Is Your Cat Getting Spooked by Spooky Season?
When the first crunchy leaf hits the ground and the air has the faintest of chills, we all know what's coming. Pumpkin spice this, ghouls and ghosts that. Social media starts buzzing with DIY how-tos and listicles of the best spooky season movies to rewatch. For many of us, spooky season is a fun time of year with Halloween being a creative and playful holiday that kicks-off end of year festivities.
But have you ever wondered what Halloween looks like through your cat’s eyes? For an indoor kitty, October 31st can transform a familiar home into a very different place. Furniture may move. Strange objects suddenly appear. People look, sound, and smell different. The front door repeatedly opens and closes.
Some cats will be curious. Others may decide Halloween is definitely more trick than treat. Not every cat will be bothered by Halloweenie things, but as cat parents, it's our job to create safe opportunities and let your cat decide how much or how little they want to participate.
Halloween Could Be Stressful for Your Cat
Cats heavily rely on familiarity. They know their living area, territory, routines, favorite resting spots, and the normal sights, sounds, and smells of home. Halloween can change several of those things at once. Doorbells, footsteps stomping, excited children, unfamiliar voices, masks, costumes, flashing decorations, and frequent visitors may be an endless loop of curiosity to one cat and completely overwhelming to another. Keep an eye on your cat’s body language and behaviors instead of assuming they are enjoying things just because we are. A cat who retreats under the bed instead of sniffing everyones shoes may be choosing the place where they feel safest. And that is perfectly okay.
Give Your Cat a Halloween Escape Plan
Before the doorbell starts chiming every two minutes, make sure your cat has access to a comfortable spot away from the front door. If you're setting them up in a room, be sure to include familiar essentials such as water, a litter box, a cozy spot for chilling, and hiding options. A cardboard box, open carrier, favorite blanket, or elevated perch can give your kitty choices about where to settle. If your cat prefers watching the action from a distance, let them. Allowing your cat the ability to choose is powerful.
Keep Halloween Curiosity Safe
Halloween decorations can look suspiciously like cat toys. Dangling strings, ribbons, fake spiderwebs, electrical cords, flickering candles, peeled grapes, and small decorations like spiders and bats may seem like an open invitation for batting, chewing, stalking, or pouncing. We can't expect our cats to understand these fascinating new things are “off limits,” so instead of having a potential hazard on your hands, remove unsafe items and provide appropriate alternatives for those natural behaviors. Let your cat chase, stalk, pounce, scratch, hide, or investigate something safe and interesting. A kitty who has satisfying opportunities to be a cat will likely be less interested in scaling your 5ft Halloween skeleton display.
What About Cat Costumes?
That adorable tiny witch hat may make you happy. Your cat gets a vote, too. Some cats tolerate clothing or costumes well. Many do not. If your cat freezes, crouches, tries to escape, repeatedly paws at the costume, or simply looks uncomfortable, take it off. Never use a costume that interferes with movement, vision, hearing, breathing, or normal behavior. Getting a photo to post on social media isn’t worth making your cat uncomfortable.
The Best Treat? Let Your Cat Choose
A happy Halloween doesn’t require your cat to greet trick-or-treaters, pose in a costume, or feel comfortable around spooky looking guests. Our job as cat parents is to provide safe choices. Open a box. Offer the perch. Start a game. Create a quiet retreat. Allow your cat the opportunity to make the next move. Because sometimes the most cat-friendly way to celebrate Halloween is letting your indoor kitty decide whether they want to join the party or sleep right through it.