Pets and Christmas Day: Managing Festivities Without Stress

Christmas Day is filled with excitement, visitors, presents, music, and delicious food. While it’s a joyful time for humans, the sudden changes in routine and noise can easily overwhelm household pets. Whether you share your home with dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, birds, or other small animals, a little preparation can help make the day smooth, safe, and enjoyable for every furry (or feathered!) family member.

1. Start the Day with Exercise or Enrichment

Helping pets burn off energy early can make the rest of the day calmer and more manageable.

For different types of pets:

• Dogs: Enjoy a morning walk, fetch session, or mental enrichment games before the festivities begin.

• Cats: Use wand toys, laser pointers, or puzzle feeders to stimulate their mind and body.

• Rabbits & guinea pigs: Allow extra free-roam time indoors or in a secure pen to stretch, run, and explore.

• Small mammals (hamsters, gerbils, rats): Provide new chew toys, tunnels, or foraging puzzles.

• Birds: Encourage wing flapping, climbing, or time on a play stand.

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A stimulated pet is more relaxed and better able to cope with the day’s excitement.

2. Avoid Overfeeding and Know What’s Unsafe

With so much food on display, it’s easy for pets to sneak snacks — or for well-meaning guests to offer unsafe treats.

General safety rules:

• Avoid feeding table scraps or festive foods high in fat, sugar, salt, or dairy.

• Many Christmas foods are toxic to pets — including chocolate, raisins, grapes, mince pies, onions, alcohol, and xylitol (a sweetener found in some desserts).

• Stick to pet-safe treats or long-lasting chew toys to keep them occupied.

Species-specific notes:

• Dogs & cats: Avoid turkey skin, bones, gravy, stuffing, and anything seasoned.

• Rabbits & guinea pigs: Never offer sugary snacks, chocolate, bread, or cooked foods — stick to hay, veg, and safe herbs.

• Birds: Avoid chocolate, avocado, caffeine, and salty or fatty foods.

• Small rodents: Don’t allow access to chocolate or spiced foods; offer only small, species-appropriate treats.

3. Supervise the Gift-Opening Chaos

Wrapping paper flying everywhere may be fun for people but can be stressful or dangerous for pets.

Potential hazards include:

• Ribbons and string that can cause intestinal blockages if eaten.

• Plastic packaging, ties, and batteries from new gadgets.

• Small parts, children’s toys, or dropped chocolates.

How to keep pets safe:

• Keep a rubbish bag or bin nearby and tidy up as you unwrap.

• Check the floor regularly for dropped food or packaging.

• Keep excitable pets a short distance away until the environment is calm.

4. Introduce Guests Slowly and Respect Pet Boundaries

Not all pets enjoy social gatherings or unfamiliar faces.

Tips for managing guests:

• Allow pets to approach people at their own pace — never force interactions.

• Remind children to be gentle, calm, and respectful of space.

• For flighty pets like cats, rabbits, and birds, ensure there are escape routes or hideaways.

• If you have small pets (hamsters, guinea pigs, etc.), keep their enclosures away from busy areas and discourage guests from tapping on cages.

• For birds, ensure guests don’t open windows or doors while the bird is out of its cage.

5. Plan for Quiet Time and Safe Spaces

Even confident pets may become overwhelmed by noise, chatter, and unfamiliar activity.

How to create a calming retreat:

• Choose a quiet room away from the main festivities.

• Provide comfy bedding, fresh water, and a few favourite toys.

• Use calming music, dim lighting, or white noise to help soothe anxious pets.

• For rabbits and guinea pigs, add hideouts and tunnels to help them feel secure.

• Cats may appreciate high perches, window ledges, or covered beds for privacy.

• Birds may benefit from covering part of their cage if the household is particularly busy.

Giving pets the option to retreat reduces stress and prevents behaviour issues.

Conclusion

With a little planning, Christmas Day can be magical for every member of the family — including pets. By offering exercise, maintaining boundaries, managing food safely, and providing quiet spaces, you’ll ensure your pets stay safe, calm, and content throughout the festivities.

If you need support with pet visits, feeding, or dog walks during the busy festive season, Elliotts Pet Care Services is here to help with friendly, reliable care for all your pets.