Everyone seems to love candles, especially this time of year . . . including cats. That flickering flame is so enticing. Others could care less and walk away, or just stroll past. But what about the typical cat who likes to move things around for the fun of it, including pushing knickknacks and your candle over the ledge to the floor below? Trouble wrapped up in fur. But don't blame the cat, it's just its nature. Cats are cats.
Then there are those slinky long tails, which seem to have a mind of their own, often brushing along or through a flame as the cat walks by or even letting it dip into the melted wax you have so proudly set up on your mantelpiece. Ugh! What a mess that makes!
Frankly, a cat setting my house afire is not something I care to face, and I doubt you do either. But be aware, your cat is not be doing it on purpose. Really, they aren't. They are just doing what cats typically do (some more so than others) and that is to entertain themselves.
And if you think candle “melts”are the better way to go, you may not be any safer when it comes to fire. Firstly, ask yourself how does that wax gets melted - by a flame under it or from a small electric appliance in the melting unit. I’d lean toward the electric one, personally - if you must.
But melted wax and what cats do with it can lead to a big mess, not a fire, but something equally undesirable. You see, cats like nice shiny surfaces, because they MOVE, and our feline friends love to make it move with a tentative paw, like many do with the water in their drinking bowls (mine do). Now ask yourself what do cats do when they want whatever is now on their paw gone. That’s right . . . they shake it! And if it’s liquid wax and not merely water from a water bowl . . . that wax is going to fly everywhere and stick to furniture, windows, walls, curtains, wallpaper, clothing . . . you name it, and cleaning it is a frustrating, time-consuming ordeal. Ask yourself - do you like stains?
SO WHAT TO DO?
If you’re like me and like to decorate with candles, find those battery operated ones that have a timer. They’ve really helped our cats behave themselves and keep our home looking good for the season. And once the cats check out the "flickering wicks," they walk away.
NOTE: Losing my family and/or my pets is not something I want to face because I was foolish and didn’t put safety first. Keeping you, your family and pets safe should be your priority, not an oops.