Holiday Foods to Keep Away From Pets

Holiday Foods to Keep Away From Pets

The holidays wrap us in lights, warmth, and the intoxicating scent of foods we wait all year to enjoy. But while we’re feasting, our pets are plotting… quietly… majestically… with laser-focused eyes fixed on the turkey platter.

Before your cat or dog decides to “taste test” the wrong thing, here’s the rundown of the festive foods that absolutely must stay on the human table only.

 1. Chocolate — The Classic Culprit

It’s delicious, decadent, and everywhere during the holidays. Brownies, cookies, candy, cocoa bombs…
But chocolate contains theobromine, which pets can’t metabolize. Dark chocolate and baking chocolate are especially dangerous.

Common holiday traps:

  • Hot chocolate spills

  • Advent calendar chocolates

  • Grandma’s fudge (yes, especially that fudge)

Keep it safe: Store chocolates up high and don’t hang edible ornaments unless your pet has zero climbing ambitions (you know if they do).

2. Sugar-Free Sweets & Xylitol

We’re all trying to cut back on sugar during the holidays. Pets? Not so much.

Xylitol, a common artificial sweetener, can cause a dangerous drop in blood sugar and even liver failure in dogs.

Watch for xylitol in:

  • Sugar-free cookies

  • Sugar-free candies

  • Gum

  • Some peanut butters used in homemade treats

  • Sugar-free holiday cocktails (yep)

Cats are less likely to eat these things — but dogs? They’ll swallow a whole pack of gum before you even blink.

3. Grapes, Raisins & Fruitcakes

We love them. Pets shouldn’t. Actually, many humans don’t love fruitcake either… but that’s another story.

Grapes and raisins can cause sudden kidney failure in pets.

Beware of:

  • Fruitcake

  • Holiday trail mixes

  • Raisin cookies

  • Mulled wine garnishes left on counters

Even one grape can be a problem for some pets. Don’t gamble.

4. Turkey Bones & Fat Trimmings

The turkey may be the star of the holiday feast, but the scraps are not safe to share.

Cooked bones can splinter and cause choking or internal injuries.
Fat trimmings and skin can cause pancreatitis — a painful, expensive, ER-worthy inflammation of the pancreas.

If you want your pet to enjoy the feast too, stick with plain, cooked white turkey meat only — no skin, no seasoning, no fuss.

5. Dough That Rises… in Their Stomach

Holiday baking is magical until your pet swipes a lump of raw yeast dough.

Raw dough can expand in their stomach (think bread rising… but inside them), leading to dangerous bloating. The fermentation also produces alcohol their bodies can’t handle.

Basically: raw dough = no.
Guard your baking zone like a grandma guarding her secret recipe.

6. Alcohol

It’s festive for people. It’s dangerous for pets. Even small amounts can cause drops in blood sugar, low body temperature, vomiting, and neurological issues.

Cats especially love to lick things they shouldn’t. Spilled eggnog? Rum-soaked desserts? A wine glass left on the end table? Temptation city.

7. Macadamia Nuts

Dogs react especially badly to macadamia nuts — weakness, tremors, vomiting, and an inability to walk normally can all appear shortly after ingestion.

Macadamia nuts hide in:

  • Cookies

  • Fancy nut mixes

  • Holiday baking kits

  • That one aunt’s “World Famous White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Bars”

8. Onions, Garlic & Holiday Stuffing

Members of the allium family — onions, garlic, scallions — can damage red blood cells in dogs and cats.

Holiday foods packed with these include:

  • Stuffing

  • Gravy

  • Roasts

  • Green bean casserole (yep, even the “harmless” veggies)

Pets don’t need a single bite of any of these.

Holiday Safety Quick Tips

  • Keep trash secured (pets are sneaky little raccoons in fur coats).

  • Don’t leave plates unattended — even for “just a second.” They know.

  • Inform guests not to slip table scraps to your pets.

  • Create a “pet-safe room” during big gatherings to prevent accidental snacks.

A Final Word from Santa’s Naughty List

The holidays are magical, chaotic, and full of glorious smells. But keeping certain foods away from your pets ensures you spend your Christmas Eve sipping cocoa — not filling out emergency vet paperwork.

A little vigilance now means more joy, more peace, and more safe, cozy cuddles later.

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