would be jazzed about eating
that. They’re going to go for the
butter on the bread or the pound
of butter on the table.” As a dairy
product, butter isn’t the best thing
for cats either.
“Ham is another favorite of
people and cats,” Dr. Norsworthy
said. “It is often quite salty. If your
cat has heart disease — diagnosed
or not — too much salt can send
the cat into heart failure.”
Chocolate is notoriously toxic
to dogs and cats, although most
cats are not that interested in eat-
ing it, according to Dr. Norsworthy.
“What is the best thing for cats
to eat during the holidays? The
same things they eat at other times
of the year — a well-balanced,
low-carbohydrate, high-protein cat
food,” Dr. Norsworthy said.
Safe treats
Pumpkin is safe for cats, and some
cats do like it, according to Ingrid.
Pumpkin can be used to treat cats
for constipation. Too much, however, can cause diarrhea. Ingrid
said that pumpkin can be used as a
kitty treat but in small quantity to
avoid giving your cat diarrhea.
As a kitty treat, Ingrid likes to
use low- or no-sodium broth to
make ice cubes with a piece of
meat in the center. “Drop the ice
cube in the bathtub, and let them
bat it around,” she said. “You can
put them on a cookie sheet, in
the sink, or in their water bowls.”
Her cats love these year-round,
but especially in the summertime.
Ingrid placed extra emphasis on
making sure the broth contains little to no sodium.
The other stuff
In addition to the meal itself, cats
face other dangers during holiday
celebrations.
“Cats are often attracted to
the wonderful smells of cooking
Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners,” Dr. Norsworthy said. “They
often hover in the kitchen waiting
for a handout or dropped goodie.
In doing so, they may get stepped
on by a cook concentrating on his
or her duties. Keep the cats out of
the kitchen.”
Candles and fireplaces that
make our homes cozy can also
pose a threat to cats. “A lot of cats
burn whiskers off, singe their tail,”
Ingrid said about the cases she
sees in the clinic during holiday
time. “Candles and fireplaces are a
big deal.”
The most common holiday
emergencies Dr. Norsworthy has
seen in his 40-plus years as a feline
practitioner are intestinal obstruc-
tions. “The things that get cats in
trouble include small decorations
hung on a Christmas tree, tinsel
and garlands on the tree, and rib-
bons on packages. About one foot
of ribbon, string, or thread can
easily become lodged and fatal
if the cat does not get to surgery
pronto.”
Another hazard is the front
door or wherever your guests will
be entering and exiting.
Kitty safe room
With everything that can happen
to your cat during the holidays,
your safest option is to keep your
cats in a safe, closed bedroom.
“Especially for your door bolters, make an amazing feline wonderland or safe room,” Ingrid said.
In Atlanta, where she lives — and
many parts for the country — a
lot of people have finished basements, which would also work as
long as you first look for hazards
— like an exposed water heater —
that can hurt your kitty.
Here’s what you want to keep in
your cat’s safe room:
• Food, water, and treats
• Litter box
• Scratching post
• A favorite piece of furniture
or toy
• A cat pheromone diffuser
The stress
In addition to the food and safety
hazards, cats can easily become
stressed during the holidays,
because their usual routine is dis-
rupted. Keep in mind that cats like
change even less than humans do.
Although they do get bored if they
are not adequately stimulated with
playtime and toys, they do prefer
their world — and your schedule
— to run in a predictable, routine
fashion. The holidays can really
throw them off, especially if you
are spending less time playing with
your cat.
Ingrid recommended maintaining
their routine as much as possible
to reduce stress. “Keeping your cats
de-stressed is an important part
about any gathering and holiday,” she
said. “They really thrive on routine.
When we are distracted with food
and guests, we tend to not feed
them at their scheduled times, making sure their foraging toys are full.
We don’t play with them. And all of
those things are important in helping
them face this environmental stress.”
We’re only human, and that’s why
a cat pheromone diffuser comes in
handy. This product replicates cats’
“happy pheromones,” which have
shown to keep them calm during
stressful situations.
Part of the fun
For those cats who are friendly
toward everyone, have never shown
14 FOODS CATS SHOULD AVOID
