Concerned about keeping your animals safe during the holidays? My Cat From Hell’s Jackson Galaxy is here to ease your worries with some helpful tips.
The cat behaviorist spoke to Us Weekly about pet safety, including whether or not you should give your kids a pet as a present.
“The old wisdom was that we never want to give animals as gifts,” Galaxy tells Us, adding, “We’re actually finding that the animals that were given as gifts actually stay in homes almost better than ones that were planned out.”
As for decorations, the Total Cat Mojo author urges pet owners to stay away from poinsettia plants and potpourri because they are poisonous to both cats and dogs. Galaxy adds that cat owners should avoid tinsel and be sure to have their Christmas trees secure.
“It’s a tree, cats want to climb them,” Galaxy says. “Just make sure you’ve got that tree really plugged down, that it’s not going to tip over, again, avoid tinsel, and avoid those little hanging, sparkly ornaments — I mean, they’re cat toys!”
Two things cat lovers can safely give their felines this holiday season are turkey and catnip. “There’s nothing wrong with giving your cat meat,” Galaxy says. “If it’s turkey, bring it on.”
“It’s not about them having too much catnip, what happens is once they have a little catnip session, they become immune to it for a little while,” the My Cat From Hell star explains.
While your pet might look cute in their holiday sweater, Galaxy tells Us it’s really better to just keep your dogs and cats inside during the cold weather. “They’ll probably choose to be inside,” Galaxy adds.
“Absolutely not,” Galaxy responds when asked about leaving your cat alone with food and water while you’re on a holiday vacation. “Cats are no different from dogs or children, they crave the attention of their group. Leaving them alone like that is just not fair, get a pet sitter.”
If you’re looking to adopt a furry friend for the holidays, head over to Best Friends Animal Society.
