Summerside, P.E.I. - Animal rescue group advises owners to steer their furry companions away from toxic plants, dangerous decorations, unhealthy treats and cold snaps so pets can have a happy Christmas.
Fred Hillier is part of the Cat Action Team, an all-volunteer registered charitable organization that works to get stray and feral cats sterilized. Hillier provides care to a stray colony in Summerside.
“I feed this colony and take fresh water and food twice a day,” he said. “The first thing the cats do is drink for three or four minutes, just steady drinking, and you can only feed them dried food because the wet food will freeze.”
Colony caregivers provide the cats with food and water daily, and monitor their numbers and health.
“If they don’t have access to water then they eat snow and lick ice while burning energy, so providing fresh water is essential,” he said. “The only other moisture they get when the water freezes is from birds or rodents.”
Hillier said he often clears a path through the deep snow to provide the cat colony with food and water so they can weather the cold.
Beverly Hillier, treasurer of the Cat Action Team, warns people to be vigilant for cats seeking the cozy confines of a warm engine.
“Cats may climb into the warm engines of a vehicle, and this has happened in town,” she said.
It’s advised to tap the hood or slam the door to scare away any sleeping cats under the vehicle.
“If you have any open outbuildings, dispose of antifreeze safely because that’s fatal and they like to lick it because it tastes sweet.”
But the best advice is for owners to keep pets inside during cold snaps.
“We like to keep pets in as much as we can during cold snaps because cats (and dogs) tend to lose the tips of their ears, tails or pads with frostbite, so don’t leave any pet outside for extended periods.”
But hidden dangers can be found indoors, too.
Twinkling, dangling, shiny holiday lights, tinsel and wrapping paper might be temping for a pet to play with, but it can quickly turn into a dangerous choking hazard.
“You have to watch out for a lot of the Christmas things that include poinsettias, lilies, ivy, chocolate and alcohol because they are all poisonous and should be stored securely out of reach,” Hillier warns. "Giving pets the remains of Christmas turkey should also be avoided, because bones can and do kill."
Taking precautions with pets during the festive season will help ensure a happy and healthy holiday season for all the family.
FACT BOX
According to Dr. Courtney Hogan-Chandler of the Summerside Animal Hospital, the top five reasons why pets visit the veterinarian on Christmas Day are:
1. Chocolate ingestion
2. Alcohol poisoning
3. Medication ingestion (people are travelling and forget to store medications out of reach)
4. Poisonous plant ingestion from poinsettias, ivy and lilies
5. Foreign body ingestion.
