Hey Y’all,
If you’ve read Oscar and Emmy’s First Christmas, you may remember my Dear Reader letter promising more about our Christmas traditions and photos of the real Oscar and Emmy. Here they are! If you’re discovering the book for the first time, welcome. These two curious kittens joined my family just weeks before Christmas, sharing some of my favorite traditions and creating a few of their own. Read on to discover which holiday adventures really happened and who made a special appearance in the illustrations.
Terri
“Maybe Christmas … perhaps … means a little bit more!”
What inspired Oscar and Emmy’s first Christmas?
I met Oscar and Emmy on December 4, 2015 at the shelter where I volunteered. My house was already decorated for Christmas, including a large tree covered in fragile ornaments. At just 11 weeks old, the kittens weighed only two and three pounds—the most adorable little furballs!
This book was inspired by their sudden arrival during the holidays. Many of the things in the story actually happened:
A neighbor dropped off gifts for the new kittens.
I took Oscar and Emmy to the local mall for a photo with Santa.
They climbed the Christmas tree, though fortunately they didn’t knock it down!
Christmas carolers came to visit and sang to them.
They made wrapping gifts quite a challenge.
Emmy helped herself to the milk left out for Santa.
Oscar and Emmy got their own special stockings.
Two tiny kittens certainly added a lot of excitement to Christmas!
Where did I celebrate Oscar and Emmy’s first Christmas?
I celebrate Christmas with my parents, my brothers, and their families. That first year, I brought the kittens to my parents’ home because I didn’t want to leave them alone all day.
In the book, I kept the celebration in the family’s home to simplify the story. The setting changed, but including the kittens in our family Christmas was very real.
Does anyone familiar make a special appearance in the book?
Yes! The neighbor in the book is based on my real neighbor, who has appeared in three of the Oscar and Emmy books. My neighbor also helped me finalize Oscar and Emmy’s names. That became another real-life detail I included in the first book, Oscar and Emmy Get Rescued. She is also leaving the vet clinic as Oscar and Emmy arrive in Oscar and Emmy Visit the Vet.
My brother, sister-in-law, and niece also make an appearance as three of the Christmas carolers. They really did come to serenade us while singing in the neighborhood with their church choir. My niece is also mentioned in my blog for my book, Kneading a Winning Idea, due to her love of baking.
How can pets join the Christmas fun?
Stockings are an easy way to include pets in your holiday traditions. I still enjoy giving Oscar and Emmy gifts, even if they’re sometimes more interested in the box than the toy inside!
That first year, I also tried dressing them in cute Christmas clothes. That didn’t go over so well. Some pets tolerate costumes, but Oscar and Emmy go limp and look miserable.
I admit I tried once more the following Halloween. I was dressing as a pirate and bought little pirate costumes for them, too. I felt guilty knowing how much they disliked it, and I haven’t dressed them up since.
We stick to stockings, gifts, and boxes now. Much more their style!
What should families consider when celebrating Christmas with cats?
Christmas brings plenty of new things for curious cats to investigate. Before putting out a festive plant or displaying a gift bouquet, check that every plant in it is suitable for a home with cats.
Holiday plants to watch out for
True lilies and daylilies: Keep these out of homes with cats. Even small amounts of leaves, flowers, pollen, or vase water can cause life-threatening kidney damage.
Holly and mistletoe: These traditional decorations can make pets sick if eaten. Mistletoe can also affect the heart and blood pressure, depending on the type and amount consumed.
Amaryllis and cyclamen: These flowering plants can cause digestive upset, with more serious poisoning possible from the bulbs or tubers.
Tulips and hyacinths: These are also toxic to cats, with particularly high concentrations of toxins in their bulbs.
Yew: This evergreen can cause severe poisoning, including dangerous effects on the heart.
Poinsettias: Their reputation is scarier than their usual effects, but their sap can still irritate a cat’s mouth and stomach.
What can I use instead?
Christmas cactus and moth orchids are listed by the ASPCA as non-toxic to cats. That doesn’t make them snacks—chewing even a non-toxic plant may cause stomach upset.
Artificial plants are another option, but keep loose pieces, wires, and decorations away from cats who might chew or swallow them. Check the exact identity of any live plant before bringing it home.
What if my cat eats a potentially poisonous plant?
Contact your veterinarian or an emergency veterinary hospital immediately. Don’t wait for symptoms, especially if a lily may be involved. Take a photo of the plant and its label, if available, to help identify it.
In the United States, you can also contact:
ASPCA Poison Control: 888-426-4435
Pet Poison Helpline: 855-764-7661
Consultation fees may apply. Outside the United States, contact your local veterinarian or emergency veterinary service.
Pet Poison Helpline’s holiday plant guide
Curious Paws and Christmas Decorations
Oscar and Emmy loved climbing the tree and “helping” me wrap gifts. If your cats are equally enthusiastic decorators, secure your tree so it can’t easily tip over, keep fragile ornaments and electrical cords out of reach, and skip the tinsel. Put gift ribbon and string away after wrapping so they don’t become tempting playthings that could be swallowed.
For more tips, visit the ASPCA’s holiday safety guide.
How do your pets celebrate Christmas?
Do they have their own stockings, join in a favorite family tradition, or simply claim every empty box? I’d love to hear how you include your furry family members in the Christmas fun!
