Spooky season is here but it can sometimes be a bit too scary for your cat. Discover our tips for having a cat-safe Halloween

All of the costumes, treats and tricks of Halloween are great fun for us, but they can pose some dangers for your cat. To make sure your cat has a spooky but safe season, here are some important things to consider.

1. Keep the treats for yourself

There really is no need to share your ‘trick or treat’ haul with your cat as these sweet treats are very bad for them. Chocolate in particular is toxic to cats and sweets can also make them unwell. Keep the sugary snacks safely out of your cat’s reach and treat them to a fuss or a play session instead.

2. Make sure decorations are cat-safe

When making your home look like a spooky lair, be mindful of which decorations could cause harm to your cat. Curious kitties can become easily tangled in fake cobwebs, chew through the wires of fairy lights or try to climb or pull on any hanging decorations. Keep any decorations out of your cat’s reach, including any naked flames, such as the ones illuminating your carved pumpkins.

3. Don’t dress them up

As you give yourself a scary makeover, it can be tempting to want to dress your cat up in a cute outfit too, but they probably won’t enjoy it as much as you think. Being confined in clothing is very stressful for cats, and they could injure themselves as they try to get free. They’d much prefer a cosy Halloween-themed blanket to snooze on, or a safe Halloween-themed toy to play with.

4. Keep them in at night

The dark autumn evenings can be dangerous for cats, as there is an increased risk of them being injured on the roads, not to mention the stress of noisy parties and firework displays. It’s best to keep your cat indoors at night, and make sure they are microchipped and their details are up to date, just in case they do escape and go missing.

5. Give them somewhere to hide

If you are expecting lots of visitors, perhaps ‘trick or treaters’ at your door or guests for a party, your cat might find this quite stressful. Make sure they have somewhere quiet and private to hide inside the house, as this will help them feel calm and safe. Reserve a peaceful room just for them, where they won’t be disturbed, and provide a cardboard box or Cats Protection Hide & Sleep^® for them to hide in.

For more information on how to keep your cat safe, visit our help and advice pages.