This post was sponsored by Purina. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It’s that time of year! Decorations and cookies and ribbons and bows and questionable sweaters. It’s a festive time for us but can also be a crazy time for our pets. We’ve completely “remodeled” our homes by bringing TREES inside. We’ve put sparkly, blinky things everywhere. And we’re constantly leaving!
Purina wants to make sure we keep our pets safe and happy during this season whether we’re enjoying the warmth of our homes or we’re out spreading holiday cheer. Here’s just one thing to consider when it comes to pet safety.
What NOT to Bring to a Holiday Party
Let’s say you’ve been invited to a holiday party. Maybe it’s an Ugly Sweater Party (I love these!) or a Christmas Cocktail Party (I love these too!) or even a nice Holiday Dinner. And you want to bring a hostess gift because hopefully your mama raised you right and you know to bring a hostess gift with you.
What do you bring that’s festive and stands out in a sea of wine bottles in velvet gift bags?
I’ll give you some ideas but first let me tell you what NOT to bring or buy for the hostess that has pets.
Pointsettia Plant – NOPE
Whether you pronounce it POINT-SET-uh or POINT-SETTY-uh, there are a couple of things you should know. First of all, it’s a beautiful holiday plant that is usually found with red or white flowers. It’s indigenous to Mexico and was first brought to the United States in 1825. But it’s TOXIC to cats and dogs. So it’s a good idea to skip this for any household with pets.
Mistletoe – NOPE
Found commonly throughout Europe, this little plant has become known for inciting people standing under it to kiss. It’s kind of odd considering this plant that produces white waxy berries is typically classified as a parasitic plant. Not sure how that came to be associated with lovers at Christmas. But it’s POISONOUS for cats and dogs. Skip this one or look for the long lasting plastic variety.
Holly – NOPE
While I doubt you’ll be bringing a large holly bush into anyone’s home (including your own), holly branches are often used as accents in floral arrangements and inside the home. I think you know where I’m going with this. Certain types of holly are TOXIC to pets so it’s best to just leave it outside.
Now that you know about these beautiful holiday plants and why you should skip them if you’re a pet owner (or looking for a gift for a pet owner), there are other ways to ensure you keep your pets safe during the holidays. Purina offers 5 simple tips to help ensure your holidays are happy and don’t require a visit to the vet (#3 is all about the poisonous plants I’ve warned you about!).
How We Spend the Holidays with Our Pets
So how am I keeping my pets safe and happy during the holidays? By doing what makes them happiest – spending time with them!
Our dogs and cats both have stockings hung by the fireplace (yes, we’re those people) and we’ll fill them with treats and toys. On Christmas Eve, we’ll host a big family dinner where my fur-niece, Abby, will also attend. The dogs will play and we’ll eat and get ready for a busy next day.
On Christmas morning, they’ll nestle on the floor with us trying to understand what the flood of paper and bows all means. And after all the excitement, they’ll crash, along with the rest of us, for a nice winter’s nap. Eventually, we’ll head to dinner at a relative’s house and all of the pets will stay home and when we return late that night, it will be like Christmas morning for them.
(Do your pets act like you’ve been gone for a millennium every time you leave the house?)
If we’re lucky, we’ll hope for a little winter weather and play outside with our Shih Tzu and Tibetan Terrier, both thought to have originated in Tibet so they’re natural snow lovers.
After all of the holiday parties and celebrations, we’ll make sure we also settle down to watch any Christmas movies we might have missed. The fireplace will be on. Layla will probably be at our feet, Roscoe will be snuggled on the couch, and our cats will be silently plotting a way to rid the house of these canine menaces in the new year.
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Please remember to share the holidays with your furry loved ones and remember to keep your pets safe and happy during this festive season!