Parker's Pointers
Halloween Edition
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! There are so many decorations to get into and bat around. Fake cob webs? ATTACK! Those wonderful decorative corn stalks? KNOCK 'EM DOWN! You get my point. Around the holidays there are often various new and exciting things for your pets to explore and play with. While I love all of those new "toys," my least favorite thing is all of the monsters that sound like they ate children coming to the door! There's so many, they're so loud, and so spooky! This means you must be cautious with decorations and when trick-or-treaters come knocking on the door. In this edition of Parker's Pointers, I'll give you tips to make Halloween purrrrfect for you and your pets.
While we, as your pets, have the absolute cutest faces and have mastered the art of begging, the bowl of candy is only for the trick-or-treaters to dip into. Candies can be very dangerous, and even fatal, for many of us. Dark chocolates and candies containing Xylitol are especially dangerous for animals! If your pet pulled a Houdini and made some candy vanish, call your vet or the ASPCA Animal Poison Center at 1-888-426-4435 immediately. If you can't help but to drop us some seasonal treats try making or buying pet-friendly pumpkin products! Pumpkin is actually has many health benefits for pets. Check out some fun pumpkin treat recipes by clicking here!
Curiosity isn't just a trait us cats carry; all animals are curious, especially when new things are introduced into the home. Be careful with decorative plants like squash and corn. We may want to nibble those and doing so could upset our tummies. Likewise, be cautious with placement of wires and cords to electrical decorations. These make perfect floss for us when we have those delicious treats you made us stuck between our teeth, so chewing on them seems like a good idea to us at the time! This can cause injury and may even be fatal if we receive a nasty electrical shock or burn! Jack-O-Lanterns with real candles can also be very dangerous and curious kittens run a high risk of being burned. Try replacing that candle with an electric tea-lite candle; it will last longer and be much safer.
Costumes are certainly a very fun part of the holiday....for humans. Costumes for pets can agitate and stress us out quite a bit. You may certainly be laughing, but we're not! If you decide to dress your pet up, make sure they are comfortable being in the costume in the first place. If they are, be certain there are no dangling parts that can easily be chewed off and eaten. If your pet prefers their "birthday suit" but you insist they be festive, try festive painting stencils on them with non-toxic colored hair spray or hair chalk. Many groomers now offer this as a fun option, so check with yours.
Costumes are certainly a very fun part of the holiday....for humans. Costumes for pets can agitate and stress us out quite a bit. You may certainly be laughing, but we're not! If you decide to dress your pet up, make sure they are comfortable being in the costume in the first place. If they are, be certain there are no dangling parts that can easily be chewed off and eaten. If your pet prefers their "birthday suit" but you insist they be festive, try festive painting stencils on them with non-toxic colored hair spray or hair chalk. Many groomers now offer this as a fun option, so check with yours.
Lastly, those monsters knocking at the door and ringing the doorbell all night can be terrifying for some of us. Close your pets into a quiet secluded room in your house to minimize our stress. Don't forget our pumpkin treats! If you are unable to give us our own room be very careful not to let us dart out while you're opening the door for trick-or-treaters. Be sure we have our proper identification on in the case we do make it outside! A microchip and ID tags can be a lifesaver during this hectic holiday.
I hope these pointers help keep you and your pets have a great and safe holiday. You can also get the most out of Halloween for your pet by bringing them to Pampered Pets Bed and Biscuit for any of our exciting Halloween activities that we will be doing all week! Check out the complete list of Halloween activities here. Remember, don't forget our pumpkin treats!
Pawsfully yours,
Parker Sr.
I hope these pointers help keep you and your pets have a great and safe holiday. You can also get the most out of Halloween for your pet by bringing them to Pampered Pets Bed and Biscuit for any of our exciting Halloween activities that we will be doing all week! Check out the complete list of Halloween activities here. Remember, don't forget our pumpkin treats!
Pawsfully yours,
Parker Sr.
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