It’s the most wonderful time of the year!
Whether you love this time of year or can’t wait for things to slow back down, remember that the holiday season includes your pets, too. So, how can you have a pet-friendly holiday season?
How has the holiday season typically been for you and your furry family? Whatever holidays you celebrate, remember to keep your pet in mind. This is a time of year when your routine is likely interrupted—you’re probably traveling or hosting guests, there are different things up in your house, special kinds of food around, and you are more preoccupied than usual with baking, parties, shopping, and other prep. Am I right?!
Don’t worry; we’ll tell you what festive plants are dangerous for animals, what holiday foods your pet can eat, the importance of spending time with your pets even when your schedule fills up, and more. Keep reading for our top 3 tips on how to have a pet-friendly holiday season.
Remember, it’s their house, too.
It’s natural to want to spruce up your home around the holidays. Whether you’re entertaining others or just doing it for yourself, you put up decorations and cook special things. But which of these things are okay for our pets, and which do we need to be conscientious of?
Festive plants and trees
Poinsettias are often thought to be cat enemy #1 around Christmas. But they’re not as toxic as they’re frequently made to be. They are mildly poisonous, but a cat must ingest quite a bit to require veterinary attention. The chemicals used on them when mass-produced around Christmas may be more harmful than the plants themselves.
Either way, keeping poinsettias away from where cats can get to them and munch is still a good rule of thumb. If your decorating scheme includes poinsettias, keep an eye on your feline friend, and if she starts to display any unusual or sickly behavior, contact your vet immediately.
So…poinsettias are okay unless your cat ingests a significant amount. But did you know that lilies, holly, and mistletoe pose a far sneakier danger? These plants can be very toxic to pets if even just a little is ingested. So, put those far away from where any pets can get them.
If your pet does ingest a harmful holiday plant and requires immediate attention, call the 24/7 Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435. A consultation fee may apply. You can also download their FREE app here.
Christmas trees can also pose some threats to pets if you’re not careful. Ingesting pine needles from real trees can cause internal issues. Playing with or ingesting the metal hooks we use for our ornaments can pose obvious threats. And if you have a frisky feline who might be prone to climbing your tree, try tying the tree to the ceiling or only allowing your cat in the same room as the tree when she is monitored.
You may want to consider something like a Furbo camera for when you’re not home to be the first to know if your pet is digging into your holiday cheer.
Other holiday safety considerations for pet parents
Try taping down your electrical cords if your dog or cat is tempted to play with or chew on them. Lastly, whether your family falls into the brown sugar-in-the-water or aspirin-in-the-water camp for your real tree, neither of these is great for your curious or thirsty pet’s digestion.
The bottom line: Keep a close eye on your pets when it comes to holiday plants. Your home is your pet’s home, too; they’re curious by nature and will want to check out the unusual things you set up.
And while you may enjoy a house humming with holiday activity, your pet may not. Set up a quiet corner for her if she needs a break from all the activity and people.
Be mindful of human holiday food that’s dangerous for pets
We humans love to indulge during the holidays. But some of the things we turn to most—chocolate, alcohol, cookie dough, the artificial sweetener xylitol—used in tons of things like candy, frosting, and caffeinated beverages- pose a severe threat to pets if ingested. Grapes, raisins, and currants are also all toxic to them.
So, what table scraps can we share with them this time of year? Turkey is fine in moderation. Sweet potatoes, green beans, and carrots are okay in their plain forms—before any kind of glaze or seasoning is added.
Pumpkin is widely accepted as good for animals—but only in plain canned form. You’ll want to keep the pumpkin pie away from them, as the sweeteners and whipped cream are big no-nos.
Don’t forget about your pets amidst the holiday hubbub
Amidst the parties, shopping, and other fun things for you this time of year, do what you can so as not to leave out your pets.
Include them in the gift-giving; give them things like bones and chew toys that keep them engaged while you’re busy. Give fellow pet lovers a gift that will benefit their pets, like a BarkBox subscription.
If you have guests, try not just to lock your pet away. Introduce it to your guests and help make both parties comfortable. Stay consistent with the feeding and break schedule your pet is used to year-round. After the holidays are over, be thorough with your clean-up, completely stowing away those items that could pose a threat and keeping your pet’s comfort in mind when you rearrange when the decorations are down.
So, pet parents, have a great rest of your holiday season! Space Coast Pet Services is available to help should you need it. If you’ll be away, we can house sit, board your pet, and more.
Enjoy your traditions and your loved ones. Just remember to be mindful of the furry ones, too, in your prep, your celebrating, and your clean-up when the holidays have come and gone.
Happy holidays from my family to you and yours!
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