The Super Bowl is one of the biggest sporting events of the year, and many people like to have parties to celebrate. While dogs usually love the extra company and attention, most cats are less fond of strangers in their homes, and it can cause them a great deal of stress. There are also potential hazards. Read on for a list of several tips and tricks that will help you keep your pet safe during the party.
The 12 Super Bowl Party Safety Tips for Cats
1. Create a Safe Space
To keep your cat safe during the Super Bowl party, create a space where they can hide and get away from the action. A separate room of the house works perfectly, but you can also use a quiet corner, as long as there is no traffic from guests.
2. Make Sure the Safe Space Is Comfortable
Placing comfortable bedding, toys, and other items inside the space can help your cat feel more comfortable and occupy them during the big game. Playing soft music on the radio can help mask noise from the party, so your cat isn’t as startled by any yelling and screaming from your guests. Ensure they have their food and water bowls close by, as well as a litter box.
3. Keep the Cat Away
Keeping your cat away from the party can help protect them from any potential danger and prevent them from getting underfoot, though your cat will likely be one step ahead of you in this regard. However, if you have a curious or social cat, you can use toddler gates or close doors to help keep them separated from the guests.
4. Make Sure the Cat Is Wearing ID Tags
Making sure your cat’s breakaway collar includes their identification information (either on an ID tag or on the collar itself) can help prevent your cat from getting lost if they run out during the commotion of the guests coming or going. Most of these collars are not expensive, and some are even reflective, which can help make the cat easier to see. It’s also a good idea to microchip your cat, in case they lose the collar.
5. Watch for Hazards
The more guests you have, the more potential for hazards, many of which can be unexpected and occur suddenly.
- The guests stepping on or tripping over the cat
- Open doors or windows that the cat might jump out of
- Candles, cigarettes, and other sources of fire that can potentially fall to the floor or onto the cat
- Foods that are toxic to cats, like garlic, onions, and chocolate
- Alcoholic beverages that can be harmful or even deadly to cats
- Dangerous items like knives
6. Keep the Routine
Try to keep your pet’s routine as normal as possible to prevent them from becoming stressed or anxious. If you tend to feed them at a specific time and the party is still going, take the food into their safe space so they can eat as usual.
7. Provide a Litter Box
You will want to ensure that your cat can access their litter box, as they will likely need it during the game. Placing it in their safe room can help give them less reason to come out and get underfoot.
8. Hire a Pet Sitter
If you have a friend who doesn’t watch football, you might be able to hire them to watch your cat during the game. This is a great option if your friend and cat are already acquainted, and the cat won’t have to go too far to reach the sitter. Professional sitting services are also available in many areas, but transporting the cat to an unfamiliar location can be just as stressful to your pet as the Super Bowl, if not more, and it’s best to keep them in their home where everything is familiar.
9. Use Food Covers
If you can’t keep your cat away from the party, use food covers to prevent them from getting into dangerous items. Buffet food covers, Tupperware containers, and even the microwave and oven can help keep hazardous food items out of your pet’s reach. The same goes for drinks. Ensure your guests do not leave alcoholic beverages around, as some young and very curious cats may try to get a taste, and this could result in adverse effects.
10. Stay Calm
Your pet can sense your stress levels, especially if accompanied by rushed movements around the house while trying to get everything ready and raised voices. All of this can further scare your cat. Staying calm and relaxed throughout the event is a good way to keep your cat calm.
11. Communicate with Your Guests
Alert all your guests before the game starts that you have a cat. Ask them not to feed them, to keep an eye out for them so they don’t step on them, and let you know if they see them doing anything strange. Requesting everyone to limit how loudly they yell can also help your cat stay calm during the game.
12. Secure the Garbage
Even if you cover your dangerous food items and keep them out of reach, your cat might still be able to access them by raiding your garbage can after you clean up. So, always secure the garbage or remove it completely as soon as possible so your pet can’t get to it.
Summary
While most cats aren’t big fans of many people in the house yelling and screaming at the TV, you should be able to have a Super Bowl party without putting your pet at risk by taking a few precautions. A space where the cat can hide away from the action is the most important thing that you can do to help keep your pet comfortable, but we also recommend telling your guests to keep an eye out for them so they don’t get stepped on and keep the food covered and alcohol out of reach.
- Related Read: Super Bowl Party Safety Tips for Dogs
Featured Image Credit: Svetlana Ray, Shutterstock
Contents
- The 12 Super Bowl Party Safety Tips for Cats
- 1. Create a Safe Space
- 2. Make Sure the Safe Space Is Comfortable
- 3. Keep the Cat Away
- 4. Make Sure the Cat Is Wearing ID Tags
- 5. Watch for Hazards
- 6. Keep the Routine
- 7. Provide a Litter Box
- 8. Hire a Pet Sitter
- 9. Use Food Covers
- 10. Stay Calm
- 11. Communicate with Your Guests
- 12. Secure the Garbage
- Summary
