, check out Halloween theme-colored protective nail caps for your cats from Soft Paws.) •Keep your cat away from Halloween candles and Jack-o-lanterns. While they're a great way to highlight the ambiance of the holiday, they're very dangerous for your cat. He may try to swat the flickering flame and burn himself or knock over the candle, starting a fire. For this reason, we recommend against using Halloween candles in households with cats. Electrical wires, which some cats are fond of chomping on, are also a hazard, so keep them away from your cat. •If you have a Halloween party, keep your cat secure in his safe haven for the duration of the festivities. Put a sign on the door informing guests not to open it and not to let the cat out. If someone isn't familiar with your home, he or she may mistake your cat's sanctuary for the bathroom or coat room. •Don't let your cat get into decorations that could be harmful to him. Be especially careful with string, ribbon, yarn, and tinsel. They can be very dangerous if your cat swallows them because they can sever parts of the intestines, which may then require life-saving surgery. •Prevent your cat from eating Halloween candy—especially chocolate, which is poisonous to cats. Relay this warning to your kids who may decide to be generous with their candy with the cat. •Watch out for candy wrappers, as they can also be harmful if your cat ingests them. And those plastic bags that the candy comes in can be dangerous, especially to rambunctious kittens who could get trapped inside them and suffocate. You may want to store your children's Halloween bounty in a place that's inaccessible to your cat. •After Halloween, get rid of aging pumpkins, which can quickly harbor bacteria. If your cat samples a rotting pumpkin, she can get very sick. If Your Cat Bolts There are all sorts of reasons why a cat might dart out the door. Here are several precautions you should take well in advance of Halloween, to minimize the chance of your cat wandering off and to help ensure that she quickly returns on her own, safe and sound. •Above all, create a warm, secure, fun, accommodating, and meaningful home environment for kitty. You want to be confident that kitty feels that the safest, most comforting place for her is her own home. You want to have a strong sense that when kitty feels threatened, she considers her home to be her best refuge. Kitty should like where she lives and have an attachment to it. •Get your cat microchipped. A microchip is a tiny, harmless, permanent identification device inserted just below the skin by your veterinarian. The procedure takes a few seconds and is usually painless. •Put a breakaway collar with an attached identification tag on your cat. The breakaway aspect of the collar is a potentially life-saving safety feature. If your cat is wearing the collar and it gets caught on something, your cat's weight or tugging will cause the collar to come apart, thus freeing her from the threat of strangulation or getting caught by a predator. •Train your cat to come when called. Devise a simple unique call that you think sounds enticing.Once a week—once a day at first—initiate the call in kitty's presence while letting kitty see that you're getting her favorite treat. Reward her with the treat and lots of praise when she approaches you. She'll catch on soon enough. •Try to train kitty to accept being picked up and held. Start slowly, just touching her sides, then her belly, then picking her up for one second, and so forth. Reward her each time she complies and always let her go when she indicates that that's what she wants; the exercise should not be stressful for kitty. Rewards may include petting and praise and/or looking out a window that's impossible for her to reach without your help. Not all cats agree to being picked up, but it's worth a try. When you have guests over, consider implementing the following strategies: •Assign a volunteer whom you know to be trustworthy to be an assistant cat-watcher. This person can make sure that kitty stays in her private party suite and that guests quickly shut the door behind them when they exit the house. •Put signs on the all doors that lead to the outside and that guests might use. The signs can say something like "Please don't leave the door open, so kitty doesn't escape. Thank you!" If your cat does get out, here's what to do: •Remain calm. •If you're hosting a party, ask your guests to refrain from being boisterous until you get kitty back in. You may have to repeat this request. •Get rid of any Halloween accoutrements that you think might frighten kitty. Extinguish any flames. Since you temporarily don't want to attract trick-or-treaters, you may want to turn off the front porch light. •Use the call you practiced with kitty to get her to come to you. Have kitty's favorite treats ready. •If you have not established a "come here, kitty" call, call kitty as you would under normal circumstances. •When you see kitty, try to encourage her to come in. Conspicuously open a can of her favorite food, or shake the treat jar—whatever sounds kitty usually responds to. •If kitty doesn't come in on her own, approach her calmly, perhaps speaking to her in a quiet, reassuring voice. Unless you know she runs away when you try to pick her up, consider picking her up. Swoop in quickly but gently. This is a judgment call. If you live in an apartment or condominium complex and your front door does not lead directly to the outside, the risks if your cat gets out are reduced, but certainly not eliminated; all the aforementioned safety precautions are still recommended. If you live in a high-rise and have a balcony, and throw a party, it is crucial that your cat be kept securely in a safe room for the duration of the party. At the End of the Day After the commotion has died down, and you've put all the dangerous stuff away, give your cat a hug or chin scratch for being such a good kitty and putting up with all us loud humans. Let her sniff around the house and reclaim her territory. She may want to indulge in some play to relieve pent-up stress. Going Forward... The outdoors holds many amusements for your cat, but danger is lurking as well—and not only on Halloween.Cats are safer living indoors. You may want to make Halloween an opportunity to turn your outdoor cat into an indoor feline and secure her safety forever, not just on this holiday. Make the indoor environment compelling from kitty's point of view. Fill your home with sturdy scratching posts, comfy perches at different heights (and with scenic views), and interesting hiding places. Engage in daily interactive play for kitty's mental stimulation and physical exercise. Knowing your cat is safe and happy inside with you is the best treat you can give yourself and your feline this Halloween season. (Note: If kitty shows an abiding interest in the outdoors, as a compromise between her wanderlust and her protection you may want to consider training your cat to walk with a harness and leash.) Disclaimer: This is not intended to replace professional consultation, diagnosis, or treatment by a licensed veterinarian. If you require any veterinary related advice, contact your veterinarian promptly. Information at CatHealth.com is exclusively of a general reference nature. Do not disregard veterinary advice or delay treatment as a result of accessing information at this. cathealth.com