Festive hazards for pets

The festive season should be a fun time for everyone and as part of the family, our pets like to get involved with whatever is going on in the household. However, what is good for us may not be safe for our pets. Ensuring the celebrations are safe for our pets means that everyone can have fun and enjoy the holidays.

We all like to indulge during the festive season, and there are plenty of safe treats that can be given to our pets. However, many of the traditional celebration foods can be harmful, even in small quantities.

Chocolate

Chocolate contains a chemical called theobromine, which is toxic to cats, causing vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, hyperactivity, seizures and eventually liver failure. It can be rapidly fatal, even in relatively small amounts. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is. So don’t leave chocolates lying around and avoid those that hang on the Christmas tree – keep all chocolate safely out of your pet’s reach.

Christmas pudding and mince pies

Grapes (and all derivatives, such as raisins, currants and sultanas) can be toxic. The exact mechanism is unknown, but even very small amounts can cause acute kidney failure and death. Mince pies, chocolate raisins, Christmas cake and Christmas pudding are all potentially harmful.

Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners such as xylitol are found in many sweets, as well as chewing gum and other products such as toothpaste and mouthwash. Xylitol is a particular problem in cats causing a huge release of insulin, which make blood sugar levels fall to dangerously low levels. Symptoms include lethargy, vomiting and seizures and prompt treatment is essential.

Nuts

Large amounts of macadamia nuts can cause adverse reactions, including fevers, stiffness or lameness and tremors. Signs usually occur within 12 hours of ingestion. Contact your veterinarian if you think your cat may have had access to macadamia nuts.

Onions

Members of the Allium family include onions, garlic, leeks and shallots. They can be found in many festive foods, including stuffing. They can cause upset stomachs, but the main concern is that they can cause destruction of red blood cells, causing severe anemia. This affect may not happen for a few days after ingestion but can be extremely serious depending on the volume eaten. If your cat develops red or brown urine after eating onions, then you must seek immediate veterinary attention. Other signs of poisoning that relate to anemia include tiredness, unwilling to exercise and general depression.

Over-eating

As many will relate to, over-indulgence is all too easy during the festive period. Our cats are smaller in bodyweight than us, and what we might consider a few small titbits can easily mount up. Gastric upsets, bloated stomachs, acute diarrhea are all best avoided by reining in the amount of extras fed, and keeping tempting food out of reach.

Decorating the house is a fun part of the season, but care must be taken to make the house safe for our cats.

Baubles

Glass baubles can shatter into fragments, which can be sharp and cause injury if eaten or walked on. Shatterproof, plastic baubles or fabric tree decorations are safer, but can cause obstructions if eaten.

Tinsel

Tinsel is shiny and long and looks very much like a cat toy! If swallowed, it can be a choke hazard or cause an obstruction. Always keep tinsel well secured or out of reach.

Lights

Cats are often fascinated by Christmas lights, and will often want to investigate – which may involve attempting to climb the tree! Cats can be burnt by the bulbs or electrocute themselves by chewing through cables. More commonly, they can become entangled in the cables and panic, which can then lead to injury. Remember to unplug the lights when out, and keep cables safely taped and away from access.

Candles

Enthusiastic investigation of a lit candle can be a fire hazard, and the flame and hot wax can cause burns to paws or noses. Never leave candles unsupervised when lit, and preferably keep them high up or in a safe place.

Decorating the house with greenery will look wonderful, but many plants popular in the festive season can be hazardous to cats.

Poinsettia

Colorful and very Christmassy, this plant can cause irritation to the mouth, throat and stomach lining if eaten, leading to excessive drooling and sometimes vomiting.

Holly and mistletoe

The berries of both these plants can cause an upset stomach and can cause quite severe vomiting if ingested in large quantities.

Lilies

Lily plants are highly toxic to cats, and if any part of the plant is ingested can cause serious illness. Red lilies are popular at Christmas-time but should be kept well away from our feline companions.

Christmas trees

Real and artificial trees both have different problems for cats. Real trees drop pine needles which can be sharp and cause irritation. Cats can tread on needles, and they can penetrate the skin or, if eaten, they can cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract. Artificial trees can shed small bits of plastic, which may be eaten and cause obstruction in the gut. Trees can also be sprayed with preservatives or fake snow, which can be toxic, either if chewed or if leached into water at the base of the tree which is then drunk by your pet.

Christmas trees can also be irresistible toys to cat, especially kittens. Cats love to climb, and may jump up at the tree to reach decorations. Make sure your tree is secured safely with a very stable base. It may be necessary to use furniture or a stair gate to prevent access to the tree if there is too much interest.

Wrapping paper

Wrapping paper is of low toxicity, although can cause staining of the mouth which can be alarming to see. If eaten in large quantities, it can cause an obstruction in the gastrointestinal tract.

Ribbons

Cats love playing with ribbons from parcel wrapping or tinsel from decorations. However, ribbon like playthings can cause a serious obstruction in cats if eaten. If you know that your cat has swallowed anything unusual then you should always get immediate veterinary attention.

Potpourri

Potpourri is highly scented and can be attractive to cats. If eaten, it can cause vomiting and diarrhea that can last for several days. In most cases signs resolve within a few days without treatment but some of the essential oils used to scent the potpourri can be toxic and you should always contact your veterinarian for advice if you are concerned.

Batteries

Many Christmas toys and gadgets require batteries, and so there are often plenty purchased around this time of year. Make sure that they are always kept well out of reach of cats. If batteries are eaten corrosive chemicals can leak out and cause severe burns to the stomach and intestines. Batteries may also become lodged somewhere in the gastrointestinal tract and cause signs of obstruction (vomiting and depression).

Now that we realize just how many hazards there are for pets during the festivities, it’s worth checking how you access veterinary care during this time. Some veterinary surgeries will be open during the holiday season, but many will close during bank holidays. All veterinary practices are required to provide some form of emergency cover, so if your usual surgery is closed, they will direct you to a nearby practice who will be covering their out of hours service. You can always call your local veterinarian, at any time of day or night, even if you know they are closed, as they will direct you on to the appropriate service. You may have to travel to a different practice, but there will always be a veterinarian who can see you in an emergency.

If you are unsure what constitutes an emergency, you can always call for some advice. Here are some holiday hazards that may require a trip to an out of hours veterinarian:

• Ingestion of toxic foodstuffs including chocolate, moldy food, raisins or foods containing artificial sweeteners.
• Persistent vomiting where your cat cannot keep anything down and is unwell in themselves.
• Tremors, persistent muscle twitching or seizures.
• Ingestion of decorations, tinsel, ribbons or large amounts of wrapping paper.
• Ingestion of batteries.
• Exposure to lilies.