A Tale of Feline Curiosity and Safety Tips
This is Gus, our adorable black cat with a VERY bushy tail who has a knack for getting into mischief!
A pet was never on our radar, they are time consuming and smelly right? But my son really wanted a cat for his birthday. It just so happens that we came across someone whose cat had a litter so, as parents often do, we gave in, and Gus came to live with us in October 2023.
We fell in love! We couldn’t have been more wrong about a pet in the house, and he has spent the last few months charming us with his playful antics and affectionate purrs.
He is now 11 months old, still a kitten (a big kitten as the vet told us) and still in that delightful phase where everything is a potential toy, and every nook and cranny needs to be explored.
Why am I telling you all of this? Well, I wanted to paint a picture of how special Gus is to us, how much he is part of our family and how much we love and adore him (and yes, we were wrong to think a pet wasn’t for us!)
However, Gus’s curiosity led to a rather alarming incident, and it all started with me lighting a citronella candle to try and keep the flies from my house (although Gus does a pretty good job in that department!)
Gus’s Fiery Adventure
That one small tealight candle proved to be a hazard to our beautiful cat. The candle was in my kitchen on the worktop. I was working away in my office while, as I thought, Gus was in the garden enjoying the sunshine.
BUT, what I didn’t realise was that he had come in from the garden and decided to jump up onto the worktop and head for the sink right by the candle. I was alerted because all of a sudden there was this awful, singed smell in the air, and I thought something was on fire! I ran into the kitchen and wasn’t immediately aware of what it was until I looked at Gus and saw his tail was all singed!!
You can imagine the panic I felt! I took him into the garden, got a small watering can and soaked his tail in water. He was not happy and hissed at me! Once I had put loads of water on his tail, I rang the vet who calmed me and told me what to do. Thankfully, Gus’s tail is so fluffy that it only singed the fur and did not touch his skin.
He was completely fine and was not in any pain or distressed at all. Once it had dried off, it was back to normal all be it a little less fluffy.
The Dangers of Candles for Cats
I wanted to tell you this story as a warning. Although candles are beautiful and calming (and practical) they can be perilous for our curious cats. Here are a few key reasons why:
Fire Hazard: As we experienced, a cat’s fur can easily catch fire if they get too close to an open flame. Had Gus not had such a fluffy tail, he probably would have experienced some burning to his skin.
Toxic Fumes: Many candles release fumes that can be harmful to cats. Scented candles in particular may contain essential oils and other chemicals that are toxic to cats when inhaled. It is a good idea to check out what you are using.
Wax Spills: If a cat knocks over a lit candle, hot wax can spill and cause burns and if spilt onto the cat’s fur can be difficult to remove.
A Happy Ending
Gus is now back to his usual playful self, with only a slightly singed tail to show for his adventure. We’re grateful that the situation wasn’t worse and that it served as a valuable lesson in pet safety.
So, the moral of the story is keep a close eye on those candles and give your kitties and extra hug tonight. And remember, curiosity may be a cat’s best trait, but it’s up to us to keep them safe.
For more information on how to keep your cats safe around candles, take a look at the advice from Cats Protection
