It’s the most wonderful time of the year! With decorations all around and as much food as you can shake a candy cane at, children and pets alike are in their element! That’s why it’s so important to make sure any youngsters in the house know how to keep their furry friends safe at this time of year from dangers such as chocolates, tinsel and Christmas tree lights.

The latest installment in our new Vetsure for Kids series is here to help with just this. In a special festive edition, we explore how children can keep their cat or dog safe during the holiday season. Be sure to check the link at the bottom of this article for a FREE festive Vetsure for Kids Pet Pack that you can share with your little one.

The Trouble With Decorations

It’s a joke as old as Christmas itself that a pet is likely to destroy your carefully curated tree at some point during the festivities. In our latest Vetsure for Kids pack, we explain to children the dos and don’ts when it comes to Christmas trees:

  • Avoid putting chocolates on your Christmas tree
  • Tell an adult right away if you spot your cat or dog playing with the Christmas lights
  • Leaving presents under the tree can be dangerous as a pet might want to chew on them

Scrummy Food and Tasty Treats

With all the tasty food that’s around at Christmas time, it’s no wonder children might be tempted to share with their beloved friend. Of course, we know it’s very dangerous for dangerous for pets to ingest things like chocolate and raisins but it’s important to share this knowledge with little ones too.

In general, while it might seem sad not to include the furry members of our family during Christmas dinner, it’s best to remind children that unusual food isn’t good for a dog or cat’s tummy and that they should stick to eating their usual food on Christmas Day.

Silent Night

With extra visitors, carol singers and fireworks going off during the festive season, some pets might find things a little overwhelming at this time of the year. Here are some tips you can share with children so that they can help their nervous cat or dog at Christmas:

  • Find a nice, quiet room in the house and make it comfortable for your pet if everything is becoming a bit worrying for them. You can add some of your cat or dog’s favourite toys or blankets to the room so that they can hide there until they feel comfortable coming out.
  • Make sure guests know only to make a fuss of your pet if they are receptive. Don’t pick up your pet or force them to meet visitors if they don’t want to.
  • You could choose some calming music for your pet to listen to that blocks out the noise of the festivities.
  • Remember to keep loud things like Christmas crackers away from your pets. They might not appreciate the loud pop as much as we do!

Vetsure for Kids – My Pet’s Festive Holiday

Click here to download your FREE pet pack, written and designed by Vetsure Claims Assessor and Veterinary Nurse, Amey Montgomery. Encourage them to complete the booklet and draw a picture of their best friend at Christmas. We’d love for you to share these pictures with the Vetsure team – you can email them to [email protected] and we’ll send a little gift to you in the post if you do!

Vetsure Pet Insurance

Treatment for accidents that occur during the festive period can be very expensive! Insurance can help with these costs and there’s no waiting period for the cover to start for accidents. For a Vetsure Pet Insurance quote, click here or give our friendly customer service team a call on 0800 050 2022.

Tiddles the Cat
Ben the Boxer