Thanksgiving & Pets

Discussing The Best Ways To Manage Your Pets During Thanksgiving While Still Including Them In The Holiday Festivities

Thanksgiving is a truly wonderful holiday that brings the family together for food, festivities, and merriment. This includes your furry family too! However, Thanksgiving dinner can sometimes be chaotic and overwhelming. This can make it difficult to properly manage your pets and prevent them from eating things they shouldn’t be eating. This article will go over the best ways to manage your pets during Thanksgiving dinner, what Thanksgiving foods they shouldn’t be allowed to eat, and how to include them in the holiday celebrations. 

Keeping Your Pets Under Control

If you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner at your house, then you’ve got your work cut out for you. Besides cleaning, cooking, and hosting, you still have pets to care for. Some dogs tend to get overly excited when there are large groups of new people in the house. If your dog gets overly excited when company comes over, then we suggest separating them from your guests entirely. Utilize a spare bedroom or your own bedroom and make it as comfortable and enjoyable as possible for them. Put some dog beds, toys, and background noise in the room for your dog to make it extra cozy and comfortable. 

You can implement this same strategy for cats too. However, most cats can be very shy around new people and will most likely hide on their own accord. Be sure to provide your cat with a designated room filled with their favorite toys, cat beds, cat tree, food, water, and litter box. Keep in mind that this tactic will not be needed for every cat or dog. If your dog or cat is very well behaved around company, then feel free to give them free roam of the house. How you manage your pets this Thanksgiving will vary depending on their temperament and personality. 

Turkey & Dogs

Yes, dogs can safely eat turkey. However, there are some stipulations to consider.  In order for dogs to properly digest turkey, the meat must be fully cooked, skinless, unseasoned, and white meat only. The same goes for ground turkey, but it must also be plain, unseasoned, and contain no additives. Keep in mind that too much of anything can be a bad thing. If you plan on giving your dog some turkey, only do so in small amounts. Additionally, it’s also a good idea to consult with your veterinarian first to double check if your dog has any allergies. 

Turkey & Cats

Yes, cats can also safely eat turkey. However, similar stipulations apply. If you plan on giving your cat turkey, it should be unseasoned, boneless, skinless, and fully cooked. We also recommend cooking the turkey yourself as pre-cooked turkey may also contain additives and preservatives that are unhealthy for your cats. Always double check the ingredients list before giving your cat any pre-cooked turkey or turkey based cat foods to ensure they’re getting the best nutrition possible. For more information on what ingredients to look for and avoid in cat food, go to The Spruce Pets website. 

Other Thanksgiving Foods

When it comes to other Thanksgiving foods like mashed potatoes, stuffing, brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, etc. your pets shouldn’t be eating it. This is mostly due to the spices and seasonings that these dishes usually contain. Both dogs and cats can’t properly digest these seasonings and consumption of them can lead to upset stomachs, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal issues. Therefore, make it very clear to your Thanksgiving dinner guests that your pets should not be given table scraps. No matter how cute they look!

However, you can still include your pets in the Thanksgiving dinner festivities. Rather than giving your pets table scraps, we suggest making a small separate Thanksgiving dinner just for them. Rather than cook a full turkey, cook some turkey breast with no seasonings or spices for your dog and cat. Instead of mashed potatoes, give your dog some baked sweet potatoes (no butter or seasonings). Additionally, you can also buy Thanksgiving themed canned food for your cat or dog. These usually contain turkey, a variety of vegetables, and gravy. Click here to check out the Thanksgiving cat food in a can. Click here to check out the Thanksgiving dog food in a can.

Looking For A Pet Sitter Or Dog Walker?

Do you or someone you know need a pet sitter this Thanksgiving holiday? Then look no further than ParaMount Pet Care! We are the leading pet care professionals in the Luzerne County area. All of our sitters are insured, bonded, trained in pet CPR & first aid, and dedicated to caring for your pets. We offer a wide variety of pet sitting services such as in-home pet sitting, routine dog walking, overnight stays, and more! Click here to see all of our services! Click here to become a client today or give us a call at 570-814-1037. We look forward to hearing from you soon!