Meow-y Christmas: 7 Safe & fun ways to spoil your pet this festive season

December 11, 2017
by DR Roxanne Jones

Christmas is just around the corner, and if you’re as crazy about your furbabies as we are about ours, you’ll want to spoil them just like every other family member.

Here are our 7 top ways to spoil your furkids this Christmas, with fun activities and yummy, safe treats.

7 cool Christmas treats for furkids

Bake them something festive
Earlier this year, we shared some delicious recipes for dog-friendly cakes and cupcakes. However, if you want to make your pet something especially festive, check out this wheat-free Christmas cake recipe, which is safe for dogs and especially great for pooches with allergies or itchiness.

Read more: What causes itching in dogs, and what you can do to help
Watch a movie together
Believe it or not, there are tons of videos made especially for cats and dogs. Click on over to YouTube and search ‘videos for cats’ to find a near endless selection of bird-themed videos to entertain your kit.

And there’s something for dogs, too! Merry Woofmas is a movie made especially for pooches, using colours that they see best. Watch it here

Don’t forget some popcorn for yourself and a treat for your pet too. Here are healthy human snacks you can feed your dog, and healthy human snacks you can give to your cat.
Share your Christmas feast
At Christmastime, even the stricter fur-parents among us might let our pets enjoy a delicious table scrap or two – it’s the holidays after all. With the smells of roast meat and hot veg in the air, your furkids will no doubt be salivating at your heels (or elbows). Just be sure that whatever you feed your animals is safe for them to eat: some human foods can be dangerous or even lethal to your pets.

Meat, potatoes and well-cooked veggies like Brussels Sprouts are healthy and safe for your pets to consume, but the foods below are not.

Read more: 10 human foods you should never feed your dogs and 10 human foods you should never feed your cat.
Take you pooch somewhere new
Instead of their usual neighbourhood walk, treat your pooch to a run on the beach, a forest hike (if they’re up to it) or a visit to the local dog park. A change of scenery is like a holiday for your pet. And, speaking of holidays, if you’re going away over the festive season, why not take your doggie with you? Here are some excellent tips on travelling in a car with your pet.
Put their favourite treats under the tree
From catnip and greenies to organic doggie biscuits, chew toys, balls and more, there are endless gifts, treats and toys for your furbaby this season. Pick a few of your faves and wrap them up for under the tree, so both you and your furkids have something special to open.

For kitties, a Christmas tree with all its shiny decorations might be the actual best gift of all! Why not consider getting your kitty their very own Christmas baubles or, if your family has personalised decorations or stockings, make sure your furkids have their own too.

Did you know you can find your pet’s favourite treats and snacks online at Zuki.co.za? Shop our online range and we’ll deliver to your door so you can skip the crazy Christmas queues!
Get them an advent calendarNow your furkids can share in your Christmas count-down excitement! Places like Gingerpaws.co.za sell a variety of cute, thoughtful and totally safe advent calendars for your furkids. So, while the (human) kids enjoy choccies and sweets, your furkids can indulge in a variety of tasty treats in the countdown to Christmas. How clever!>
Spend time with them
What you pet wants most of all this Christmas, and every day of the year, is to spend time with you, their beloved owner. We all know that dogs are a human’s best friend, but many cats enjoy human company just as much. Carving out special time to spend with your furkids is the ultimate gift you can give them these holidays, and it’ll bring so many benefits to them and you alike.

Here’s wishing you and your furkids the most a-meow-zing festive season and tail-waggingly great year ahead!