With only a couple of weeks until Halloween, people are planning costumes, candy, and ~ unfortunately ~ carnage. I am one of those grumpy old people who don't like Halloween. In fact, it's my least favorite time of the year, and I am always so relieved when we are past it. People use it as an excuse for meanness while others show extreme disrespect to our blessed dead. Why would a graveyard be an evil place when loved ones are buried there, y'know?

As the mommy of two black kitties and two other almost-black kitties, I also worry about black kitties at this time of year. Many of the strays that Elly and I feed are black, and each Halloween season, I pray that they all will stay safe from those who might have other ideas for them.

Dr. Jon's recent e-mail from PetPlace.com had this advice for kitty mommies and daddies at Halloween:

With Halloween just around the corner, many cat owners are gearing up to dress themselves, their children, their dogs, their homes and sometimes even their cats in Halloween attire. Including our pets in fun festivities is like second nature to cat lovers because our cats truly are part of our family.

But when it comes to Halloween, do our cats really enjoy wearing costumes? Well, this can all depend on so many things, like their temperament and even more so, the type of costume you choose. But to be honest - most cats don't like to be dressed up. In fact, I think Halloween is one of the least favorite holidays to most cats.

To keep your cat safe this Halloween, here are some tips:

1. If your cat is an indoor-only cat, consider keeping him or her closed in one room during trick-or-treat so he or she doesn't accidentally get out of an open door.

2. If your cat is an indoor/outdoor cat, it is safest to keep your cat inside during trick-or-treat night and Halloween nights.

3. Don't force your cat to wear a costume if he or she doesn't want to. Halloween is supposed to be fun for everyone and you don't want your cat to be miserable. There are also other ways your cat can enjoy the festivities [meaning extra treats and toys!]

4. Keep your cat away from burning candles (like those in the jack-o-lantern). Their swishy tails can easily knock candles over and create house fires or cause injury to your cat.

5. Keep your cat away from candy, strings, candy wrappers and any other loose objects on the floor and tables - if cats eat these things, it could make them sick.

May you and your furry loved ones have a *safe* and happy Halloween. However, I can't help looking forward to November 1 when it's all over!

[The graphic in this post is courtesy of Art.com.]