Halloween is a dangerous time for cats

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Halloween is a wonderful opportunity for people to have fun, but for cats it can be a dangerous time. Throughout history a small faction of society has had a love-hate relationship with cats, especially with black cats. Some groups have associated cats with evil and witchcraft. People of medieval time even believed that the witches could turn themselves into cats.

Today cats are the most popular pet in the United States, but mean-spirited anti-cat bias still persists. Halloween seems to spark violence against cats in general and black cats in particular, many shelters refuse to allow the adoption of black cats during the month of October. Add the increased traffic and noise on Halloween, and the outdoors can turn into a frightening, unsafe place for cats.

So protect your cat by keeping it indoors, especially in late October. Make sure your cat has a microchip to identify it in case it gets out. A microchip is a tiny, harmless, permanent identification device inserted just below the skin by a veterinarian. The procedure takes a few seconds and is virtually painless. Microchips are recommended for dogs as well since they can travel far from home if they accidentally get loose.