How To Keep Your Pets Safe This Christmas

It is Christmas time and whilst you and your family are having a jolly time there are increased risks around your home which can make your pets have anything other than a merry Christmas. When it comes to a typical family home at Christmas there are a great deal of things which curious cats and dogs can get in trouble with when encountering them – think food, decorations and lack of routine.

You can give your pooch or puss a pressie that shows them you care this Christmas, but the most important thing you can do for your much-loved pet this Christmas is making sure that they are happy and healthy this festive season. What Yuletide dangers do you need to think about?

Festive Food

All too often Christmas is about overindulgence for humans, as a result there are lots of tasty treats around the home which can be tempting for pets. Do not let pets eat chocolate, we all know that humans should eat chocs in moderation, but for cats and dogs, sweat treats like chocolate can be seriously damaging for their health as it contains theobromine which is toxic to our furry friends.

As well as the chocs, our four-legged family members should be kept away from mince pies, Christmas pudding and Christmas cake as raisins present a risk, so much so they can cause kidney failure in cats and dogs. Other festive tasty food items to keep away from pets include grapes, macadamia nuts, and Christmas-themed plants such as holly and mistletoe.

Christmas Wrapping

If you have some children it can be difficult to curb their enthusiasm when it comes to them tearing off the wrapping paper on Christmas morning, but it is important that you keep a close eye and pick up any pieces of gift wrap, gift tags or ribbons which might be left strewn on the lounge floor so that you avoid your much-loved pets getting tangled up or swallowing any pieces of Christmas wrapping.

Yuletide Lights

Few things make a Yuletide statement on a Christmas tree like gloriously bright and beautiful Christmas fairy lights. However, fairy lights, attractive as there are they do present a danger to cats and dogs – think about how they are hung to avoid pets tripping over them, and when you are not in the room be sure to turn them off to avoid a nibbling pet receiving an electric shock.

Seasonal Sleeps

Christmas can be a tiring experience, and not just for the humans, so when it comes to a pet’s bedtime think about where their bed is placed in the house. Make sure it is located in a quiet space, one where they can move to when the festive frivolity gets too much – this may mean a different location to their usual bed location, but it is important if you plan to host.

Keeping Children & Cats In Perfect Christmas Harmony

If you plan to have children visit your home during the Christmas and New Year period, perhaps your grandchildren who do not visit too often, and you are a cat owner, what do you need to think about to keep your cat happy? It is a good idea to create a kids-free zone to ensure your cat can chillout in peace, where you can, create a space at height such as on a cat platform where a cat can seek out safety – remember to place feeding bowls and litter trays in places where your cat can get some privacy.