It’s the most wonderful time of the year… but it can also be a stressful time for our pets! Both dogs and cats can be affected by changes in their environment and the signs of stress can be tricky to spot. Here are some simple ideas to make them feel happier this festive season.
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Try to maintain their normal routine.
With work parties and shopping to do it can be hard to get everything done in the run up to Christmas. Animals are very perceptive and any change to their routine can make them feel nervous. Try to stick to their usual feeding schedule; and try not to block your pets’ normal resting places to put decorations in their place.
Moving furniture and putting up Christmas trees that obstruct your cat’s normal routes around the house can stress them out. And it can cause potentially dangerous stress related urinary issues. Equally, it is important to exercise your dog and take them on their usual walks as this will help them to relax later in the evening. Playing games that mentally exercise your dog, like ‘find it’, can help to tire them out if you are short on time or the weather is miserable.
Create comfy hiding spaces.
Having visitors to your home can be overwhelming for pets so it is essential to have areas they can retreat to. If at all possible they should feel free to choose whether to join in or not; so don’t lock them away in these safe spaces.
For dogs this could be a crate, a cosy bed in a quiet corner of the house or access to a room that is out of bounds for visitors. Try to make these places appealing by feeding them in this location or giving them a Lickimat or Kong filled with their wet food or other tasty filling recipe.
Cats often prefer to hide in high up locations; so you could try putting a bed or blanket on top of a cupboard or piece of furniture. You can make a den for them from a cardboard box and place this somewhere they usually choose to hide.
Introduce calming aids.
Calming aids can be in the form of pheromones (natural scents produced by animals) or in natural food supplements.
For cats, Feliway plug-in diffusers can be placed in areas that your cat likes to spend their time to make them feel more at ease. It is also available in a spray which you can use on their bed or in your newly created hiding spots. For dogs, Adaptil works in a similar way and is available in plug-in, spray form and a collar. Pet Remedy is an alternative which, instead of pheromones, uses a blend of Valerian essential oil and other calming herbs.
Oral supplements like Yumove Calming Care or Nutracalm contain ingredients which may help to reduce your pets anxiety from the inside. It is a good idea to start these as early as possible and keep them going throughout the festive period.
Train your visitors!
As your pet’s caregiver it is your responsibility to be their advocate with new visitors. If you know your pet doesn’t like particular things, like being stroked on the head, make sure your visitors know not to do this.
If your visitors are bringing their pet, ensure both animals have the opportunity to get away from each other if they feel worried. It is often easier for dogs to greet each other for the first time in a neutral environment so they are less likely to be territorial.
With the addition of the above measures you and your pet will hopefully have a merry and relaxing festive season. If your pet continues to show signs of anxiety and stress, get in touch with your own vet. They may be able to give you more specific behavioural advice or prescribe your pet medication to help.
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