Tangled Web: Halloween Product Contributes to a Real-Life
Horror October 13, 2006

By Brian Sodergren
Patricia Wallace's house on Long Island, New York looks like many others
this time of the year: outfitted with the spooky Halloween decorations that seem
as harmless and common as cobwebs in the basement.
Only now, Wallace associates these commercially sold frights with a true
horror: the death of her cat, Tabitha.
One October day in 2003, Wallace's one-and-a-half year old cat ate some fake
sinewy cobwebs that were stretched across the homeowner's bay window. Like
something out of a bad horror flick, the bogus spiderweb ensnared a very real
victim: Tabitha's intestines became clogged after consuming the synthetic
product.
Wallace was working one of her two jobs when Tabitha decided to take a bite
out of the cobweb, but once she got home, she immediately noticed something
was wrong with her kitty. What Wallace didn't immediately know, however, was
the cause.
"Tabitha used to follow me like a puppy dog," Wallace said. But on this day,
Wallace noticed the black-and-white polydactyl feline was acting "very
funky."
"Her whole demeanor changed," she explained. Since the only alert listed on
the packaging was a general asphyxiation and choking warning for the plastic
spider that came with fake cobweb, Wallace never imagined the product could
put her kitty's life in jeopardy. About four days passed before Wallace
realized that her cat's problems weren't going to pass on their own, and that she
needed to take Tabitha to a veterinarian.
"She was very lethargic, throwing up, not eating, and not going to the
bathroom," Wallace said. "(But) I figured it could have been a hairball or
something her system could have gotten rid of naturally."
The veterinarian had to remove nearly 10 inches of Tabitha's intestines to
try and save her life. Unfortunately, the operation wasn't enough. Shortly
after the surgery, while recovering amid the comforts of home, Tabitha died in
Wallace's arms.
"I want people to know about the danger of this product," said Wallace, who
plans eventually to adopt another cat. "It killed my cat. It could have just
as easily been a child."
Wallace suspects there are many pet owners who have faced a similar problem,
although she said her veterinarian had never before seen a case of a cat
eating a fake spider web. Veterinarians typically see cats who eat string,
yarn, and similar objects, which can cause the same intestinal damage. This is
why The HSUS strongly urges cat owners to keep such objects, and even dental
floss, away from their four-footed friends.
Halloween No Treat for Pets
Tabitha's ordeal underscores just one of the many dangers pet owners face
around Halloween. Or face year-round, depending on household habits. Chief
among the dangers is chocolate, the sweet treat that some humans swear is better
than love. To canines, though, the so-called elixir of the gods can be a
one-way ticket to heaven's gate.
According to the American Animal Hospital Association, "Even small amounts
of theobromine, an ingredient in chocolate, can cause vomiting and
restlessness in pets. Larger doses can be fatal."
How much can kill? The AAHA says four to 10 ounces of milk chocolate, or
one-half to an ounce of baking chocolate, can kill a small dog like a toy
poodle. For medium-sized dogs, such as a cocker spaniel, one to one-and-a-half
pounds of milk chocolate, or two to three ounces of baking chocolate, can be
fatal. And for large breeds, two to four-and-a-half pounds of milk chocolate,
or four to eight ounces of baking chocolate, can kill.
While cats are seldom poisoned by chocolate, felines do face other
life-and-death issues around Halloween: pranksters who abuse or even kill black cats
in some ritualistic way. Even cats of other colors may not be safe if left
outdoors on October 31, when the line between tricks and animal cruelty gets
horribly blurred in some people's minds.
The bottom line: While it's good to open the door for trick-or-treaters,
it's best to keep your pet behind a closed one on Halloween. The practice will
not only keep the critters out of harm's way, but will also lower their
stress levels.
"Dogs and cats rely on daily routine," said Nancy Peterson, companion animal
issues specialist for The HSUS. "When that routine is disrupted by lots of
noise and commotion, like trick-or-treaters ringing the doorbell and people
in strange costumes, pets can become frightened or agitated. It's best to keep
pets at a safe distance from the festivities."
"Keep your pet safe in an enclosed area with a toy and soothing music," adds
Peterson. "Resist the urge to include your pet in your Halloween activities,
and everyone can enjoy the holiday."