Have A Purrfect Christmas! Feline Charity Urges Cat Owners To Avoid Stressing Their Pets Over Festive Period

Making mulled wine, lighting scented candles and putting up decorations are all cosy Christmas traditions.

But they can make the festive season extremely stressful for pets, Cats Protection has warned.

Pet cats who have spent months of the year rubbing their cheeks against furniture to scent-mark it with their pheromones, so that their home feels safe and familiar, can be upset when everything suddenly smells different due to a novelty pine or candy cane-scented candle.

Meanwhile spices like cinnamon and cloves, used in homemade mulled wine, could be overwhelming for cats, who have a strong sense of smell as natural hunters.

The charity recommends festive plug-ins, diffusers and candles are avoided by cat owners or kept in one room only, and that it might be best to open a window and shut the kitchen door while making mulled wine.

The charity’s cat behaviour officer, Daniel Warren-Cummings, says Christmas can be the most stressful time of the year for felines for several reasons.

Families suddenly abandon their routines, so that cats’ breakfast and dinner time may come frustratingly late as their humans are engaged in festive tasks.

Owners start moving the furniture around to put up Christmas decorations, which is disorientating, and they invite strangers over who can make cats feel nervous.

Mr Warren-Cummings said: ‘There is no need to cancel Christmas or stop celebrating, but people should think a little about how merry – or not – their cat is feeling.

‘There are so many things people can do to help cats get through Christmas – like placing one of the many cardboard boxes from ordering presents online in the corner of the living room, as cats love to have somewhere to hide where they feel enclosed and safe.

‘If visitors are over, ask them not to go into one of the rooms at any point, so that room can be a refuge for the cat if they need to get away.

‘Ensure the cat has access to their key resources like their litter tray and water bowl in the safe room.

‘And try to stick to the cat’s normal routine as much as is possible around the festivities.’

Cats Protection advises people to be careful with paraffin Christmas candles, as they produce volatile chemicals which risk respiratory problems for pets.

Candles made from soy or beeswax are preferable.

As at any time of year, the charity says dressing cats up in ‘cute’ festive outfits is extremely stressful, as cats feel trapped in clothing which can stop them grooming and expressing natural behaviours.

Christmas stresses can lead cats to exhibit signs of stress like yowling, over-grooming, fighting other cats in the household, scratching furniture and going to the toilet around the home.

Mr Warren-Cummings said enquiries from owners about challenging cat behaviour than double in January, following the difficult festive period.

He said: ‘Many cats, particularly those in households with multiple cats, who are not related, are just about coping.

‘Then all the changes in routine in December can really tip them over the edge.

‘The good news is that simple measures, like pheromone plug-ins, in conjunction with safe spaces, can really help.

‘And there is no harm in giving cats a few festive treats, as long as this is in moderation.

‘Just try to think about your cat’s happiness, like you do for every other family member at Christmas-time.’