The eggnog’s flowing. The Eastenders Holiday special is on. And the dog is by your side, silently begging you to feed them the entire turkey wholesale. Christmas is full of temptations, including the urge to give in to your pet’s requests for human treats as it’s “a special occasion.” But vets agree that feeding your pets potentially dangerous food can turn a holiday celebration into an emergency vet visit.
Veterinary expert, Dr. Rebecca Greenstein of the Dog People Panel, cautions against giving into those puppy eyes. “From a vet’s perspective, almost everything on the holiday menu can be irresistible—and sometimes dangerous,” she says. “Pet owners are not doing anyone any favours by sharing Holiday dinner with their pets.”
However, there are ways to celebrate the holiday with your pets in a low-risk, healthy, and fun way. Read through to build your gut instinct on what you shouldn’t share with your pets—and what holiday foods your dogs and cats can eat.
Holiday Foods Your Pets Can Try as a Treat
Foods cooked in spices or mixed with other foods are generally a no-go as treats for your pets. However, as you are cooking, save a portion of plain food (unseasoned or uncooked) so your pet can have a little treat.
Safe holiday meats and dairy for your pet:
- Bone broth: Limit portion size to 1-4 ounces and avoid salt, onion, and garlic. You can buy bone broth for pets or make it at home.
- Sour cream: Cats can have the tiniest amount of fat-free sour cream, while dogs may enjoy up to a tablespoon. Lactose-intolerant pets should not have sour cream.
- Cheese: Dogs can try cheese in moderation. However, be careful not to give dogs cheese with toxic additives like onions, garlic, chives, and the mould in blue cheeses.
- Turkey: Serve cooked bite-size pieces of lean meat without skin, bones, seasoning, or fat.
Safe holiday fruits and vegetables
- Apples: Cats and dogs can have 1-2 pieces of raw or baked apple, without the core, seeds, or added sugar.
- Applesauce: One teaspoon of plain applesauce is a sweet treat for dogs and cats.
- Brussels sprouts: Dogs can eat Brussels sprouts in small quantities.
- Carrots: Pets can have bite-sized raw or cooked carrots in moderation.
- Celery: Raw or cooked celery provides healthy nutrients for dogs and cats. Keep portion sizes under 2 teaspoons for a small pet.
- Cranberries: Serve powdered or fresh to dogs. If no sugar is added, you may be able to serve juice as well.
- Green beans: Green beans can be fed fresh, frozen, cooked, or dehydrated — and may help a dog lose weight.
- Leafy greens: Dogs and cats can eat freshly cooked greens, like kale, without seasoning and stems.
- Okra: Dogs can eat a tiny amount of raw or lightly cooked okra without spices and seasoning. Avoid giving okra to cats.
- Potatoes: Cats and dogs can have potatoes baked, broiled, or boiled, but never raw or fried.
- Pumpkin: Keep spices off of pumpkin when serving to your cat or dog. Plain canned, cooked, or pureed pumpkin is good for your pet’s digestive system.
- Shortbread biscuits: These are unlikely to cause harm in very small amounts. Limit these due to their added sugar, and definitely avoid for dogs with grain sensitivities or allergies.
- Sweet potatoes: You can serve plain baked or boiled sweet potatoes in moderate amounts for dogs. For cats, keep portion size to a minimum.
Butter is not poisonous for dogs and cats, so if a little gets mixed into their treat, that’s OK! Don’t panic. Just keep in mind not to make it a snack, as butter is high in fat content.
iStock/skynesher
Serving sizes will depend on your pet’s weight
In this case, a serving size for pets is defined as the size of your top thumb joint. We recommend portioning out your treats and then breaking them into smaller pieces for training and bonding opportunities.
Note: Cats and dogs should not be fed human foods more than once or twice a week.
| Pet / size | Meat (portion) | Dairy (portion) | Fruit (portion) | Vegetable (portion) |
| Dog (<9.1 kg/20 lbs) | 1/2 – 1 piece | 1 tsp | 1 slice | 1/2 – 1 piece |
| Cat (small) | 1/2 piece | 1 tbsp | 1/4 inch chunk | 1/2 piece |
| Dog (9.5-14 kg-21-31 lbs) | 1-2 pieces | 1 tbsp | 1-2 slices or chunks | 1-2 pieces |
| Cat (medium) | 1-2 pieces | 1 tbsp | 1-2 slices | 1-2 pieces |
| Dog (22.6+ kg/50+ lbs) | 4-5 pieces | 3-4 tbsp | 3-4 slices or chunks | 4-5 pieces |
| Cat (large) | 2-3 pieces | 2 tbsp | 2 slices | 2-3 pieces |
“Any time there are large gatherings with lots of guests, plentiful table foods, and less owner supervision of pets, we tend to see an uptick in cases coming through the vet A+E,” says Dr. Greenstein.
Whether your cat or dog needs to go to the emergency vet’s practice will depend on how much they ate and what additional ingredients were in the meal. The more details you can provide your vet when on call, the more helpful and reassuring they will be.
Holiday Foods Cats and Dogs Can’t Eat
These holiday foods and ingredients are not safe to feed your pet. Due to their size, tiny dogs and cats are at a higher risk than larger breeds for emergencies, if they ingest:
- Alcohol of any kind
- Artificial sweeteners such as xylitol
- Bread sauce, as this contains cloves and onion
- Cooked bones
- Chocolate
- Eggnog (try making this dog-friendly version instead)
- Fried foods, such as sausage rolls, scotch eggs, other pastries, latkes, okra, and sufganiyot
- Garlic
- Grapes or raisins
- Gravy (try making this dog-friendly version instead)
- Green bean casserole
- Ham
- Jelly and jams
- Mince pies, as they usually contain raisins and sultanas, which can be toxic to some dogs
- Nuts, including macadamia nuts, chestnuts, and walnuts
- Onions
- Pumpkin pie
- Salt
- Stuffing, as this often contains a hearty helping of garlic and onions – both potentially toxic for your dog
If you suspect your pet has ingested any of these foods, seek veterinary attention immediately.
Risks of Feeding Holiday Food to Your Pets
Since predicting how your pet may react to human foods is difficult, Dr. Greenstein cautions against risking their health with a little treat.
“Pets can’t metabolise fats, dairy, and other nutrients and foods the way we can, and sometimes what pet owners think of as innocent table scraps can land their pets in the hospital with severe illness,” she explains.
Feeding your pet holiday foods may cause:
- Choking and internal damage: Bones are brittle and can break, damaging a pet’s mouth, throat, and gastrointestinal tract.
- Diarrhoea or gastrointestinal upset: Fatty foods can upset tummies and inflame vital organs.
- Overfeeding: Sweet foods and extra treats contribute additional calories to your dog’s diet.
- Emergency vet visits: Toxic foods (such as grapes and onions) can be hidden in holiday foods and are downright deadly for pets.
- More begging: Not all pets have a concept of holidays. A few days of being spoiled with table food could result in your pets hovering around every time you eat.
Supervise Your Pet to Avoid Holiday Stress
In the season of giving and celebrating, it’s only right to want to include pets in the festivities. Just remember that the abundance of holiday foods humans enjoy this time of year is not the same cornucopia for our pets.
To reduce the risk of your pets going to the ER during the holidays, experts say:
- Avoid sugar-free products and foods in the home: Sugar-free alternatives, like xylitol, are toxic to dogs. Having these options increases the risk of endangering your pet accidentally.
- Prepare separate treats for dogs and cats: Instead of sharing food from your plate, give your pet their own holiday meals made safely from scratch.
- Keep tempting foods out of reach: Place the turkey and sides towards the back of the counter or in a separate room with a pet gate.
- Confine your pet to a comfy area: A safer pet-proofed room with their own food, treats, and toys should keep them happy and occupied.
With a little supervision, your pets can safely enjoy holiday foods with you and your family.
