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| Cat owners should keep their pets' safety needs in mind during winter months. |
With the busy holiday season gearing up, the American Humane Association reminds dog and cat owners to keep their pets in mind during winter months. AHA offers the following tips to keep cats and dogs safe:
- Keep pets inside when weather turns cold. Cats are susceptible to frostbite; consider keeping your cat inside year-round.
- Make sure your cat does not have access to antifreeze. Clean up any spills immediately. Antifreeze can be deadly if ingested.
- Don’t share holiday leftovers with your cat. Turkey, ham and other bones can become lodged in your cat’s intestinal tract or can tear delicate internal tissues.
- Keep in mind that many traditional holiday foods can make your cat sick — and can even be deadly. For a list of potentially harmful foods, visit the AHA website.
- Make sure your guests don’t feed table scraps to your cat. The kind gesture could make your cat ill.
- Decorate from your cat’s point-of-view. When you bring out your holiday decorations, remember how enticing they can be to your cat. Keep tinsel, ribbons and garland out of reach, as these can become lodged in your cat’s intestinal tract if ingested.
- Make sure power cords to lights and other holiday decorations are secured to deter chewing.