Pet Stress Relief At Christmas

New puppies and kittens at Christmas

If you’ve welcomed a new family member this year – this will be their first Christmas and it can be a lot to take in. For all pets, it’s important to stick as closely as possible to their regular routine for food and exercise. This gives your pet a sense of security amid the chaos and ensures their daily needs are being met.

For new puppies and kittens who may still in the ‘training’ phase, a break in their usual routine will be very confusing. Try to keep up the good work that you’ve been putting in to keep things on track and keep them happy and settled.

Care in a busy household

The weeks around Christmas usually become a hive of activity for many households – this year will be different, but hopefully there is still some extra time off work and school for smaller family get-togethers. While some pets may love the extra attention and excitement, others can find the experience highly stressful, particularly cats and house rabbits.

If you’re expecting a busier household, create a safe space for your pet in a quiet room and fill it with their water and food bowls, toys and bedding. This gives them a calm place of refuge to retreat to when things get too much. You may also want to invest in calming scent diffusers which release pheromones to help your pet relax.

Don’t forget to let friends, family and young children know that your pet might be feeling anxious and may not want to socialise. Encourage them to leave them be and never disturb them while they’re eating or sleeping.

Most importantly enjoy the time with your family and pets and stay safe. If you’re looking for gift ideas for your pet – take a look at our article on pet gift ideas.