How to Give Your Cat a Halloween That Won’t Make Them Hiss

Cats might be a symbol of Halloween, but that’s as far as they want it to go

6 September 2023

Most holidays seem to be the definition of your cat’s literal hell – take Bonfire Night for instance – loud fireworks, large wafts of smoke and a general sense of chaos in the air. Cats would likely prefer to sit at home thinking about all the Christmas tree ornaments they’ll break than actually participate in a holiday, and Halloween is no exception. That’s why we’ve compiled some key safety tips to keep your cat out of harm’s way this October 31.

Beware of sweet treat consumption

While leaving bowls of sweets around might be a tempting treat for guests, it could pose a serious threat to your feline friend’s health. Dogs aren’t the only ones who tend to seek out neatly packaged sweets on holidays.

But, these treats can pose quite the danger to your cat, so it’s best to keep them in high places they can’t reach, such as a bookshelf without a ledge for them to perch themselves on. Also, remember to discard wrappers, as your cat might view them as a crinkly toy to play with or even eat, creating a choking hazard.

Curb your cat’s noise anxiety

Many cats are sensitive to noise, and hearing children shout “trick or treat” at full volume right outside their home may generate a stress response. Loud music from a Halloween party and motion-sensor decorations may also frighten cats and lead to erratic behaviours. If your cat is scared, they may search for new places to hide or deem their litter box an insecure location, which will cause them to find new places to do their business. Not the kind of chocolate-coloured stain you’d like to be cleaning up on Halloween.

Save yourself and your cat a lot of aggravation by placing them in a quiet area and checking up on them periodically, especially if you’re having a party with more than a handful of people. Some attendees may not have experience interacting with stressed-out cats, so it’s best not to risk any unforeseen incidents.

Be aware of the revolving door

If your area is full of trick or treaters, you might be in for a night of opening and closing the front door. This makes for an easy opening for that escape artist you call a cat to wander off. Cats that are disoriented by the noise and commotion surrounding Halloween are likely to bolt, looking for a more secure area, so be sure that your cat is microchipped, wearing an ID tag, and that you make every effort to keep them inside. To avoid losing your cat, consider placing your bowl of sweets on your front door step for trick or treaters to avoid any opportunity for your cat to get out of the house.

Don’t dress them up

Pet costumes may be cute but it’s important to respect our feline family members and their wishes. For 99.999999 percent of cats, these wishes include not wearing clothes, something we highly suggest taking into consideration before purchasing and then strapping them into a velcro outfit for hours on end.

If you choose to go ahead anyway (and again... don’t?) then make sure to look for signs of distress in your pet and remove — or more likely, stop attempting to put your cat in — the costume immediately if your cat does anything that resembles stress, frustration or irritation. If you do manage to dress your cat without them resisting, make sure the costume doesn’t inhibit any of their senses and that they can easily move around and go to the toilet. Lastly, never leave your costumed pet unsupervised.

If you’ve checked all of these boxes, and your cat still allows you to snap a few pictures, congratulations; your cat is not a cat.

Help your cat keep you safe, too

You’ve gone to great lengths to ensure your cat has a pleasant Halloween. While we fully subscribe to the belief that our pets come first, we can also spare some time to protect ourselves this Halloween. Pumpkins are a time-honoured tradition around Halloween time. What is the tradition based on? Unclear. Will we be carving pumpkins and placing candles inside without this knowledge? Absolutely.

However, this decor might appear as a fun new toy for your cat to investigate, which can be dangerous for not only your pet and their flammable fur but for the safety of your entire household. Not only are an estimated 40,000 pets killed in house fires each year, they're actually thought to be responsible for more than 1,000 accidental home fires, so it’s best to keep candles dimmed unless pets are entirely supervised.

Avery Felman

Avery is a writer and producer. She has written for numerous publications, including Refinery29, BuzzFeed, and V Magazine. When she’s not at her computer, you can find her reading, practicing her Greek on Duolingo, and delving into the Sex and the City discourse. She lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and their cat, Chicken, who rules with an iron fist.