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A tiny orange longhair kitten leans toward a plate of chocolate chip cookies on a kitchen counter. 19 / 21

A Fluffy Orange Kitten Investigates the Cookies for Santa

AI imageorange kittenchristmas cookieskitchen

On a speckled kitchen counter sits a plate of chocolate chip cookies, with crumbs scattered around it, and a tiny orange kitten is leaning in for a very thorough sniff. His fluffy fur sticks out in every direction, his ears are tilted forward and his whiskers are nearly touching the nearest cookie. A checkered kitchen towel lies at the right and holiday garland glows softly behind him.

Cookies left out for Santa are a sweet tradition, but a plate on the counter is also a classic temptation for pets. Chocolate is toxic to cats and dogs, and some cookies also contain raisins, nuts or sweeteners that are unsafe. Cats are not usually drawn to sweetness the way dogs are, but they can still be curious about butter and cream smells, so it is best to keep treats covered or out of reach.

If your pet does get into something, contact your vet or a pet poison hotline right away rather than waiting to see what happens. Giving your kitten his own special treat on holiday evenings is a simple way to include him without any risk.

We will call him Nutmeg, and so far he has only sniffed. The cookies are still there, the kitchen is quiet and the plate looks untouched. Santa should be fine, at least on this front, although a well-watched cookie plate is always safest.

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