Owners should try to reduce stress in pets over Christmas

Christmas can be stressful time for pets as well as humans.

Christmas can be a stressful time for pets due to changes to their usual routine, an expert has advised.

In an article for Neosho Daily News, president of Faithful Friends Animal Advocates Leanne Williams explained any alterations to an animal's environment, such as the addition of decorations, can cause them to become stressed.

She also pointed out that the holiday season is a busy time and if people are becoming flustered, their animals are likely to pick up on their exasperation and start to behave differently.

Houses will often be filled with additional family members and friends over the festive period and this can be upsetting for cats and dogs.

Furthermore, Ms Williams noted there is a strong chance these visitors could bring gifts such as chocolate, which when left lying around, can be tempting to animals and cause them harm if consumed.

"Their routines and ours are significantly altered with the business and the 'to-do' lists, along with attendance at festivities and celebrations," the expert continued.

To tackle the issue, she recommended creating a safe and secure environment for an animal and giving them a treat such as a dog chew bone to keep them happy. This space should be quiet, comfortable and away from the events going on in other parts of the house.

Dog toys could also be used to distract dogs when there is a lot of commotion that could potentially upset them.

Some extra pet supplies may also be required to keep cats entertained on December 25th, as Ms Williams stated a Christmas tree will be very tempting to these animals as they may try and climb it or grab the baubles off the branches with their paws.

It is not only existing pets that may need some special attention at Christmas, as News-Sentinel explained new pets are likely to be even more nervous if there is a lot going on around them during the festive period and they can become ill if they get too stressed.

Posted by Tim Pinnock
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Thursday, 8 Dec 2011, 4:04pm