Holidays are a
special time for people to gather with their friends and family, but sometimes
these same events bring stress on a pet.
Here are a few things you can do (that we’ve learned from personal
experience as pet owners and foster pet parents) to help your furry friend
enjoy the festivities without the trauma.
Food Goodies
Remember people food
is for people only. Although it may seem harmless, giving pets food that is
prepared for humans can be devastating to an animal and may be toxic.
People food may not
provide the proper nutrients or vitamins that your pet requires. Plus giving meat with bones can cause an
obstruction and choke your pet.
Never give chicken or
meat with bones in it. They can split and get caught in the throat or cause internal damage.
Also, turkey is a
big no-no, unless it is prepared especially for pets in their food.
Never give a pet
alcohol, starches, rich or spicy foods as they can cause digestive tract problems and blockages.
Cats cannot digest starches such as bread, chips, crackers or
noodles. Medical bills can be quite costly
if they ingest these products.
One of
our rescues used to love eating these kinds of things. She would even grab
Doritos and once ran off with an entire chicken thigh. My husband snagged it from her before she got
to munch down on it. Although it was
funny watching her make a run for it, the outcome could have been dangerous.
Keep certain fruits like raisins or grapes, avocados, onions, garlic, caffeine,
cookies, cakes and candy out of reach; never feed a pet chocolate or nuts. This includes trying to get the dog to eat that age old fruitcake! Desserts with xylitol (an artificial sweetener) in them
can be fatal.
You may love those
delicious dairy and meat trays, but many pets (especially cats) are lactose
intolerant and it could cause severe bowel and digestive problems. One more thing, if you think cats need milk,
think again … your pet will be much healthier.
A small treat such as
a chunk of cheese or meat is equal to the size of a burger in their little
tummies. So while you are dining, it’s
best to provide a super meal in another room away from temptation for your
precious pet. We make sure to have a
special pet food or treats reserved only for holidays.
They love it and so do we … a win-win for everyone!
For a complete list of
toxic and unhealthy foods to avoid feeding your pet contact the pet emergency
hotline in your area.
Plants & Flowers
Fresh flowers and
plants really add to the overall ambiance of the holiday season, but take into
consideration which ones you bring into your home if you have pets.
Certain plants are
poisonous; both the leaves and petals such as poinsettias, holly (and the
berries), ivy, mistletoe, hibiscus, cactus and lilies. Also some pets are habitual chewers and even
artificial plants are dangerous.
Keep
these things out of range from your four legged buddies. For a more detailed
list click on this link.
Holiday Decorations
Avoid using tinsel,
beads, garland or ribbon if possible. When they
are in use, place them where the animals cannot reach these objects. Something you never want to see is a cat with
well, how can I put it … their hind quarters decorated with tinsel and garland.
When we first took in
rescues we didn’t know how some pets eat string, ribbon and shiny things. A lot of pets never outgrow this fetish
either. One of the babies had devoured
some and instead of swinging its lovely long tail, there was a strand of
wrapping ribbon coming out of her behind!
Thank God we learned this lesson quickly.
The Christmas Tree
Another thing that so
many pet owners have asked me is how to keep a cat out of the Christmas
tree. When you figure that one out,
would you please tell me?
Seriously, the best
way to keep pets safe is to have your beautiful tree in an “off pet” area. However, if you plan on having a tree and
pets in the same room, there are a few things to consider. Something that does
work is to safely secure your tree to the wall or window.
Ornaments
Be sure that the
ornaments are safe. Instead of using
hooks or glass ornaments, replace them with plastic ones that can be fastened
on with the branches themselves. By the
way, paper ornaments are still in fashion!
Lights
Never leave your tree
unattended and hide all the cords! Cats
in particular love to chew on them. (Note the photo ... that was from our Christmas tree!)
As
for the lights, my dog took it upon herself to destroy all our outside lights
by crunching the bulbs.
When we
discovered this we changed our decorating habits and locations. Be sure to always unplug the lights when you
are away from the house to avoid fire or electrical problems, and clean up any
debris from live trees daily.
Most of all …
“A righteous man regards the life of his/her animal(s)…”
(Proverbs 12:10 NKJV)
Finally, remember changes
of any kind can stress your pet(s). Re-arranged
furniture, decorations, loads of people or visiting pets all add to unrest in a
household. Be sure not to get so caught
up in your preparations that you forget to spend time with your pet.
Disclaimer: Always
consult with your veterinarian for the best advice for your pet.
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Holiday Tips for Pet Safety, Favored Pets, Favored1, Pet Safety, Cats, Dogs, Christmas Pets, Christmas Dinner, Christmas Turkey, Foods Not to Give Pets, Pet Rescue, Online Pet Supplies
Fresh flowers and
plants really add to the overall ambiance of the holiday season, but take into
consideration which ones you bring into your home if you have pets. 
Never leave your tree
unattended and hide all the cords! Cats
in particular love to chew on them. (Note the photo ... that was from our Christmas tree!) 
There are so many products on the market
beckoning for us to try them, boasting that their items are the best. We did a
lot of research and found that most pet treats have BHT which is a plastic of
sorts and other chemicals that actually can cause a number of health issues
such as kidney failure, diabetes, blindness, bone loss and a slew of other
things.
Recipes cover a variety of tastes like beef,
liver, chicken, cheese, peanut butter (one of my dog’s favorites) and even
include vegan/vegetarian. If you buy the package mix it will take about 30
minutes to bake. You’ll get 20-24 biscuits from the batch.
Each year we give each of the dogs on our
street a “bone-a-pet-tite” for Christmas. Having the Bake-A-Bone products makes
it easy to do and they are fresh, all-natural, soft(ish) and more importantly
healthy.