How to make your Christmas cat friendly

By Greg Steele MRCVS

Christmas can be “the most wonderful time of the year” and naturally brings friends, festivities, and frivolity to the household. These changes can, however, be a source of stress to our pets, especially cats who are easily unsettled by different routines, smells, and variations in their home environment. How can we make Christmas fun for them too?

Social stresses in cats at Christmas

Cats are very sensitive to stress from new people and new interactions, and stress can lead to physical health problems quickly. Consider providing your cat with one or more safe, dark, quiet hiding places well in advance of Christmas. This can be something as simple as an open shoebox or container on top of a shelf or wardrobe. It is also worth ensuring their food, water and toilet areas are quiet and undisturbed as much as possible. Cats need to know they have options and that their options are secure – the decision to come out or to hide should be your cat’s only. If you can keep the disturbance in the house limited (just downstairs, for example) this gives your cat more space. In general, it is good to have one hiding place and litter tray for each cat, plus one extra spare. Calming pheromones via sprays or plug-in diffusers can also be helpful.

Please don’t dress your cats up in costumes or outfits – this is really stressful for them! 

If your cat is naturally more nervous, it may be worth considering a cat sitter or trusted cattery to keep them completely away from any potential stresses. 

Physical stresses for your cat at Christmas

• Cats love climbing and getting to high places – so the Christmas tree is a natural invitation! Make sure you get a heavy base, so the tree is secure, or a cat-proof or cat-friendly Christmas tree. 
• It is good to avoid fragile Christmas decorations like glass baubles and ensure your cat cannot access and chew any electrical wires. 
• Don’t put smelly gifts for your cat under the tree in advance! 
• Tinsel, ribbon, Sellotape, and string can cause serious harm (gut blockages known as linear foreign bodies) if swallowed.
• Be careful with candles around cats. 
• Ensure your cat cannot get near hot pans and other obvious dangers in the kitchen.

Poisonous stresses for your cat at Christmas

• Various foods are poisonous to cats, including onion, garlic, chocolate, grapes, raisins and large or sharp cooked bones.
• Various plants are poisonous to cats, including mistletoe, holly, ivy, Christmas cherry, poinsettias and lilies. If your cat nibbles the Christmas tree, the sap can also be irritating. 

Toxic Christmas Plants: What UK Cat Owners Must Know

The festive season brings many beautiful plants into UK homes, but several are acutely dangerous to cats. Lilies are the most serious threat — all parts of lily plants (Lilium and Hemerocallis species), including the pollen and even the water in the vase, are highly toxic to cats and can cause rapid, fatal kidney failure. If your cat brushes against a lily and licks pollen off their fur, that alone can be sufficient to cause severe kidney damage within 24 to 72 hours. If you have cats, do not bring lilies into your home at Christmas under any circumstances.

Other plants to keep well out of reach include:

• Holly: Berries and leaves can cause vomiting, diarrhoea, and lethargy
• Mistletoe: Low toxicity in the UK variety, but berries can cause stomach upset
• Poinsettia: Causes mouth and stomach irritation; rarely fatal but very uncomfortable
• Amaryllis: Bulbs especially toxic, causing vomiting, tremors, and lethargy
• Ivy: Can cause skin irritation, vomiting, and drooling if ingested

If you think your cat has eaten any of the above, do not wait for symptoms to develop. Contact your vet immediately, or call the Animal Poison Line on 01202 509000 (a fee applies). Take a sample or photograph of the plant to show them.

What to Do If Your Cat is Poisoned at Christmas

Act quickly — the sooner treatment begins, the better the outcome. Follow these steps:

1. Remove your cat from the source of the toxin without putting yourself at risk
2. Do not try to make your cat vomit — this can cause additional harm
3. Call your vet immediately, even outside normal hours — all practices must have an emergency service available
4. Bring a sample or packaging of whatever your cat consumed
5. If you cannot reach your vet, call the Animal Poison Line: 01202 509000

Signs of poisoning can include drooling, vomiting, lethargy, loss of coordination, dilated pupils, rapid breathing, or seizures. Some toxins — particularly lilies — show few early warning signs before causing serious internal damage, so do not wait to see if your cat improves on their own.

In conclusion

Christmas can and should be a great time for all the family, including the pets! With some simple planning and forethought, you can ensure your cat does not unintentionally suffer during the holiday season. Watch out for potential stressors, and if you are concerned, check with your local vet at an early stage for the best advice.