Pet behavior and holiday guests 

  • Though the excitement of a party may overwhelm some pets, keep your pets inside during cold weather and provide plenty of toys to keep them busy.
  • If needed, provide your cat or dog with a quiet room or crate during holiday parties and/or prepare ahead of time to discourage barking.
  • Inform your visitors ahead of time that you have a pet. 
    • They may have allergies.
    • They may be fearful of pets (let them know your pet will be confined) or wish to see or play with your pet during the party (will they have an opportunity to do this?). 
    • If your pets will not be confined during the party, be sure guests know to take care when entering and exiting your home so that none of your pets slip outside. 
    • You’ll also want to let your guests know whether or not it is OK for them to bring their own pets to your home during the party.

Skip the table scrap snacks: Foods not to feed pets

Little girl feeding a dog table scraps from her holiday dinner
Pekic
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Be alert when prepping the holiday meal, laying food out on the table and intermingling with guests to ensure your pets don’t sneak a bite while you’re distracted. Ask guests to refrain from feeding food from the table to your pets. High fat foods in particular can cause health problems for your pets. 

  • Alcohol
  • Bones: Bones easily splinter and can cause serious health problems (even death) for your pet.
  • Candy: Particularly chocolate—which is toxic to dogs, cats and ferrets—and any candy containing the animal-toxic sweetener Xylitol.  
  • Chives
  • Citrus and pits: Keep foods containing citric acid away from your pets. Foods such as cherry pits, peach pits and apple seeds contain essential oils that have the ability to cause irritations, blockages and even central nervous system depression if a significant amount is ingested. Avocado pits are also toxic to pets. 
  • Coffee: Grounds, beans and chocolate-covered espresso beans.
  • Eggs (raw or undercooked) 
  • Fish (raw or undercooked)
  • Garlic
  • Grapes and raisins: These can cause serious kidney problems.
  • Leaves and stems: From vegetables such as tomatoes. 
  • Meat (raw or undercooked)
  • Milk: Many cats and dogs have difficulty digesting lactose; even small amounts meant as treats can cause gastrointestinal problems.
  • Nuts
  • Onions, as well as onion flakes and powder, and all members of the onion (allium) family, including leeks and scallions.
  • Salt
  • Trash: Pets who engage in trash-digging can accidentally eat foods that are potentially poisonous to them. Keep trash in tightly sealed containers or hidden somewhere your pet can't access.
  • Xylitol, which is an artificial sweetener especially toxic to dogs and found in a wide array of diet drinks and foods, including some peanut butters.

Listen to "What Holiday Foods Can I Safely Feed My Pet?" on the Humane Voices Podcast

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Sad dog chained outside in the cold snow.

Deck the halls: Holiday decorations and pets 

  • Christmas trees and holiday greens: Make sure your dogs or cats do not chew on limbs or droppings from the tree. Ingested pine needles could get lodged in the intestinal tract, puncturing the lining or bunching together and causing an intestinal obstruction.
  • Water base: The water base of a Christmas tree may contain dangerous chemicals that could harm your pet.
  • Christmas lights and tinsel: Position your tree's lights and tinsel away from the bottom of the tree where pets can reach them. Some pets climb up or into trees and can even knock them over. If swallowed, tinsel can be very dangerous to cats.
  • Candles: Don’t leave candles unattended. Pets may accidentally knock them over and spill wax or start a fire.
  • Firestarter logs: Dogs that enjoy chewing should steer clear; these logs contain sawdust and paraffin which can cause an irritated stomach or even intestinal blockage when ingested.
  • Plants: A number of seasonal plants are poisonous to pets if nibbled or eaten, including ivy, holly, mistletoe and poinsettias.

By sleigh or sea: Holiday travel and pets 

  • Carefully consider whether to take your pet with you on a trip. For example, cats, especially, tend to be most comfortable at home.
  • If you leave your pets home while you travel, review our tips for how to choose a pet sitter or boarding kennel that’s right for you and your pet.
  • Wherever your pets spend the holidays, dogs and cats should all wear collars and tags with up-to-date ID that offer a way to reach you.

Learn How to Travel Safely with Your Pets

In case of emergency

  • Identify your closest 24/7 emergency veterinary clinic before an emergency occurs.
  • Research your pet hospital or clinic's holiday hours.
  • Store important contact numbers in your phone and post them somewhere in your home that won't be forgotten or overlooked: The number for your veterinarian or pet hospital, as well as the number of the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (888-426-4435).
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