Super Bowl Sunday is almost upon us. Unfortunately, we’ve had to call off our annual Super Bowl party plans this year due to the pandemic, but we can still watch the game with the other people — and pets — who live in our homes. That means we still need to take steps to keep our cats safe!
Whether you live alone or with a handful of other people, you might still love to snack, drink, cheer on your team, and celebrate. It’s all good fun for us humans, but our good times can make a lot of noise and dangerous situations for our cats if we’re not careful.
Here are a few tips that will help you make sure your cat is safe during the big game, even though you’re not having a full party this year.
Snack Foods Should Be Kept Out Of Reach
We love to eat finger foods during the Super Bowl. While you may enjoy your treats, your cat should stick to their own foods, as the common appetizers at a Super Bowl party are very dangerous for cats.
Chicken wings have harmful bones that can splinter and wreak havoc on a kitty’s insides or cause a cat to choke. Onions, garlic, and chives, which are all found in plenty of dips or potato skins, cause upset digestive systems and damage red blood cells in pets.
Salt found on chips and pretzels causes excessive urination, thirst, or even sodium poisoning. Chocolate is also toxic to cats. And cheese and other dairy products, which are found in nachos, desserts, pizza, and plenty of other Super Bowl snacks, can lead to upset stomachs and diarrhea, as most pets lack the enzymes to break down lactose.
Keep food off the coffee table and out of your cat’s reach. Advise your family members not to feed your cat any scraps, no matter how cute their sad kitten eyes may look.
Watch The Alcohol And Caffeine
Alcohol is toxic for pets. It can cause any number of problems for cats including vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, tremors, loss of coordination, abnormal blood acidity, coma, or even death.
Keep the drinks in hand and away from cats. Under no circumstances should a cat drink alcohol.
Caffeine from soda, iced tea, or coffee can be just as bad. It can lead to abnormal heart rhythms, seizure, or death.
All drinks you have for the Super Bowl should stay out of your cat’s reach. The sweet smells may attract your kitty, so clean spills quickly and don’t let your feline do the work by lapping it up for you.
Secure Your Waste
Keeping your food and drinks away from your cat is all for nothing if they can just raid the garbage bag later.
Even getting at the paper plates or plastic cups that have no food on them can cause plenty of indigestion or choking and can lead to an emergency vet visit quickly.
Keep the garbage in a secure place, and let your family know to make sure the bin closed and away from your cat.
Cheering, Shouting, And Cats Don’t Mix
You and your family may love cheering on your team loudly and enthusiastically, but imagine if a bunch of people in your home started yelling about something you didn’t understand. It might be pretty scary.
Noise anxiety is a real thing in cats, and it can be dangerous. Some cats will try to run and hide or even escape the house. They may act fearfully or hiss and claw at anyone who tries to approach.
If your cat is prone to fear of loud noises, keep them in a secure room away from the action. Playing the radio or television might also reduce stress and drown out the noise.
Drinkers Are Clumsy, So Watch Out
There’s nothing wrong with having a few drinks. It’s the Super Bowl, after all. But people who have had a few drinks tend to be a little more touchy-feely, especially if there’s a cute kitty running around.
The lack of coordination and reduction in motor skills can also lead people to be clumsy, and they might not be able to react in time if a cat suddenly appears in their path. Tripping, stumbling drinkers can lead to injuries for pets and humans alike.
If you or any members of your household might be planning on having one too many, it may be time for the cat to find a safer room to stay in.
If All Else Fails, Avoid The Hassle
Your cat isn’t going to have nearly as much fun as you are while watching the Super Bowl. They don’t care about the game or the commercials.
Instead, just avoid the problems by putting your cat in a safe room with the radio on so they can relax. You and your family members will probably appreciate not having to worry about your kitty while watching the game, as well.
Is your cat watching the Super Bowl with you this year? What are you doing to keep them safe? Let us know in the comments below.
