Halloween is almost here! Though the night is scary, spectacular fun for us, it can be just plain scary for the cats, kittens, and other animals in our lives. Alley Cat Allies’ Halloween Safety Tips will help you ensure your feline family members and neighbors have a safe and happy night just like you!
Plus, this time is rife with ghoulish myths about the dangers cats, especially black cats, face on the spookiest day of the year. These myths can prevent adoptable black cats from finding the loving homes they deserve when they are already at a disadvantage due to false, baseless superstitions.
Thankfully, even the news headlines show a shift: experts agree there is no real data proving that black cats are in any more danger on Halloween than any other day—something Alley Cat Allies has explained for years.
Here is how we can really protect cats on Halloween:
1. No candy for cats, please!
Many Halloween candies, especially chocolates, can be toxic to cats and dogs. To be safe, keep the candy bowl well out of reach of animals. If you think your pet has eaten something dangerous, contact the Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.
2. Set up a calm and quiet area for cats
Cats don’t tend to be fans of the strange and unfamiliar, so Halloween and the spooky costumes, sights, and sounds can be startling and overwhelming for them. If you believe your cat is getting nervous or you’re hosting your own Halloween party, set up a room in your house where he or she can feel safe. Place food, water, litter, and their favorite bed or toys in the space and close it off. Be sure to check on your cats throughout the night!
3. Microchip all cats and keep your information up to date
Trick-or-treating on Halloween means a lot of doors opening and closing! In the midst of the chaos, it’s possible a cat could dart out without anyone noticing. Just in case, make sure your cats and kittens are microchipped and that your microchip information is up to date. It will help you reunite with them should they become lost. Learn how microchipping saves lives.
4. Be mindful of your decorations
Make sure any fire hazards, like candles and wires, are out of reach of your cats. We all love a jack-o’-lantern, but we recommend using battery-powered candles instead. Better safe than sorry! Also, know that common decorations like corn, pumpkins, fake moss and fake spider web can cause stomach trouble or blockage if your cats ingest them. Keep a close eye on the situation and if you know your cat is a nibbler, consider moving those decorations to an area your cat can’t reach.
5. Leave the Halloween costumes to the humans
Cats generally find costumes and other clothing restrictive and stressful. If your cat or other pet is up for being included in the creepy fun, make sure their costumes don’t restrict their senses, breathing, or movement. And if kitty says “No way,” please listen and respect her boundaries.
6. Track your community cats
Community cats will stay out of the way of the ghouls and goblins roaming the streets, but we recommend taking some extra care to keep an eye out for them in the days after Halloween. Plus, tracking all community cats in a colony is best practice every day of the year!
So, What About Black Cats?
Please know that experts agree: Black cats are NOT in significant and unique danger on Halloween.
For years, we’ve been haunted by the myth that black cats are often targeted by people with the worst intentions on Halloween night. In fact, the scary stories have caused some shelters and rescues to refuse to adopt out black cats at all in October. But that only serves to further bury their chances at finding a great family when black cats are already less likely to be adopted due to lingering superstitions.
Despite some anecdotal incidents over the years, the fact is there is no true evidence to support the notion that black cats are in widespread danger on All Hallows’ Eve.
The biggest threat black cats face on October 31 is the same one they, and all cats, face every day: the terrifying and all too real possibility of being caught and killed in shelters without humane programs.
How can you protect black cats on Halloween? The same way you can protect cats every day.
Cats of all coat colors are at risk every day from the real-life horror of archaic, lethal policies perpetuated by governments, shelters, and institutions across the United States and around the world.
Nationwide, more cats are killed than any other animals who enter shelters. It’s truly terrifying that killing is being carried out in institutions meant to protect. So to really save black cats, look beyond October and at the big picture in your community:
Does your city or county’s animal shelter have humane, nonlethal policies in place? You have a right to know what happens in your local shelter, and you can request that information. We will walk you through how. With that knowledge in hand, you have the power to advocate for critical, lifesaving change and sensible, evidence-based programs like Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) and Shelter-Neuter-Return (SNR).
Does your city or county have laws that negatively impact cats and kittens, like feeding bans or licensing laws? Alley Cat Allies’ online resources can help you identify those laws and advocate to reverse them.
If you suspect animal cruelty in your community, learn how you can successfully report the incident and advocate for animal cruelty to be investigated, prosecuted, and punished to the fullest extent of the law. Raise your voice on behalf of cats, who cannot speak for themselves, by joining our Speak Out Against Cruelty campaign.