Keeping your pet busy on Christmas Day

Christmas Day can be a pretty hectic day for most of us, with all of the meal preparations, family visits, last-minute gift-wrapping and the clean-up – but while we’re busy celebrating, our pets may be left just twiddling their paws. Here are a few ideas to keep your pet safely occupied with some festive fun!

Give your pet some early morning exercise to help them relax for the rest of the day. For dogs, this normally involves a good walk or play at the park, where they can wish their canine chums a Merry Christmas. For cats, this could include a game with their favourite toy, such as a ball made of scrunched paper, a cat “fishing” toy, or a laser light pointer for pouncing fun.

If you’re unwrapping presents early, cats love to play with rustling wrapping paper or have a peek-a-boo game using leftover cardboard boxes. Dogs may just enjoy settling down for some satisfying cardboard box disassembling! Just make sure there are no string, metal or plastic decorations that your pet could accidentally swallow – these can cause dangerous gut obstructions.

If your pet will be alone for several hours, prepare some fun food treats to keep them occupied. Both dogs and cats will love their favourite treats to be scattered around the house or garden, so they can go on a treasure hunt. If you’re really prepared, you can organise for Santa to bring your cat or dog a fun puzzle feeder, ready to fill with your pet’s favourite treats. Just make sure your pet’s toy has no small, loose parts that could pose a choking risk, and supervise your pet during their initial exploration of the toy.
With these tips, your pet is going to have the best Christmas ever! Especially since they’re exempt from the clean-up duty.