Cat Clinic at Cherry Hill

How to Help Cats During the Holidays

how to help cats during the holidays

The holiday season is here, which means you’re probably gearing up for all the cheery festivities! Whether you’re hosting guests or traveling away from home, the holidays can be a busy and stressful time for anyone — especially people with pets. For cat owners, the holidays can be a little tricky, especially if your cat doesn’t particularly like social gatherings and you plan on hosting a family get together. That’s why the Cat Clinic at Cherry Hill has put together some tips for how to help cats during the holidays to get both you and your kitty through the season as happily as possible!

Helping Cats During the Holidays

Between food, guests, weather, and all the decorations, there are a lot of new and unfamiliar things that your kitty might encounter this holiday season. Here are a few tips for cat owners to help your cat get through the holidays with minimum stress:

  • Work with your cat’s social anxiety — If your cat isn’t a people-person or is pretty skittish, having a lot of guests over might stress them out. To help put your cat at ease, ensure they have their own quiet space away from people where they can hide and stay out of the way. Closing off the upstairs level of your home or even shutting them in your bedroom are great ways to give your cat their own temporary space to feel safe until the party is over.
  • Research what food is okay for cats — Your kitty might sniff out the food you’re preparing for the celebration, but be careful what they actually eat! Turkey skin, bones, and gravy might make your cat sick. If they’re curious, feed them a small bite of plain turkey meat and see how they react. If they’re okay in a few hours, another bite or two is probably okay, but make sure it’s bone-free.
  • Keep your cats away from toxic plants — Many holiday plants look great in your home, but they’re unfortunately toxic to kitties! Do your research on plants that are toxic to cats; to start with, cats should avoid interacting with poinsettias, lilies, and evergreen trees.
  • Be mindful of weather — Most cats don’t like the wet or the cold, but for the curious cat who does, snow isn’t a great idea. Your cat will be okay to poke around in the snow for a minute or two, but anything more than that and they could get sick. If it’s too cold for you, it’s too cold for your cat. Plus, if your cat’s fur gets too wet, it might not hold the heat as it’s supposed to. You don’t want your kitty to get hypothermia! 

If Your Cat Seems Sick, Call the Cat Clinic at Cherry Hill!

Even if you follow these tips on how to help cats during the holidays, remember that mistakes happen! We try our best to protect our kitties from the hazards that accompany the holidays, but we can’t always predict everything that might go wrong. If your cat eats something they shouldn’t or looks sick from the cold, contact your closest emergency vet immediately. For everything else, give the kitty experts at the Cat Clinic at Cherry Hill a call! Schedule an appointment with us today at 856-662-2662.

Unusual Cat Myths for Halloween

halloween the cat clinic at cherry hill

Gather round the fire for these fun feline tales! During this spooky and superstitious time of year, most stories involving cats depict them as evil omens or the eerie companions of witches. Rather than dwell on the typical bad-luck black cat stereotype, The Cat Clinic at Cherry Hill has gathered up a few legends that paint our four-legged friends in a less villainous light.

Cat Stories from Around the World

Buddhist belief: A sect of Buddhism once practiced in former kingdoms of Siam and Burma believed that when you die (if you were holy enough), your soul is placed in a cat for safekeeping. Later, when the cat passes away, that soul ascends to paradise. This sect of Buddhism reveres cats as a result and often has depictions of them sleeping at the feet of statues of Buddha. In Thailand (once Siam), they still observe a ritual of presenting a live (Siamese) cat adorned in gold jewelry to each new Thai king during his coronation. It is thought that the spirit of the old king can witness the new king’s coronation through the cat’s eyes.

English belief: It was once believed that cats were able to predict the weather—by observing your resident feline’s behavior, you could get some clues on the daily forecast! Clawing at carpets or curtains signaled windy weather ahead. A rigorous grooming of the ears meant rain was on the way—as did staring out the window or sleeping with all four paws tucked under his or her body. The Welsh believed that when a cat’s pupils expanded, a storm was approaching.

Scandinavian belief: Referring to Norwegian Forest Cats in particular, people believed these felines were the favorite animals of Freyja, the goddess of love and fertility. Giving a black cat to newlyweds was considered good luck, and farmers who hoped for bountiful harvests would leave dishes of milk outside for the fortuitous felines. We can’t be sure that actually helped their harvest, but there’s no doubt it solved any mouse infestations in the farmers’ barns!

Bring Your Favorite Feline to The Cat Clinic at Cherry Hill

No matter your cat’s backstory or supernatural abilities, it’s important to bring him to a reputable cat veterinarian for yearly health checks. Wondering if the Cat Clinic at Cherry Hill is the best place for your pet? We come highly recommended by our clients:

“We are so glad to have found Dr. McCauley and everyone at the Cat Clinic. Our four kitties are much less stressed during and after their visits. All of our questions and concerns are answered with patience and good humor, and we learn what we need to do to keep our kitties healthy for many years yet to come. We are from Philly and are happy to cross the bridge to Cherry Hill it is worth it. Thanks guys.” – Nellie J.

Give us a call at (856) 662-2662 if you’d like to set up an appointment for your cat! Or, check out where we are located and visit us at the office. We’d be happy to meet you and your furry family member!