Halloween Can Be a Truly Frightful Time of Year for Cats
A variety of superstitions surround black cats. In some cultures, they are considered good luck, while others find them frightening.
But at Halloween, it is the cats who often have reason to fear. Each year, we receive reports of animals – especially black cats – who are abducted, injured and even killed by cruel people who use and abuse them for “pranks” or sacrifices. Last year, in the run-up to the holiday, four black cats went missing in one community alone.
It is safest to keep cats indoors all year round, but on Halloween, the chances that a cat will be abducted, injured or killed are even higher. Here are some tips to keep your furry friends, both cats and dogs, safe during the Halloween season:
- Always keep cats and dogs indoors before and during Halloween – never let them roam. A fence may not stop a cruel prankster, so even the backyard is not a safe or secure place for an unsupervised animal.
- Put animals in a secure room during trick-or-treat time. Cats can quickly slip out the front door, and dogs sometimes try to bite unsuspecting kids, thinking that they’re intruders. For everyone’s safety, it’s best to keep animals inside a bedroom or family room, away from all the commotion.
- Don’t take dogs on trick-or-treating trips, when most kids are more interested in collecting candy than watching the dog. Dogs can easily become frightened by the endless stream of laughing and screaming children and run off or bite someone.
- Take precautions to prevent dogs and cats from ingesting unguarded Halloween candy, sticking their noses or paws into burning candles or becoming tangled in dangling decorations.
If the worst does happen and you spot animal victims of cruelty on Halloween or any time of year, call your local authorities or the RSPCA’s cruelty line (0300 1234 999) to report the incident.
