Lora Lee 
The holidays can be stressful for us. The shopping, the wrapping, the decorating, the gathering, the stress of it all. Our cats deal with their own holiday stress. Their environment changes when we bring in the Christmas tree. Add to that environment change, we can stress them out by trying to keep them out of said tree. Gatherings can bring a lot of stress to our babies, especially if they are not accustomed to lots of people being in their home. There are ways to keep your cat stress free during the holidays. And, maybe, also yourself.
Give Them a Safe Space
The best thing you can do for your cat to ease the stress of the holidays is to give them a safe space. Somewhere they can retreat to when it all gets to be too much for them. For my cats, my bedroom is their safe place. Anytime we have company, the cats go running to the bedroom. Eventually, they do come out and investigate at a safe distance. However, The Gremlins have not been around other people a lot in their young lives. The few times we have had company, they take off into the bedroom and stay until the company leaves. Except Cactus, she really struggles with company. She stays hidden under the bed for hours after they leave. When she does come out, she is very cautious and ready to run if needed.
We are hosting Thanksgiving at our house this year. This is going to be a huge adjustment for my babies, especially The Gremlin Kittens, even more so Cactus. Making sure that they have a safe space to go to is important. I will set up their food and water in the bedroom, along with their litter box. This will allow them access to everything they need without having to leave the safety of the bedroom. Not all of my cats will stay hunkered down in there, but still giving them a place to get away from the craziness with help to ease their stress.
Do Not Force Your Cats to Participate
Some cats are social and actually love to meet and hang out with new people. Others are firm believers of the “stranger danger” motto. Sloopy and Zazzles are my social cats. They love when we have company. So many new laps to occupy. Bodie, Hemingway and Emmet are slower in their interactions with company. If you are lucky, you will not only get to see those 3, but you might also get the extreme privilege of petting them. Lily and Cactus are definitely from the “stranger danger” way of thinking. It is going to be interesting to see how they react to my family being here all day and into the night.
As much as I want to show off my babies to company, the worst thing that I can do is to force them to meet company. It is better for our cats to meet new people on their own terms. Forcing them to meet and interact with new people can cause more harm and stress on them. As much as I want for others to feel just how soft Bodie’s fur is or to hear Hemingway’s sweet meow, I know that I can’t force them. Forcing Cactus to meet new people could, potentially, scare her even more causing her to hide for even longer. Letting them interact with our company on their own terms will cause them less stress.
Supplements, Color Therapy & Herb Gardens
Another way to help ease the stress of the holidays is with supplements. My go to stress relief supplement is Cat Calm from The-Two-Crazy-Cat-Ladies. This amazing herbal liquid has been a lifesaver many times in past stressful situations. Changes in the home, fireworks and vet visits have all been less stressful by using Cat Calm. I will start adding it to their water bowl and food a couple of days before Thanksgiving. This will allow time for it to get into their system. Actually, I might even start taking some myself. It is full of herbs, minerals, and plant extracts that is 100% safe for your cat.
My cats get CBD supplements. Thanksgiving morning, I will give them just a little bit more to help ease them throughout the day. They will also get some calming herb gardens from Naturally Cats with some chamomile, lavender and catnip. Some calming color blankets for them to sleep on will be placed around the bedroom and bathroom. Pink and blue are good options for a sense of calm. Creating a very safe space for them.
Stress Free Cats, Stress Free Cat Mom
Ensuring that my babies are safe and as stress free as possible is important to me. Worrying about their stress levels ultimately increases my stress levels. It will help me enjoy the day and spending time with my family knowing that I have taken steps to keep their stress levels down. Remember that our cats are extremely sensitive souls and pick up on our stress and energy. So, keeping your stress down will be crucial in keeping their stress down. Enjoy a stress-free holiday with your babies.
“You cannot ask for more if you are having a cat to love you unconditionally.”~Charles Dickens
