Celebrating the Holidays with Your Cat or Dog

by Casey Hampf
By: Judy Lore, Volunteer columnist
Need some good ideas for special things to do with your pet during the Holidays? Here are some ideas: shower them with some gifts, enjoy extra time outdoors with them – my dogs love rolling in snow – an extra long walk is fun for them, take your pet with you to view holiday lights (they just love car rides and being with you), let your cat enjoy all the empty boxes after gifts are opened, cuddle on the couch and watch holiday movies together, make a DIY snuffle mat for your dog – animalhumanesociety.org has instructions, you could sing your favorite carols as they won’t critique your voice.
Need or want some cat gifts: homesalive.ca/cat-blog/Christmas-gifts-for-cats or make cat treats at sustainableslowliving.com. The first page has an easy DIY recipe with just three ingredients: chicken, corn meal, egg.
If you really want to go all out, try making a “barkuterie” board for your dog. Go to stellaandchewy.com/blogs/articles for suggestions. Or design your own with favorite treats, carrots, cut up hotdogs, blueberries, strawberries, banana slices and seedless watermelon cubes. Watermelon is high in sugar – who knew? – and not for diabetic pets. Use xylitol free peanut butter for a topping. Frozen bone broth cubes and Strawberry Banana Bone Broth Pupsicles are easy to make with only three ingredients: 1 cup bone broth, 10 strawberries cut in half, and 1 banana blended together and poured into molds and frozen overnight. Of course, one must not forget to hang a stocking, preferably with their name on it and filled with treats and small gifts. Save the big gifts for wrapping – pets love to tear up wrapping paper and it makes for good photos or videos. Start a scrapbook of Holiday activities with your family, including your pets.
How about making a dog or cat pawprint ornament? A recipe I found does not give measurements, but since these are not to be eaten you can kind of guess as you go along. Oven set to 200, some flour, a little salt, and water. Combine all and make into a dough. Knead until smooth and roll out to ¼” to ½” thick. Use a jar to cut out circles large enough to fit your pet’s paw. Place circles on a cookie sheet – with foil or parchment paper – and press pet’s paws into it. Use a straw to punch out a hole at the top for hanging ribbon. Bake for two hours. After it cools you can decorate it as you wish like putting the pet’s name and year or adding glitter. Hang on a tree and enjoy every year thereafter.
Lastly, you might wish to help the local shelter with things they may need. Or go shopping for pet toys to give to these still homeless dogs and cats. It would brighten their time waiting for their loving home.
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