Making A House A Home

If you like to burn tea light candles in your home during the holiday season, then it is important for you to know about the safety concerns for doing so around your home's feline residents. While you can burn some candles in homes with cats, there are a few special things you need to know when it comes to candle safety. Here are some tips to help you safely burn your tea light candles around your cats this holiday season:

Tip: Keep Your Tea Lights in Candle Holders to Prevent Open Flames

In a home with dogs, you can place your candles up high on a mantle and your dog cannot reach them to get burned or knock them over. However, cats are always climbing around and are too curious for you to have tea light candles with an open flame. Even with them high on a mantle or table, your cat can jump up and burn themselves or knock your candles over and start a fire. For this reason, you should only burn candles in candle holders that will keep the tea lights contained and out of reach of your curious cats.

Tip: Never Burn Scented Candles in Your Home if Your Cat Has Respiratory Issues

If your cat suffers from any respiratory issues, then you can greatly aggravate their condition by burning scented candles or using scented cleaners in your home. Since you will have multiple candles burning when you use tea lights, this can exasperate the amount of scented smoke present in your home. This greater amount of smoke will bother your cat's respiratory system more than a single candle burning will. If your cat has a compromised respiratory system, then it is always best to burn only scent-free candles. And, you should never leave your candles burning in a room alone with your cats or the candles could start a house fire or burn your cat.

Tip: Consider Using Electric Candles or Flame-Free Candles in Homes with Cats

Finally, if you like the soft scent of candles but are concerned with being able to keep your cat away from your tea light candles, then you might want to consider purchasing electric or flame-free candles for your home. These options will give you the ability to add a scent to your home this holiday season without overwhelming your cat's senses or being a fire hazard. You can typically purchase electric candles, flame-free candles, and cat-safe tea light candle holders online or at your local candle store.