Have a Safe and Stress Free Thanksgiving With Your Cats | Lola The Rescued Cat
Monday, November 21, 2016

Have a Safe and Stress Free Thanksgiving With Your Cats

I wrote this post for Thanksgiving last year and I decided to share it again. Lola, Lexy and I wish all of our friends who celebrate a blessed Thanksgiving full of happiness. We give thanks to all of our friends and followers who make this blog possible and we appreciate you all. 

With Thanksgiving only a few days away, it’s important to remember a few tips to keep our kitties safe during the holiday. 

Many people may not realize that our centerpieces can be hazardous to our furry children.  Lit candles can be a big danger to you cat as well as your house.  If you’re planning on lighting candles please make sure your cat is locked safely in another room.  And please don’t forget that certain flowersand plants are toxic. 



Another thing to be mindful of is the packaging for the turkey and other food wrappings. Strings from the turkey can be very tempting, and dangerous as well.  Foil, wax paper and other wrappings can cause intestinal blockages.  It is important to make sure these items are securely thrown away in the garbage and kitty has no access to the garbage can.  


The smells of the turkey wafting through the house may cause kitty’s mouth to water, but all the fixings that go with it should be off limits.  It’s OK to give your cat a piece of turkey (with no skin and definitely no bones), but please hold the stuffing.  Stuffing often contains onions and garlic, both of which contain a substance that destroys red blood cells, thus causing anemia.  And hold the fatty foods, too (such as gravies and rich sauces.) These can cause sever gastro-intestinal distress such as vomiting and diarrhea. 


You should watch the desserts as well.  Chocolate and raisins can be toxic, and nuts and dairy can cause digestive upset.  If you’re unsure is your cat ingested something that can cause problems, the ASPCA has a poison control hotline that you can call. 


If you're cat doesn't like strangers, expected changes in their environment, or noise, give her a little bit of zen by setting her up in a quiet room with her litter box, food and plenty of water.  And don't forget her favorite toys and bed or blankie. And make sure the room is off limits to company. (We don't want kitty trying to make a run for the front door because she's been spooked.) 

I don’t usually cook Thanksgiving dinner at home, but I’ll make sure Lola and Lexy get turkey and giblets Fancy Feast. And of course I’ll smuggle some turkey from Will’s mother’s house for them.

Are you having company for Thanksgiving this year? Do you have any plans to make the day stress free for your furry friend? 

Dawn

References: 
ASPCA
Banfield Pet Hospital
Pet Wave
North Shore Animal League

Photo Credits: 
Anna Maloverjan via Shutterstock
Michael Pettigrew via Shutterstock
Olesya Kuznetsova via Shutterstock
Steve Maskell via Flickr

Would you like to comment?

  1. I'm gonna try to steal some turkey again this year!

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  2. We're not celebrating Thanksgiving at home this year, so there won't be anything around for us to get into. Which is kind of a bummer!

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  3. Good meowning! And concatulations on your awards. xx

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  4. Great tips that are so important to remember, especially about things with garlic in them and lit candles in centerpieces. Our Mom not-so-fondly remembers the Thanksgiving our angel sister Crits lit the very tip of her tail on fire. She was fine but the smell of burnt fur overpowered the entire house and combined with the turkey smells, made dinner almost indigestible.

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  5. L & L......ewe can betcha we willna bee eatin any BURD round heer tho we iz gonna try N steel sum pie !!! happee earl thanx bee giving two ewe N yur familee; safe tee if they travelz, & thanx for de grate tipz in thiz post ~~~~~~~ ♥♥♥☺☺☺

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  6. Great reminder! The head peep insisted she was not cooking this year, which means no turkey for us. It also means no bunches of strangers, and we kitties are all right with that part, at least.

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  7. You can never share these tips enough. Our peeps are going somewhere else for Thanksgiving this year so we may not get any turkey. :(

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  8. My peeps are also going somewhere for Thanksgiving too. First they have the football game, then they come home to feed us, then back out.....Mom said she may make a turkey on the weekend though. Wishing you a happy and safe Thanksgiving! Love, Cody catchatwithcarenandcody

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  9. You can count me in on the stress free thing, it sounds purrfect!

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  10. Excellent post. I keep my cats locked in the bedrooms so they are safe and hopefully not stressed. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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  11. We don't celebrate Thanksgiving in our Country, but I would love to have a piece of that Turkey, Lola...YummY :D Your post is very impawtant and your pictures are priceless :) Thank you for your Birthday Wishes for Granny. They really made her day! Double Pawkiss for a wonderful day :) <3

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  12. Great info and tips. Have a wonderful and warm Thanksgiving!

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  13. Great posty girls. Wishing ya'll a very Happy and Blest Fanksgivin'. Big hugs to all.

    Luv ya'

    Dezi and Raena

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  14. Best Thanksgiving advice I've seen yet. The peeps cook at home. I get turkey scraps but nothing else. They don't have friends so I don't have to worry about company. Happy Thanksgiving from us to you.

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  15. We're Brits so don't celebrate Thanksgiving here but this is a very important post. Pet safety should always come first!

    Purrs xx
    Athena and Marie

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