With the most spooktacular time of the year just around the corner, our vets have pulled together a Halloween survival guide to help keep pets happy.
While lots of us will enjoy Halloween, it can be a stressful time for pets. With more knocks on the door, people dressed up, and visitors coming into your home, pets could be left feeling unsettled.
It’s also a time of the year when there are more human treats and spooky decorations around the house, which could seriously harm our four-legged friends.
Here’s our Halloween survival guide to help keep pets happy and prevent any cat-astrophes.
Keep Halloween treats out of paws’ reach
Chocolate is poisonous to pets as it contains a toxic chemical called theobromine. Even a small amount of chocolate can be fatal. Sweets can also be dangerous for pets if they have the sweetener xylitol (birch sugar). As we stock the cupboards with tasty Halloween-themed treats, make sure all sweets and wrappers are kept well away from pets. Instead, why not teach your pet a new trick with a pet-safe treat this Halloween? But remember, treats should make up no more than 10% of your pet’s daily food allowance, and you should reduce their usual food to allow for a tasty treat.
Move candle-lit pumpkins away from pets
If one of your favourite Halloween traditions is to carve a pumpkin, ensure carving tools and lit candles are well away from furry friends. Candle-lit pumpkins may look spooktacular, but to prevent any curious pets from burning their noses this Halloween, keep them out of paws’ reach. Once the holiday is over, don’t forget to dispose of pumpkins safely to prevent your pet from gobbling gone off or mouldy pumpkins.
Don’t dress up pets
While we might like to dress up in scary costumes, most pets don’t. Costumes can make pets feel stressed and uncomfortable. Our four-legged friends are adorable just as they are, so our advice would be to steer clear of Halloween costumes for pets. Read our vets’ advice on dressing up pets.
Hang Halloween decorations out of pets’ reach
Many cats and dogs love to play with dangly decorations. However, if they get hold of them, they could end up chewing and swallowing something harmful, leading to serious problems such as a gut blockage. Make sure you hang spooky decorations out of pets’ reach, and why not distract them with a new cat toy or dog toy?
Make a den
If you’re having a Halloween party or in a neighbourhood that gets lots of trick-or-treaters, help your pet feel calm and secure by making them a den in a quiet corner away from the activity. We created a simple guide for pets during fireworks on building a den for cats and dogs.
Leave treats for trick-or-treaters outside
Knocks on the door and unfamiliar people approaching your house can make some pets feel anxious, especially if they’re not used to visitors. This Halloween, why not place a “help yourself” bucket filled with sweet treats outside your front door or at the bottom of your drive? That way, trick-or-treaters can help themselves to sweets without unsettling your pet. It’s a good idea to make sure your treat box has a secure lid, so other pets in the neighbourhood can’t help themselves.
Be home before dark
To avoid stress in dogs, take them for walkies before it goes dark. Trick-or-treaters in costume and loud music from parties can be scary for our pets, so it’s best to be at home with them before Halloween activities start.
For cats, encourage them to come home earlier by moving their dinner time to before it gets dark outside. And make sure you have beds and litter trays if you’re shutting the cat flap for the evening.
Close the curtains and windows if there’s lots of noise outside. If your pet seems worried or anxious, it might be better to avoid going out and leaving them alone. Instead, why not snuggle up for a spooky movie night with them instead?
Read our blog for more information on caring for your pet in autumn.