Halloween Safety for Indoor Cats

Halloween brings in that cooler fall air we often crave during the last months of summer. There’s that steady flow of ghouls and ghosts that end up on our doorstep screaming “trick-or-treat”! Though the highlights of our spooky season like the influx in doorbell rings to pass out candy, spooky costumes, and unfamiliar sounds can quickly become a high-stress situation for our indoor cats.

While letting the festivities of Halloween unfold outside our decorated front doors-keep these few proactive steps in mind to keep your overly curious and easily scared feline safe for the spookiest holiday of the year.

Beware of the Open Portal

• The most significant risk with indoor cats on Halloween is them slipping through that continually open door while candy’s being handed out!
• The screams, loud noises, and frequent knocks that disturb their normally quiet routine can feel highly stressful, causing door dashing to occur if the opportunity presents itself.
• Moving them into a quieter bedroom with the door closed during peak trick-or-treating hours with water, their favorite toys, and a bed can give them a cozy safe haven to avoid the stress. Ultimately killing the entire chance of having a door dasher on your hands altogether.
• Using a noise machine, radio, or tv to help buffer noise can help keep that doorbell ringing and chatter at the front door from causing added stress as well.

Ward off the real Horrors – Emergency Readiness

• If your worst nightmare does come to reality and your cat decides to dash when the Halloween rush begins.
• Here’s a few ways to be proactive and prepared:
  • Ensuring your cat has a microchip will make sure the kind citizen that finds them can get them back to you with ease.
  • Keeping the closest vet clinic’s phone number saved in your phone or written down will come in handy, if you need to call to see if your furry baby was brought in.
  • Make sure all the information on your microchip and your cats tags are updated in case of an escape. This way you’re sure to be called and notified immediately when they’re found.

Extinguish the Haunted Hazards

• Curious whiskers and twitching tails often don’t mix well with the flickering flames we see during the spooky season.
• Traditional candles are incredibly easy to knock over, creating a serious fire hazard and singed fur.
• Switching to LED battery-operated candles will leave you with a worry free glow.
• Taping down those electrical cords for the fog machines or blow ups your spectators enjoy, will help avoid the sudden shock a curious kitten may experience if wires are chewed on.

Lock Down the Cauldron of Treats

• Halloween candy’s meant for our human visitors, though our naturally curious cats often don’t get that memo.
• The crinkly foil and shiny wrapper often call our feline friends like a siren calling the curious predator within them.
• The rustling sound of candy wrappers often mimics the scurry of a mouse.
• This can trigger them to eat not just the candy inside that can be toxic, but the wrapper as well which can be a choking hazard and cause dangerous intestinal blockages.
• Keeping close watch on the candy bowl or keeping it in a sealed bag (if you choose to allow your cat to have free roam of the house on Halloween) can help avoid the intake of both the candy and the wrappers!

With a little witching-hour prep and a watchful eye, you can make sure the only ones escaping your front door are the trick-or-treaters on October 31st. Keep the cauldron forbidden, a quiet sanctuary available, the portal to your home guarded, and your furry feline cozy and curled up in comfort all night long. After all, the best Halloween spell is the one that keeps your house-panther safe, happy, and purring inside until morning light peaks through the window!

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