Santa's Cookies Were Left Out. The Kitten Had Questions.
A striped kitten with focused eyes has crept up on a plate of chocolate chip cookies and is now nose to cookie. Her ears are angled forward, her whiskers fan out, and her body is low like a tiny hunter. Morning light pours in through the kitchen window, a sprig of greenery sits by the glass, and a few crumbs show where the investigation has already begun.
Cats are drawn to food smells, and kittens in particular use their noses to learn about everything. Cookies are not safe for cats, though. Chocolate contains compounds that are toxic to cats and dogs, and raisins, nuts and certain sweeteners like xylitol can also be harmful. Cats do not taste sweetness the way people do, so she is probably more interested in the buttery smell and the novelty.
The easiest solution is to keep holiday treats covered or in a closed cupboard, especially overnight. If you leave a plate out for Santa, set it where curious paws cannot reach, and sweep up crumbs. If your kitten does eat chocolate, call your vet or a pet poison hotline right away instead of waiting to see what happens.
For the moment, Santa's cookies are intact, and the tiny inspector looks like she is drawing up a plan. At the very least, she would make an excellent guard if only she could resist.
