Its that time again of year again, with ghosts and goblins and noise and kids; candy and treats and doorbells ringing.
I am going to have my usual Halloween treats with Mikey, Chewie and Stewie and inside early with the porch light off. Because you people so enjoy Halloween, you may not realize that we dont like it so much. Please be considerate and think about these guidelines:
- Dont leave us out in the backyard on Halloween. The noises will scare us and sometimes there are pranksters who dont think and they may hurt us, accidentally or on purpose. Many pets have been teased, stolen or injured on Halloween. Big warning: if you are a black cat or the owner of one, be aware that black cats are often targets on Halloween. Most shelters wont allow you to adopt a black cat close to Halloween. It gives me the creeps to think about what people have done to black cats.
- The best place for most of us the night that trick-or-treaters are out is a secure room. When the doorbell rings, I always run to see who is there. The kids and their costumes and the noises scare me. I have heard of pets that get frightened, rush out the door and then get been hurt or cant find their way back home. Sometimes a pet gets really agitated and could bite someone who comes to the door. Think of the consequences of that.
- Dont take a pet with you to go trick-or-treating for all the reasons mentioned above. Safety first is my motto.
- If you are planning to participate in a Halloween parade this year, remember that while you might get a kick out of wearing a costume, your pet may not. Please be sure that your pet is comfortable with wearing a costume. We are not party props! You can tell by how your pet behaves when you dress him or her how they feel about dressing up. If the costume passes the ok, Ill wear the stupid thing test, then be sure that the costume isnt too tight, annoying or blocking vision. If it is hot outside, dont leave the costume on for too long.
- Treats are for humans unless they are not. You know what I mean. All that lovely candy in wrappers and chocolate and fake eyeballs and candy corn are really bad for us. My folks left a bowl of candy on the step by the door and Mikey ate three wrapped candies. Not a pretty thought. He was fortunate that the wrappers were paper and not foil. All those party favors are cute and look good but will wreak havoc with your pets stomach if they are eaten.
- Keep us away from the lit candles and the lit pumpkins. The smell of singed whiskers is not pleasant and that would be minor to the damage that could be caused a fire could be started or your pet could suffer a bad burn. I would look terrible without eyebrows.
The real trick to Halloween is to have a good time, be considerate of your pets feelings and to use common sense in keeping everyone safe and happy.
Ill see you at the parade see if you recognize me in my costume. Until then keep your tail high and your feet dry.
Daisy Mae