How to Have a Safe and Happy Valentine's Day with Your Cat

Ah, the day of love. Valentine's Day evokes emotions of caring, sharing, and giving in people, and why shouldn't the celebration include your cat? After all, who cares more about you or shares more love with you on a daily basis?

Cats don't really like to celebrate Valentine's Day the way many people do, though, with fancy meals and outings. Still, it's fun to do something special with your feline best friend on the day of love. Here are some ways to keep safety in mind while planning a special Valentine's Day for your cat.

Stay Away from Chocolate and Xylitol

Chocolate is toxic to cats, and xylitol, an alternative sweetener used in many human foods, might be, as well. In general, cats don't have the sweet tooth that many humans and canines do, so they usually won't go out of their way to break into and devour the Valentine's Day goodies, but kittens might be an exception to that because of their extreme curiosity. Also, cats will sometimes eat these things if encouraged to do so by people, so make sure everyone in your home, including the kids, know that human Valentine's Day treats are off-limits for cats.

Watch out for Strings and Ribbons

Strings, ribbons, and yarn are extremely dangerous to cats. Our feline friends have barbs on their tongues that, once something is on them, encourage it to go down. String-type items that are swallowed by cats can cause serious digestive tract issues by getting caught on things and causing the intestines to bunch up on themselves and be unable to move normally. This situation usually requires surgery to avoid death.

Get Some Festive Interactive Toys for Your Cat's Valentine's Day Amusement

Cats love playing with wand toys, catnip or honeysuckle toys, and jingly balls. Getting your cat a new toy or two for Valentine's Day and then spending some time playing interactively with her is a wonderful way for the two of you to honor the day of love safely. Here are some specific Valentine's Day toys that we love:

• Cat'n Around Organic Catnip Heart Toy
• Cat'n Around Catnip Heart Pillow
• Catnip Felt Hearts
• Cat'n Around Cupcake Catnip Toy
• Yeowww! Heart Attack Catnip Toy

Cats Love Cozy Beds

Cats also love to curl up in the coziest of cat beds for a catnap. You can mark Valentine's Day by getting your cat an especially soft new blanket for her favorite bed. We love these Heart Quilts, which come in red or pink. On Valentine's Day, make a date with your cat to snuggle up together to watch a movie. You can put the Heart Quilt on your lap so you can both enjoy it.

Think About What Cats Love

In order to have a fabulous Valentine's Day with your cat, it helps to think about what cats love and how they like to be shown love by humans. Of course, they love treats and special food, but that can be bad for their health. Take a look at this article to learn more about how you can show love to your cat in preparation for Valentine's Day: "How to Tell Cats You Love Them."

Brush up on the Ways Cats Show Love

Before Valentine's Day arrives, you might also wish to think about how your cat shows you that she loves you. There might be some things she does to try and tell you she loves you that you don't quite understand. Take a look at this slideshow, so you'll be ready to accept your cat's shows of affection on February 14th and every day: "Ways Your Cat Shows You Love: Slideshow."

You May Also Like These Articles:

Cats and Chocolate: Why Is Chocolate Bad for Cats?

Foods Toxic to Cats - Slideshow

Top 10 Cat Toxins of 2016 - Slideshow

How to Tell Cats You Love Them

Do Cats Like Kisses?