Kitty baby, it's cold outside! Yes, it's that time of year when we seek the comfort of the indoors and look forward to all the holiday activities. Welcoming guests, new pets, and all the craziness of this wonderful season brings with it some caution for keeping you, your family and kitty safe to enjoy the briskness of wintertime.

CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY — you, as pet parents, want to include your furry family with your holiday celebrating. If you use some common sense, you can make this a happy time for all of you.

Christmas Tree: securely anchor your tree so it can't be knocked over, if kitty decides to climb it (!), and know that stagnant tree water is a breeding ground for bacteria, which if ingested could complicate things with your pet ending up with nausea or diarrhea.

Tinsel: we're sure you know that kitties love this sparkly, light-catching "toy" that's easy to bat around and carry in their mouths. However even a nibble can lead to a swallow, which can lead to an obstructed digestive tract, severe vomiting, dehydration and possible surgery. So consider brightening your boughs with something other than tinsel.

Holiday Feast: make sure to keep your kitty away from the holiday table and unattended plates. Tummy upsets do not make the holiday fun. Also keep watch on lit candles, dangerous attraction!

Toy Presents: long and stringy things are a kitty's dream, but the most risky toys for cats involve ribbon, yarn and loose little parts that can get stuck in the intestines, often requiring surgery. Surprise kitty with a new ball that's too big to swallow, a stuffed catnip toy or the interactive cat dancer—and tons of play sessions together.

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