A Kitten and a Tangle of Twinkle Lights, and Who Won
A string of warm white and green lights has wrapped itself around a young Abyssinian kitten, and the glow lights up her copper coat. She stretches across a cream blanket with her front paws pinned among the wires, head tilted down and eyes focused on one bulb. In the background, a tree glows near a window, with small wrapped gifts, a plush toy, and a pile of jeans on a couch.
Cats love lights and cords, and the combination is a real hazard. Chewing on wires can cause burns or electric shock, and string lights can also tangle around legs or the neck. Keep cords unplugged when no one is watching, tuck them out of sight, and use cord covers or bitter-tasting deterrents made for pets, if your vet agrees. LED strings run cooler than older bulbs, but they are not safe to chew. If a kitten is caught in a strand, unplug it first, then free her gently. Abyssinians are energetic and curious, so they tend to find every dangling thing, and a few climbing shelves and interactive toys can keep her busy elsewhere.
Kittens also learn through their mouths and paws, so it helps to give them plenty of safe things to bat, pounce on, and chew.
Tonight the lights are doing their job, and a very small kitten is glowing like part of the decoration.
