It’s that time of year again when all the stocking are hung (high up of course!) and the Christmas tree may be looking a little worse for wear (I mean, c’com! Everyone knows you put that thing up with all the dangly, baubly bits purely for your cat’s entertainment, right?!?!).
It’s a time when presents are being wrapped with pretty paper and oooh! that curly-wurly ribbon – such a cat’s delight!! But it’s also that time of year when amidst the fun and frivolity, HAZARDS have arrived!
From tinsel and trees to foods and ingestibles that can see you spend more time in the Pet ER than with your human loved ones this year!
Here’s a quick list of the top 3 potential Christmas hazards to be aware of this year to keep your Kitty purry…
Chewing, Choking, Strangling hazards
Tinsel, ornaments, plastic bits that break off with sharp edges
Trees – plastic or pine
Power cords, Christmas Light cables, that could become an electrocution or strangling hazard
Curling Ribbon, wrapping, sticky tape, staples from cardboard boxes, cellophane
Common Ingestible Feasting Hazards
Alfoil, plastic film wrap, cooked bones of any kind
Ham, bacon, ham fat, ham skin
Turkey bones, any cooked bones.
Radical change in diet in general can cause an upset tummy
Alien Invaders
Visitors – remember you might love them, but your cat may not. Make sure your cat has a safe place to hide.
Activity & routine change can also strike fear into your cat
Open doors and Windows – remember a freaked out cat will look for an escape – make sure your coming’s and goings don’t give opportunity for escape. Thousands of pets across Australia end up lost or missing over Christmas.
So what CAN your treat your kitty with over Christmas?
Here are 3 great recipes that are easy to make and can be great safe guilt-free treats to include your cat in all the festivities !
Soft Cheesy Cat treats
Ingredients
3/4 cup white flour
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup polenta
Directions
Preheat the oven to 165 degrees Celsius.
Combine the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses with the yogurt in a bowl.
Add the flour and cornmeal and mix well until a dough forms.
Knead the dough into a ball and roll out with a rolling pin to 1/4-inch thickness.
Cut the dough into one-inch sized pieces and place on greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 20 minutes at 165 degrees C or until the treats are just firm. Let cool on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes then remove the treats to a wire rack to cool completely before feeding to your cat.
Credit: Soft-Cat-Treats
Homemade Cat Treats
Ingredients
1 can tuna in oil, drained
1 egg
1 1/4 cups of flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 cup water
Dash of parsley
Bottle cap for cutting out treats
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 165 Degrees Celsius.
2. In a food processor mix tuna, egg, flour, water and parsley until a dough forms. If the dough looks too sticky, add a bit more flour.
3. Dust a surface with flour and roll out dough to 1/2 inch thick.
4. Use a bottle cap to cut out treats from the dough.
5. Bake for 20 minutes on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Let cool and serve to your cat.
After your cat enjoys a treat, check out this funny video and see if you can relate!
Credit: homemade-cat-treats-recipe
Catnip Crumbles
Ingredients
500g Ground Beef
2 Eggs
2 tablespoons Catnip*
Directions
1. Preheat over to 165 Celcius and line baking sheet with foil.
2. In a large bowl mix all ingredients by hand.
3. Spread mixture on foil line baking sheet and bake for 7 to 10 minutes.
4. Drain any excess fat and crumble.
(Can be given alone as a treat or crumbled over cats regular food.)
Credit: catnip-crumbles
*Catnip can be purchase in a range of pet stores or online.
So from all of us here at Cat’s Meow, we wish you a wonderful and cat-safe Christmas 2017!!