The holiday season has arrived and that means one thing for many families…delicious food!
No celebration would be complete without turkey, pie, stuffing, cookies, vegetables, and of course your great grandmother’s sweet potato recipe.
With all the delicious smells filling your house, you bet your furbabies will be under the table just begging for a small taste of whatever you have on your plate.
It’s the holiday season, a time to ease up on your pet’s diet plan and let your furbaby indulge a little.
A bite here, a taste there…Couldn’t hurt, right?
Right…and wrong.
Table food can be healthy for your pet.
In fact, feeding your pet foods such as turkey, green beans, and sweet potatoes is incredibly beneficial
to the health of your cat or dog.
If you haven’t already, I always recommend moving your pet to an all-natural diet, like The Original CrockPET Diet®. You can never go wrong giving your pet access to healthy, delicious, and nutritious veggies and meats.
That said, there are human foods that should definitely not be offered to your pet.
Cookies contain dangerous ingredients like chocolate.
Starchy foods like white potatoes contain unhealthy amounts of sugars.
Certain meats can cause health issues.
So, how do you decide what you should and should not feed your pet this holiday season?
Check out my 7 vet-approved holiday pet feeding tips and what I recommend that is safe to feed your cat or dog.
Pet Feeding Tips – Tip #1 – Healthy Table Scraps
As a pet parent, I know it’s hard not to include your cat or dog in the holiday celebrations.
This year, when you’re looking at your plate wondering what to give your pet, consider my healthy table scraps feeding tips.
Click here to read A Veterinarian’s Suggestion for Healthy Table Scraps.
Follow my healthy table scraps feeding tips, and you can rest assured that your pet will enjoy her human food treat while also staying healthy and safe.
Pet Feeding Tips – Tip #2 – Pet-Friendly Christmas Cookie Recipe
Everybody loves a good Christmas cookie.
Even your pets!
However, it’s never a good idea to feed your cat or dog a cookie that you baked for friends and family. Cookies are often filled with sugar and other harmful ingredients like chocolate chips.
This year, bake your cat or dog his own batch of Christmas cookies using my favorite pet cookie recipe.
Get the pet-friendly cookie recipe here.
Pet Feeding Tips – Tip #3 – Dry vs. Fresh Pet Food
Many people feed their pet dry commercial pet food.
But did you know that the dry kibble you purchase from the store isn’t the best option for your furry companion?
Your pet craves the same fresh meats and veggies that we put on our tables every day. Providing your pet with fresh foods plays a large role in your cat or dog’s long-term health and well-being.
I encourage you to check out this post on dry vs. wet food to discover the benefits of feeding your pet home-cooked meals.
Click here to read Dry vs. Fresh: The Health Benefits of Home-Cooked Cat Food.
Note: This post is tailored toward felines, but the same principles apply for pooches.
Pet Feeding Tips – Tip #4 – Human Food for Your Dog
The topic of feeding your dog “people food” is something that often arises in conversation between pet parents. Unfortunately, there tends to be an air of either judgment or shame that comes over the exchange.
That’s because, as a whole, it’s often deemed unsafe to feed dogs anything but their pet food.
We’ve already established in the post above that it’s ok to feed your pet certain table scraps. I recommend you read this next post to get a better understanding of why some human table foods are good for your pet and why you should avoid others.
Check out Human Food That’s OKAY to Feed Your Dog here.
Note: This post is focused on dogs, but the same ideas also pertain to cats!
Pet Feeding Tips – Tip #5 – Pet Popsicle Recipes
It’s possible your finicky feline doesn’t care for Christmas cookies. Or maybe it’s a picky pooch you have that turns his tail at the baked goods you made for him.
No worries.
If your pet doesn’t care for cookies, you can surprise your cat or dog with popsicles as a treat this holiday season.
Discover how to make pet popsicles by using my recipes here.
Pet Feeding Tips – Tip #6 – Dried Beef Liver Treats
We’ve covered pet cookies, popsicles, and table scraps, but what about treats for your die-hard meat-loving pets?
Not to worry, Mr. Snuggles, I’ve got you covered.
Give your dog or cat a special treat this holiday season by making dried beef liver treats.
I recommend these treats because they are healthy, tasty, all-natural, low in fat, and sugar-free.
You really can’t go wrong with these treats.
Check out the beef liver treat recipe here.
Pet Feeding Tips – Tip #7 – Food Therapy
If your pet is suffering from an illness or food sensitivity, the best gift you can give her this holiday season is using food therapy.
Food therapy works to heal your cat or dog and keep your pet healthy by using all-natural pet food your furbaby will love.
Discover what therapy is and how you can use it by reading my post on food therapy now.
Ensure your dog or cat has the best food possible by switching your pet to an all-natural diet like The Original CrockPET Diet®.
This diet is specially formulated with ingredients found in your own refrigerator and is proven to help give your pet a long, happy, and healthy life.
Give your pet the gift of fresh, all-natural meals with The Original CrockPET Diet®.
