Don’t Overfeed Your Pets
It’s a common problems for humans and pets alike, especially during Thanksgiving and Christmas: overeating all the delicious holiday treats. While you may be tempted to sneak your pet a little turkey and stuffing, try to avoid it. Pets are most likely to gain weight during the winter months, when holidays are ample and owners are more reluctant to walk the dog in colder weather. A small piece of turkey won’t be the reason your pet gains weight, but if everyone feeds your pet a small piece it adds up quickly. Make the family aware of your rules for feeding your pets so everyone is on the same page.
Corner the Tree
We have a cat, which has limited us to a very modest fake Christmas tree. If you want your kids to have the full Christmas tree experience, make sure you keep it in the corner. Dogs and cats are both tempted to explore the tree, and cats love nothing more than destroying the decorating you’ve done. Keep a few empty bottles, bells, foil (cats hate walking on it) or other alarms near the tree to alert you when your pet gets near the tree. At night try to keep the pet in another room, whenever possible.
Make sure to keep tiny ornaments at the top of the tree so your cat or dog isn’t tempted to swallow them and choke. Make sure all tree decorations aren’t hanging and tempting for the cat or dog to try to chew on. Hide the electric cords for the lights away so your pet doesn’t chew on them.
Keep Poison Plants Out of Reach
Plants like poinsettias, mistletoe and holly are all dangerous poisons to pets. Hanging mistletoe is usually okay, as long as it is high enough to be out of the reach of your pet. If you are decorating with poisonous plants keep them limited to spaces that your pets can’t reach, like high shelves. Same goes with candles.
Presents Don’t Go Under the Tree
You may like to put your presents out under the tree, but your pet may view them as a toy to tear into and destroy. When my family had a dog we used to put the presents behind the tree in the corner and only put them out to display the night we were going to open them. A cat or dog that eats wrapping paper, strings or cloth can suffer intestinal blocking.
Using these tips will keep your pets safe and happy this holiday season, and give you the time you need to spend time with your family. For more pet tips follow us on Twitter. If your pet has a problem this holiday season make sure to contact us as soon as possible if you notice any changes in behavior and we’ll be happy to help get your pet back to normal.
