MeOW Welcome to another Service Cat Monday. The holidays are fast approachin’, so we’d like to share some Tips to make the holidays safe and fun fur everypawdy, your furry family members included. Today, we’ll focus on halloween. The followin’ post will be written in human English fur reader and translator ease. Our Service Cat Monday posts aren’t intended to be an all inclusive Trainin’ Manual but rather Tips, Tricks and Techniques used/developed by mommy A thru her many years of animal trainin’, cats in purrticular. And to offur insight into your questions about Feline Behavior. Ifin you have any questions or topics you would like us to cover, purrlease let us know in the comments section or send us an email. When asking behavioral questions, purrlease be as specific as pawssible. And, ifin you’ve missed any of the posts in this series, you can ketch up by clickin’ the links at the end of this post. Always remember, Training is all ‘bout Repetition and Rewards.

Remember, we think every anipal is much happier with a bit of Training. The first holiday quickly approaching is halloween. We don’t celebrate halloween for religious reasons, but a lot of people do; and it’s very important to remember your fur family doesn’t necessarily find it as much fun as humans do. Let’s look at the costumes first. With the popularity of social media and sharing cute animal photos, more and more costumes for your furry family are appearing. But, not all anipals like getting dressed up. Obviously kitties are less likely to enjoy wearing a costume than dogs, but there are quite a few dogs out there that would prefer their own skin and fur to some elaborate costume. You will know fairly quickly if your pet likes getting dressed up or not. If you happen to have one of those that goes limp, fights, bites, chews at, or tries to shake or scratch off the costume, Please respect your pet and don’t force them into wearing something that makes them uncomfortable. NOTE: A costume is different than a harness worn for safety while walking or being in public.

Me didn’t mind the suit. But the hat’s a little more than this kitty likes.

Next up would be the decorations. Maybe you go all out and have stringed spider webs, carved pumpkins, plastic spiders, bowls of goo or slime, cauldrons with dry ice, etc., or you simply buy a big bowl of candy to hand out; you need to know the dangers to your anipal. String of any kind is harmful to your pet if swallowed. Ya’ might get blessed and the string will pass through the digestive system without difficulty. But, more likely it’s going to cause some serious problems resulting in surgery and VET fees. Silly String, or the string in a can is a sticky plastic and manufactured to keep it’s sticky stringy shape no matter what. Not something you’d want wrapped around your anipals’ intestines. Small plastic/pipe cleaner spiders and decorations are more likely to be chewed by dogs, however some kitties might try as well. Again, not something you really want in your anipals’ tummy. And that cool “eerie” dry ice…well it can burn your anipals’ paws, skin or tongue.

Nuffin’ but kitty treats fur us.

Most people know that chocolate isn’t good for your pets. But what about all those other candies one might buy to pass out? A lot of candies are made with xylotol, which can lead to liver failure. At the very least, your furry friend might end up with gas and tummy upset. Candies made with pure sugar, like a halloween favorite, candy corn, can cause a bad case of diarrhea. Other hard candies and candy in wrappers can cause obstructions. Another trip to the VET and more green papers. Caffeine, also found in many candies, is also toxic to anipals. Raisins, grapes and other healthy for humans treats are toxic to anipals. So, be sure to keep the candy dish covered and out of your furry’s reach. And, please remember, alcohol, carbonated drinks, caffeinated drinks, marijuana, and other human spirits, are all toxic to your furry family member. You can always buy your pet some of their favorite treats to celebrate with. You might even want to make kitty a nice catnip/chamomile tea (boil catnip leaves in water for approx. 15 minutes, let cool, strain and serve). 

So, you’re planning a party with all of your friends. Remember, not all animals like loud noises, strange people and commotion. And what about the “Door Darter”? You know, we’re quite happy to stay inside with mommy even when the door’s wide open. But, some anipals look for any chance to slip outside for a quick sniff of fresh air. MOL  It’s a good idea to set up a “Decompression Room” (described here) for your pet during the party or when you’re passing out candy to trick or treaters. The last thing you want is for your cat/dog to escape through an open door or to get startled by someone’s costume and bite. Pets ARE NOT Decorations for your holiday party or anything else!!! 

As most of you know, we’re against letting your anipal freely roam outside without you. This is especially important during halloween. This particular holiday seems to bring out the kooks worst in people. Whether it’s kids playing pranks or actual Satan worshippers (yes they do exist), black cats in particular are are often targeted for torture. And yes, ANY Animal Abuse is Torture. Altho’ we’re not familiar with it, it’s been brought to our attention the last few years that all white cats are also at risk, as well as dogs of the same colors. PLEASE, keep Fluffy or Fido of any color inside or on a leash with you at the other end during the weeks surrounding halloween. 

Taking a few extra steps to ensure your pet is safe and comfortable can make your celebrations a success. You might want to keep the number for animal poison control on hand (888-426-4435), and be sure to check with your VET about after hours emergencies. Better safe than sorry. Be sure to tell your guests not to feed kitty/doggy or better yet, put them in the Decompression Room. 

Well, we hope we’ve offured some tips you didn’t know or maybe refreshed the ones you did. There’s no way we could cover every possibility, but ifin you implement just a few of these Tips, everypawdy can come out winners. ‘Member, ifin you have any questions or topics you’d like us to cover, leave a comment below or send us an email. And you can always ketch up on any posts you may have missed by clickin’ the links below.

Till the next time……………………………………….Be Blest!!!

Luv and Hugs and Kitty Kisses

Deztinee and RaenaBelle 

Service Cats  

What to Look For      Training Foundations      Train Kitty To Massage

Smelling Disease      Do You Need One      Who Bears the Cost

Housing Laws & Exceptions      Accommodations & Common Sense

When the Handler Dies      Proper Training Methods Pt. 1 & Pt. 2

Easiest Task to Train      Getting Kitty Ready for an Outing

Discipline: Stop Countersurfing Kitty      Internal Disputes

Calling Emergency Help      Just What Is Kitty Capable of

Shad: Original Service Cat      Harness, Vest, Leash or Stroller

Dezi, the Wheelchair & Chest      Round and Round We Go

Tumble & Fall Response      Raena Calls for Help

The Rest of the Story     Raena & the Wheelchair Pt. 1 Pt. 2 Pt. 3 Pt. 4

When to Train      Explaining Rewards & Kitty’s Feelings

Stop Kitty’s Begging     Calling For Help Options Pt. 1

Medicating Kitty

Training the Pig Headed, Stallion Strong, Submissive Pup & Conniving Cat

Cats Love Training & Social Media Downfalls

Reintegrating the Scared or Bullied Cat      There’s No Bully Cat Breed

Going for a Walk When in a Wheelchair     Calming the Tiger Pt.1 Pt. 2 Pt. 3

Surviving A Remodel      Taming A Feral Cat

Designer Cats & Scent      DNA Doesn’t Change      Fighting or Posturing

Clicker Training & Operant Conditioning      Wheelchair Training

Basic Training Continues      Managing Without A Wheelchair

Are Spray Bottles Effective      Hands Are Not Toys

Does My Cat Need A Friend      Helping Your Bullied Shy Cat

Why Cats Scratch