Wine For Cats: A Purrfect Pairing

May 25th is National Wine Day! What does this have to do with pets? Well, some of you may have noticed a fairly new holiday on Fluffy’s calendar: the third week of February is Drink Wine With Your Cat Week. But why celebrate now? Well, our feline pals actually have wine of their own. That makes this week the purrfect time to order Fluffy some! A Coral Springs, FL vet discusses kitties and wine below. 

Fluffy’s Favorite Wine

Cat wine is not real wine. The products marketed as kitty wine contain only ingredients that are completely safe for Fluffy, such as salmon oil, lemon grass, and, of course, catnip. The Pet Winery, who launched Drink Wine With Your Cat Week, has their own line, but there are also others on the market. As one would expect, the product names are pretty cute. Your furry friend may enjoy a Pinot Meow, Purrgandy, Meowmosa, Kittendel, Catbernet, or Muscato. 

Cautions

Drinking wine with your furry buddy sounds like a fun, relaxing way to wind down, and that’s really the intent. Always drink responsibly! It’s purrfectly fine to enjoy a glass of wine with your furball happily purring beside you or on your lap, but don’t let her imbibe. Alcohol in general is also a definite no-no for our feline companions. Even consuming small amounts of alcohol can cause respiratory issues, vomiting, tremors, depression, and even death in cats. Plus, many wines are made from grapes, which are highly toxic to pets. In fact, eating grapes can lead to kidney failure in cats. 

Relaxing

When consumed responsibly, wine actually does have health benefits. Studies have shown that red wine is good for the heart. As it turns out, our feline friends also help our cardiovascular health! Spending time with kitties can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart attacks. Wine also goes very well with fish and poultry, which happen to be two of Fluffy’s favorite foods. Finally, both wine and cats are good at helping people relax and unwind. (Keeping your kitty from knocking your glass over or sticking her paw in it may be more amusing than relaxing, but that’s another topic.) Wine or no wine, remember to enjoy some down time with your kitty.

Do you have questions about your cat’s health or care? Contact us, your Coral Springs, FL pet hospital, today!