5 tips for celebrating Halloween with your cat

Christmas may be the UK’s most significant holiday, but Halloween has been rising in popularity in recent years. In fact, Brits spent a whopping £687 million pounds on Halloween sweets, costumes, and decorations last year, compared to just £230 million in 2013 (Statista).

Cats have been synonymous with Halloween for centuries, so if you’re a cat owner, you’re no doubt looking forward to getting them involved in this spooky season. But how exactly can you celebrate Halloween with your cat, and are the different aspects of Halloween — pumpkins, costumes, spooks, and so on — safe for cats to enjoy? Catit share a few of the safest and most fun ways to involve your cat in your Halloween celebrations this year.

Let them eat pumpkin

If your cat seems intrigued when you’re carving up a pumpkin, you don’t have to shoo them away — pumpkin is actually very safe and even healthy for cats to eat! In fact, some high-quality cat foods include pumpkin as an ingredient alongside beef, whitefish, and other meaty ingredients. This is because cats are obligate carnivores, meaning that while they can eat some vegetables and fruits, they get most of their nutrition from meat. However, pumpkin contains fibre that may be beneficial to your cat’s digestion alongside their regular food, and it’s hydrating too.

If you have any dogs in your home as well as cats, they can also safely enjoy a pumpkin treat as it is non-toxic for both dogs and cats. Just make sure any pumpkin you give them is pure, unsweetened, and doesn’t have any added spices or flavourings — and don’t forget to remove the seeds.

Consider costumes carefully

One of the first things we think of when looking forward to Halloween is choosing a costume and dressing up as our favourite spooky characters. You may be tempted to buy one of the many cute cat-sized costumes out there for your feline companion, but first, it’s important you think carefully about your cat’s personality first. The truth is that most cats don’t enjoy dressing up — it’s restrictive, it masks their scent, and it can even lead to sensory overload in some cats. Your cat will likely be much happier with a new accessory on their collar, such as a spooky charm or bow tie that will make them look the part without causing them any discomfort.

That said, every cat is different and there may be felines out there who love getting into costume — if they purr when you dress them up, for example, then they may be unbothered by your chosen outfit. Just be sure to only dress up your cat when you’re there to supervise them. If left unattended they could become tangled or get their costume stuck, so make sure you’re always around to help them out.

Have a spooky photoshoot

Costume or no costume, cats are the perfect subject for a spooky photoshoot. Cats, and in particular black cats, have long been associated with witches and have been used in Halloween iconography for centuries. So, taking a few spooky snaps of your feline friend amongst your Halloween décor is sure to produce some fantastic results. When photographing your cat, remember to turn off the flash as this can upset them or cause them distress. Plus, dimly lit photos are much more appropriate for Halloween!

To get the best photos of your cat, try distracting them with their favourite toy or treat and holding it near to the camera — this should encourage them to strike a pose. But, if they don’t seem interested in being a model at that moment, don’t force them to take part. Leave them alone and try again later.

Buy them a new toy

On the subject of toys, Halloween is a great excuse to gift your kitty some shiny new things to play with. Cats require lots of stimulation, especially if they are indoor cats, and by providing some new cat toys you can make sure they’re entertained while you’re off trick or treating, bobbing for apples, or watching a scary movie. There are lots of different toys designed for cats out there, so if you’re not sure where to start, here are a few of the best options to consider:

• Interactive toys, including ball rollers and circuits that encourage them to hunt
• Toys with different textures that are fun to fight, groom, and play with
• Scratchers and scratching posts, which have the added bonus of preventing your cat from scratching your furniture!

Many toys feature catnip in some way. This is a natural herb that cats love and it’s totally safe for them to play with and even consume. If you’ve bought them a new toy recently and they’re not showing much interest in it, you could try using a catnip spray on the item and seeing if that draws their attention towards it.

Don’t spook them too much

Finally, be careful of giving your cats too much of a scare this Halloween. Making them jump or giving them a spook can seem like a bit of fun, but with all the new decorations, strange people knocking on the door, and other scary happenings on Halloween, your cat may be more on edge than you think. Try to keep loud sudden noises to a minimum, and the same goes for flashing lights. If your cat slinks off somewhere to hide or to simply avoid the festivities, don’t disturb them. They’ll join the party when they want to!